Anaesthesia
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
An evaluation of the incentive spirometer to improve lung function after cholecystectomy.
Forty patients who underwent elective cholecystectomy were allocated randomly to one of two groups. Patients in one group used an incentive spirometer as part of their postoperative chest physiotherapy; those in the other received routine postoperative physiotherapy as dictated by their needs. Each group contained equal numbers of smokers and nonsmokers, and the data from each group were analysed separately. The use of the incentive spirometer did not confer any benefits as judged by clinical evidence of pulmonary complications, pulmonary function tests or length of hospital stay.
-
Comparative Study
The control of post-thoracotomy pain. A comparative evaluation of thoracic epidural fentanyl infusions and cryo-analgesia.
This is a comparative study of two methods to relieve postoperative thoracotomy pain. Continuous thoracic epidural infusion of fentanyl produced superior analgesia when compared with cryo-analgesia of the relevant thoracic nerves. ⋯ This difference was significant at p less than 0.001. Respiratory and cardiovascular measurements were similar in both groups and the only side effect attributable to the epidural fentanyl was itching but this was not a problem.