Anaesthesia
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A safe and predictable method by which an epidural infusion sufficient for pain control in labour can be rapidly converted to a more intense block adequate for emergency Caesarean section continues to present a challenge. A prospective study was undertaken. ⋯ This produced an adequate block in 11 out of 18 patients. There were no significant differences in duration of infusion, cumulative local anaesthetic dose or pre-existing block height in these patients when compared with the remaining seven patients who required an additional top-up.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Sevoflurane anaesthesia for major intra-abdominal surgery.
The cardiovascular effects and recovery characteristics of sevoflurane and isoflurane anaesthesia were compared in 30 gynaecological and 20 general surgical patients undergoing elective intra-abdominal surgery. Patients were randomly allocated to receive either sevoflurane or isoflurane as the volatile agent, in a balanced anaesthetic technique including morphine and atropine premedication and thiopentone, fentanyl, vecuronium and nitrous oxide. ⋯ Time to emergence from anaesthesia in the gynaecological patients was significantly faster after sevoflurane compared with isoflurane (p < 0.005). Sevoflurane provided stable anaesthesia during major intra-abdominal surgery.