Anaesthesia
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Some military anaesthetists have started to use the Oxford Miniature Vaporiser in a pushover configuration with the Triservice anaesthetic apparatus. This vaporiser performs identically in the pushover and drawover configurations with the Cape TC 50 ventilator. We tested the Oxford Miniature Vaporiser with three other ventilators and found variable performance. When used in the pushover configuration with the Laerdal bag at normal minute volumes, the Oxford Miniature Vaporiser delivers a higher than set output.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The effect of the addition of ropivacaine or bupivacaine upon pruritus induced by intrathecal fentanyl in labour.
Sixty patients in early labour were randomly allocated to one of three groups. The control group received intrathecal fentanyl 25 microg, the ropivacaine group received intrathecal fentanyl 25 microg and ropivacaine 2.5 mg while the bupivacaine group received intrathecal fentanyl 25 microg and bupivacaine 2.5 mg. The incidence of pruritus was 100% in controls, compared with 85% in the ropivacaine group (not significant) and 75% in the bupivacaine group (p = 0.003). ⋯ Pruritus above the abdomen was not reduced in patients receiving local anaesthetics. There were no significant differences in the mean pain visual analogue score, systolic blood pressure, maternal heart rate and upper level of reduced pin-prick sensation in the first 30 min. Intrathecal ropivacaine and, more so, intrathecal bupivacaine reduce the incidence and severity of pruritus from intrathecal fentanyl for labour analgesia.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A double-blind randomised comparison of ropivacaine 0.5%, bupivacaine 0.375% - lidocaine 1% and ropivacaine 0.5% - lidocaine 1% mixtures for cataract surgery.
This study evaluated the efficacy and side-effects of plain ropivacaine compared with ropivacaine-lidocaine and bupivacaine-lidocaine mixtures for peribulbar blocks in cataract surgery. Ninety patients were randomly allocated to three groups and received peribulbar blockade using one of the three solutions. Speed of onset and quality of blockade were assessed using akinesia, surgical satisfaction and patient satisfaction. ⋯ There was no difference in surgical or patient satisfaction between the groups. There were no differences in pain on injection, preblock and postblock blood pressure, heart rate or oxygen saturation. The optimal time to surgical incision after peribulbar blockade is not less than 15 min and plain ropivacaine fulfils this criterion.
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Comparative Study
Supplementary oxygenation with the laryngeal mask airway: a comparison of four devices.
The provision of supplementary oxygen via the laryngeal mask airway used in the recovery room is important for patient safety. Several devices have been described for this purpose, but these studies have not included an accurate measurement of the most clinically important variable, the end-tidal oxygen concentration. ⋯ The performances of the T-bag and the T-piece were superior to those of the filter and Hudson mask, with end-tidal oxygen concentrations of 46.1%, 45.8% and 35.4%, 34.8%, respectively, at 8 l.min-1. Single point assessments of oxygen delivery, such as peak inspired oxygen concentration, may overestimate the efficacy of test devices.