Anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Speed of onset of 'corner pocket supraclavicular' and infraclavicular ultrasound guided brachial plexus block: a randomised observer-blinded comparison.
This prospective, randomised, observer blinded study compared the onset time of brachial plexus block using 2% lidocaine 25-30 ml with adrenaline 5 microg.ml(-1) into the 'corner pocket' inferolateral/lateral to the subclavian artery (supraclavicular, n = 30) or to a triple point injection around the axillary artery (infraclavicular, n = 30). Mean (SD) onset time for complete pinprick sensory blockade assessed by a blinded observer in all four distal nerves was similar in both groups: supraclavicular = 22 (9.4) min, infraclavicular = 21 (7.1) min, p = 0.59. ⋯ Of the 11 failures in group supraclavicular, nine were due to incomplete ulnar nerve territory anaesthesia. These results do not support the concept of rapid onset successful supraclavicular block via a simple ultrasound-guided local anaesthetic injection inferolateral to the subclavian artery.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Optimal remifentanil dosage for providing excellent intubating conditions when co-administered with a single standard dose of propofol.
This dose-response study aimed to determine the dose of remifentanil combined with propofol 2.5 mg.kg(-1) which provided excellent intubation conditions in 95% of patients. Ninety premedicated female ASA 1 and 2 patients were randomly allocated to five remifentanil dose groups (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 microg.kg(-1)). Induction of anaesthesia was performed with a blinded dose of remifentanil infused over 60 s simultaneously co-administered with propofol 2.5 mg.kg(-1) infused over 45 s. ⋯ Intubating conditions were assessed with the Copenhagen score. A probit analysis was performed to calculate the intubating efficient doses (IED) of remifentanil in 95% of patients (IED(95)). Our data revealed that the IED(95) of remifentanil was 4.0 (95% CI: 3.4-5.6) microg.kg(-1), which was associated with a maximum decrease in heart rate and mean arterial pressure of < 30%, a finding which also applied to the other groups.