Anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A comparison of the effects of tramadol and morphine on gastric emptying in man.
In a previous study using an electrical bioimpedance technique and the paracetamol absorption test, we demonstrated that 0.09 mg.kg-1 of morphine delayed gastric emptying in healthy human volunteers. The aim of this study was to investigate whether analgesic doses of tramadol would cause a delay in gastric emptying similar to conventional opioids. Using the same volunteers and techniques as in our previous study, placebo or tramadol (1 mg.kg-1) was given in a randomised, double-blinded, cross-over placebo-controlled study. ⋯ In our previous study, morphine prolonged t0.5 to 21 (3) min (p < 0.03). The maximum concentration and area under the curve of serum paracetamol concentrations following morphine were significantly different from placebo (p < 0.05) and tramadol (p < 0.05). We conclude that tramadol at a dose of 1 mg.kg-1 does not delay gastric emptying in humans.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Incidence of intra-operative bradycardia. Comparison of atracurium and vecuronium in gynaecological surgery.
Intra-operative bradycardia is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias observed in clinical anaesthetic practice and can lead to a potentially dangerous outcome. In a randomised double-blind trial, 50 female patients undergoing elective abdominal hysterectomy were divided into two groups. Group I received atracurium and group II received vecuronium as a neuromuscular blocking agent in a balanced anaesthetic technique. ⋯ The two groups were similar in their demographic characteristics. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference among the two groups regarding the incidence of simple bradycardia. However, the incidence of severe bradycardia or symptomatic bradycardia requiring treatment was significantly higher in the vecuronium group.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The effect of pre-operative administration of bupivacaine compared with its postoperative use.
Eighty patients undergoing lower third molar surgery under general anaesthesia were assigned to one of two groups to receive local anaesthetic blockade either 10 min prior to surgery or after surgery just before leaving the operating theatre. Patients in both groups received the local anaesthetic block whilst unconscious. Pain was assessed using visual analogue scales at 6 h and 1, 3 and 6 days after surgery. ⋯ At no time was it possible to detect any significant difference in pain between the two groups. The administration of local anaesthesia prior to starting surgery does not appear to have any advantage over its postoperative administration in patients undergoing this type of surgery. The local anaesthetic, however, does provide excellent analgesia during the first few hours following surgery.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Home-readiness after spinal anaesthesia with small doses of hyperbaric 0.5% bupivacaine.
Fifty-four patients were studied prospectively to evaluate home-readiness after a small dose (1 or 2 ml) of subarachnoid hyperbaric 0.5% bupivacaine. The block regressed significantly earlier in the 1 ml group than in the 2 ml group (p < 0.05). ⋯ We conclude that adequate surgical anaesthesia can be achieved with small doses of hyperbaric bupivacaine used for spinal anaesthesia. Although the sensory and motor block after 1 or 2 ml hyperbaric bupivacaine recovered within a reasonable time for day-case surgery, in some patients recovery of the ability to void was delayed to an undesirable extent.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Oxygen enrichment during emergence with the laryngeal mask--the 'T-bag' versus the T-piece.
We have compared the performance of a new oxygen enrichment device, the 'T-bag', with a T-piece during emergence from spontaneous breathing anaesthesia with the laryngeal mask airway. Thirty patients were randomly allocated to each group. Inspired and end-tidal gases were sampled from the proximal end of the laryngeal mask airway. ⋯ The mean inspired oxygen concentration was greater than 70% and the inspired carbon dioxide was less than 2 mmHg in both groups throughout emergence. There were no episodes of hypoxia (oxygen saturation < 92%). Both devices performed well, but the 'T-bag' offered advantages in terms of respiratory monitoring and ventilatory capability.