Anaesthesia
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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.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Cricoid pressure and the pressor response to tracheal intubation.
Forty healthy adults who underwent rapid sequence induction of anaesthesia were allocated randomly to receive either cricoid pressure or its stimulation. The anticipated increase in systolic arterial pressure and heart rate after laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation were not altered significantly by the application of cricoid pressure.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Epidural fentanyl for shaking in obstetrics.
This study assesses the efficacy of epidural fentanyl in the relief of shaking associated with epidural analgesia. Fifty mothers whose shaking was sufficient to cause distress were divided randomly to receive either fentanyl 25 micrograms in 5 ml sterile normal saline or 5 ml of saline through their in-situ epidural. Shaking stopped within 15 minutes in 18 out of 25 (72%) of those given fentanyl but in only 4 out of 25 (16%) of the saline group and this is statistically significant (p less than 0.01). Fentanyl can be recommended in this context.