British journal of anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Modification by fentanyl and alfentanil of the intraocular pressure response to suxamethonium and tracheal intubation.
We have measured in a double-blind study the changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) in 40 consecutive patients (pretreated with fentanyl or alfentanil) who received suxamethonium and tracheal intubation. Although IOP increased significantly following administration of suxamethonium, mean IOP in both groups remained significantly less than control values (P less than 0.002). ⋯ There were no significant differences in mean IOP between the fentanyl and alfentanil groups. Both opioids reduced, but did not abolish the haemodynamic responses to tracheal intubation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effect of fluid preloading on cardiovascular variables after spinal anaesthesia with glucose-free 0.75% bupivacaine.
We studied the effect on systemic arterial pressure of fluid preloading with 1 litre of crystalloid fluid before spinal anaesthesia in 40 patients undergoing minor lower abdominal or lower limb surgery. Fluid was given at a rate of either 1 ml min-1 (no preload group), or 1000 ml in the 15 min (preload group) immediately before induction of spinal anaesthesia with 3 ml of 0.75% glucose-free bupivacaine. There was no difference between the groups in the character of anaesthesia or motor block in the lower limbs. ⋯ The group not given a fluid preload had significantly lower arterial pressures (P less than 0.05) when anaesthesia extended above the T5 dermatome. The mean time before the lowest arterial pressure was recorded was twice as long in the preloaded group as in the non-preloaded group. Glucose-free 0.75% bupivacaine did not give a reliable extent of anaesthesia for lower abdominal surgery.
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We have studied the pharmacokinetics of ketamine administered rectally in a dose of 10 mg kg-1 to five children aged 6-9 yr and mean weight 28.80 (SD 6.55) kg. An acceptable level of anaesthesia was not obtained in any patient. Despite this, the degree of analgesia obtained was good and no child required further administration of analgesics during the postoperative period. ⋯ The absorption of ketamine was found to be relatively fast, with a median peak concentration of 160 ng ml-1 (range 96-250 ng ml-1) at 0.75 h (range 0.50-1.00 h) after administration. The plasma concentrations of norketamine were greater than those of the parent drug, with a maximum of 510 ng ml-1 (range 450-810 ng ml-1) at 0.81 h (range 0.50-1.00 h) after administration. The medians of the half-lives of ketamine and norketamine were 3.15 h and 2.56 h, respectively (range 1.57-4.95 h and 1.47-5.30 h, respectively).
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Comparative Study
Vascular response of human skin after analgesia with EMLA cream.
We investigated vascular responses after cutaneous application of EMLA cream (a eutectic mixture of lignocaine and prilocaine) by skin reflectance spectroscopy and laser Doppler blood flowmetry. In healthy subjects, EMLA cream produced a biphasic vascular response with an initial vasoconstriction, maximal after 1.5 h of application. ⋯ Vasoconstriction was also observed initially with two non-EMLA creams applied under occlusion, whereas the occlusive plastic film alone did not alter the vascular state. Thus late vasodilatation was unique to EMLA cream.