British journal of anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The modifying influence of anaesthesia on postoperative protein catabolism.
We studied two groups of six patients scheduled for gastrointestinal surgery; they were allocated randomly to receive high- or low-dose fentanyl anaesthesia. The confounding effect of protein balance, before the trauma of surgery, on postoperative nitrogen excretion was controlled by standardized protein intake before operation, supplemented by adequate calories. ⋯ The high-dose group had significantly lower postoperative excretion of ammonia and slightly lower excretion of urea and 3-methylhistidine. Low-stress anaesthesia may thus diminish postoperative catabolism, which could be important in frail patients by reducing mortality, ICU resources, or both.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effect of ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerve block and wound infiltration with 0.5% bupivacaine on postoperative pain after hernia repair.
We have compared, in 40 adult males, the effect on pain in the first 24 h after herniorrhaphy of preincisional ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerve block and wound infiltration with 0.5% bupivacaine or saline. After operation, patients received morphine i.v. via a patient-controlled analgesia machine and visual analogue pain scores (VAS) at rest and on movement were recorded. The bupivacaine group consumed less morphine in the first 6 h after operation. ⋯ There was no significant difference in VAS scores at rest but there was a significantly higher pain score with movement in the saline group. We have shown that the combination of nerve block and wound infiltration reduces consumption of morphine in the first 24 h after herniorrhaphy. We have failed to show any effect of 0.5% bupivacaine beyond the first 6 h after operation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Thenar muscle blood flow and neuromuscular effects of vecuronium in patients receiving balanced or isoflurane anaesthesia.
We have tested the hypothesis that isoflurane potentiates non-depolarizing neuromuscular block via an increase in muscle blood flow. Anaesthesia was induced with thiopentone 4-5 mg kg-1 in 30 adult male patients of ASA physical status I or II and was maintained with 70% nitrous oxide in oxygen supplemented with either a bolus dose of fentanyl 4 micrograms kg-1 followed by an infusion of 1 microgram kg-1 h-1 (balanced anaesthesia group, n = 15) or 1.1% end-tidal isoflurane (isoflurane group, n = 15). Vecuronium 0.1 mg kg-1 was given for neuromuscular block. ⋯ Thenar muscle blood flow was comparable in the two groups throughout the study. We conclude that isoflurane prolonged vecuronium-induced neuromuscular block. This prolongation was not related primarily to increase in muscle blood flow.
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We have analysed, with the aid of an online database, the number of all types of contributions from scientists of various countries to four leading international anaesthesia journals (British Journal of Anaesthesia, Anaesthesia, Anesthesia and Analgesia and Anesthesiology) during the period 1987-1991. Although American and British publications played the leading roles in the total number of anaesthetic publications (40.4% and 32.5%, respectively), more detailed analysis revealed an unexpectedly high "publication output" of smaller countries, which sometimes exceeded those of larger nations (publications per million inhabitants: United Kingdom 41.9, Denmark 24.2, Sweden 15.4, Finland 15.3, Israel 14.6, Ireland 13.1, U. S. A. 11.9, Switzerland 11.0).
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We have compared the effects of two different frequencies of train-of-four stimulation of the ulnar nerve (2-Hz stimulation once every 10 or 20 s) on onset time and potency of atracurium, vecuronium and mivacurium during balanced anaesthesia. The adductor pollicis EMG was recorded simultaneously in both hands of 24 children aged 2-12 yr. After administration of an ED50 dose of each blocker, onset times were mean 21 (SEM 10) s shorter (P < 0.05) and decreases in neuromuscular function were 22 (3)% greater (P < 0.001) in the hand which was stimulated once every 10 s. We conclude that it is not possible to compare potency estimates of neuromuscular blocking agents if different stimulation patterns have been used.