British journal of anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
A multicentre comparison of the costs of anaesthesia with sevoflurane or propofol.
Day-case anaesthesia requires rapidly eliminated anaesthetics which are relatively expensive. This multinational, multicentre European study assessed the relative costs of propofol or sevoflurane anaesthesia in 211 patients. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol in group 1, with propofol and sevoflurane in group 2, and with sevoflurane in group 3. ⋯ Anaesthetic drug wastage and disposable costs were highest in group 1 and lowest in group 3. Consequently, total costs were highest in group 1 ($31.9 (0.9)) compared with groups 2 ($19.7 (0.9)) and 3 ($18.8 (0.9)). Although we observed increased nausea and vomiting in groups 2 and 3 and reduced patient satisfaction in group 3, these differences should be balanced against the greater cost of propofol anaesthesia.
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The response to tissue injury includes sensitization of peripheral nociceptors and central neuronal pathways leading to acute clinical and inflammatory pain. A further response is sprouting of sensory nerve terminals in the region of skin damage. This hyperinnervation response is particularly intense in neonates compared with adults. ⋯ Cutaneous innervation was studied by image analysis of immunostained skin sections, 7 days after wounding, and sensory thresholds were assessed using von Frey hairs. The results showed that both hyperinnervation and hypersensitivity were not significantly altered by the application of a regional nerve block at the time of injury. This suggests that regional analgesia, used commonly in clinical practice, is unlikely to prevent the hyperinnervation that follows skin wounding.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of sevoflurane-nitrous oxide and propofol-alfentanil-nitrous oxide anaesthesia for minor gynaecological surgery.
We studied 44 patients undergoing minor gynaecological surgery, anaesthetized in random order with sevoflurane-nitrous oxide or propofol-alfentanil-nitrous oxide. Operating conditions, recovery and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) were assessed. For postoperative analgesia, all patients were given ketoprofen 100 mg rectally at the end of anaesthesia. ⋯ Patients given propofol woke up (3.5 vs 6.5 min), became orientated (5.0 vs 7.5 min) and were able to walk (57 vs 69 min) significantly (P < 0.05) earlier than those given sevoflurane, but there were no differences in times to achieve home readiness (166 vs 149 min) or in psychomotor recovery between the two groups. Intrauterine bleeding and PONV were more common with sevoflurane (incidence of PONV 64%) than with propofol anaesthesia (incidence of PONV 5%). We conclude that propofol-alfentanil is preferable to sevoflurane in ultra-short anaesthesia for minor gynaecological surgery.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of ondansetron and cyclizine for prevention of nausea and vomiting after day-case gynaecological laparoscopy.
We have compared ondansetron 4 mg i.v. and cyclizine 50 mg i.v., in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) for 24 h after day-case gynaecological laparoscopy. Compared with placebo (n = 58), ondansetron (n = 60) and cyclizine (n = 57) reduced significantly the incidence of moderate or severe nausea (30% and 23% vs 52%; P = 0.02 and P = 0.001, respectively) and requirement for escape antiemetic (28% and 16% vs 47%; P = 0.04 and P < 0.001, respectively) before discharge from hospital. ⋯ For diagnostic laparoscopy (n = 74), fewer patients received escape antiemetic after cyclizine than after ondansetron (4% vs 37%; P < 0.01); for laparoscopic sterilization (n = 101), both antiemetics were equally effective. Ondansetron and cyclizine both reduced severe and moderate nausea and the need for antiemetic therapy after day-case gynaecological laparoscopy.