British journal of anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Pain management after adenoidectomy with ketoprofen: comparison of rectal and intravenous routes.
We compared the efficacy of rectally and intravenously administered ketoprofen for pain management after day-case adenoidectomy. Patients (123 children aged 1-9 yr) were allocated randomly to receive on induction of anaesthesia ketoprofen 25 mg rectally with an i.v. placebo, ketoprofen 25 mg i.v. with a rectal placebo, or placebo both i.v. and rectally. The method of anaesthesia and the operative technique were standardized. ⋯ There was no significant difference between the two ketoprofen groups in their requirement for rescue analgesics. However, both the proportion of children needing rescue analgesics [55 of 84 children (65%) vs. 33 of 39 children (84%); difference 19%, 95% confidence interval 4-34%, P=0.029] and the number of rescue analgesic doses [mean 1.2 (SD 1.2) vs. 2.2 (1.4); mean difference 0.9, 95% confidence interval 0.4-1.4, P=0.001] were significantly lower among children receiving ketoprofen than in children receiving placebo. Adverse events, duration of operation, perioperative bleeding, pain scores and time of discharge were similar in the three groups.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Dexamethasone for prophylaxis of nausea and vomiting after epidural morphine for post-Caesarean section analgesia: comparison of droperidol and saline.
We have evaluated the prophylactic effect of i.v. dexamethasone 8 mg in preventing nausea and vomiting during epidural morphine for post-Caesarean section analgesia. Droperidol 1.25 mg and saline served as the control. ⋯ Both dexamethasone and droperidol significantly decreased the total incidence of nausea and vomiting compared with saline, with incidences of 18, 21 and 51% for the three treatments respectively (P<0.01 and P<0.05 respectively). Parturients who received droperidol reported a more frequent incidence of restlessness (16%) than those who received dexamethasone (P<0.05).
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The pharmacokinetics of ropivacaine were evaluated during long-term continuous epidural analgesia (CEDA) for about 120 h. The total and free plasma concentrations of ropivacaine and the alpha1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) concentration were measured in 12 patients after total knee arthroplasty. The infusion rate was adjusted according to patients' analgesic needs or side effects. ⋯ The highest individual free plasma concentration was 0.16 microg ml(-1). The individual peak total plasma concentration, 4.1 (1.2) microg ml(-1), was achieved after 67.7 (16.5) h, although the AAG concentration increased throughout the observation period. Our data support the safety and efficacy of long-term ropivacaine CEDA.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Pre-operative oral erythromycin reduces residual gastric volume and acidity.
We investigated whether low-dose erythromycin (200 mg) given as an oral premedicant altered the residual gastric volume and its acidity in fasted patients at induction of anaesthesia in a single-blinded study. Sixty patients were allocated randomly to receive either an erythromycin tablet (200 mg) or nothing with 10 ml water 3 h before induction of anaesthesia, and another 60 patients 1 h before induction of anaesthesia. ⋯ Erythromycin significantly reduced gastric acidity when it was given 1 h before induction of anaesthesia (P<0.02; 95% CI for median pH difference: 0.1-1.7). In contrast, when given 3 h before induction of anaesthesia, erythromycin did not significantly alter acidity.
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We report a case of venous air embolism during an elective shoulder arthroscopy in which air was used as a joint distending agent. Venous air embolism was diagnosed by the sudden decrease in the end-tidal carbon dioxide concentration. ⋯ We present this case to make surgeons and anaesthetists aware of the possibility of gas/air embolism during elective arthroscopy, when gas/air is used to distend the joint. This case also illustrates that the end-tidal carbon dioxide monitor, which is part of the standard anaesthetic monitoring system, is very sensitive in detecting venous air embolism.