British journal of anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Remifentanil by bolus injection: a safety, pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and age effect investigation in human volunteers.
Although remifentanil's short-acting pharmacokinetic profile makes it well suited for procedures during which a brief period of intense analgesia is required, setting up an infusion pump for brief procedures is inconvenient. The clinical pharmacology of remifentanil administered by bolus injection, a more convenient alternative, has not been explored in detail. The primary aim of this study was to examine the safety of single bolus doses of remifentanil in conscious, healthy, adult volunteers breathing room air. Secondary aims included the evaluation of remifentanil pharmacokinetics and analgesic effects after bolus injection and a comparison of these issues in younger vs older adults. ⋯ Bolus injection could potentially be a safe and effective means of administering remifentanil in clinical situations requiring a brief period of intense analgesia. Because some subjects, both old and young, experienced significant respiratory depression even at low doses, careful monitoring of respiratory function is essential.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Alkalinization of intra-cuff lidocaine and use of gel lubrication protect against tracheal tube-induced emergence phenomena.
We sought to determine the benefits of using alkalinized lidocaine 40 mg to fill the cuff of a tracheal tube (ETT) in combination with water-soluble gel lubrication to prevent post-intubation sore throat. ⋯ These data show benefits of using an alkalinized lidocaine-filled ETT cuff in combination with water-soluble gel lubrication in preventing post-intubation sore throat.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Double-blind randomized controlled trial of caudal versus intravenous S(+)-ketamine for supplementation of caudal analgesia in children.
The postoperative analgesic efficacy of S(+)-ketamine after caudal or i.v. administration following sub-umbilical surgery in children was studied to investigate its principal site of analgesic action. ⋯ We have demonstrated that the addition of caudal S(+)-ketamine to bupivacaine prolongs the duration of postoperative analgesia. However, the same dose of i.v. S(+)-ketamine combined with a plain bupivacaine caudal provides no better analgesia than caudal bupivacaine alone, indicating that the principal analgesic effect of caudal S(+)-ketamine results from a local neuroaxial rather than a systemic effect.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Development of a difficulty score for spinal anaesthesia.
Multiple attempts at spinal puncture may be hazardous. Accurate preoperative prediction of difficulty adds to the delivery of high quality care. This clinical trial was designed to: (i). determine the predictive performance of difficulty variables; (ii). compare senior and junior anaesthetists; (iii). develop a score to predict difficulty during the performance of spinal anaesthesia. ⋯ Spinal bony landmarks and radiological characteristics of the lumbar vertebrae are independent predictors of difficulty during spinal anaesthesia. There is no difference between senior and junior anaesthetists. Grade 4 is the difficulty score at or above which difficulty is expected.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effect of three anaesthetic techniques on isometric skeletal muscle strength.
Our aim was to quantify human involuntary isometric skeletal muscle strength during anaesthesia with propofol, sevoflurane, or spinal anaesthesia using bupivacaine. ⋯ At clinically relevant concentrations, propofol and sevoflurane did not influence involuntary isometric skeletal muscle strength in adults, whereas spinal anaesthesia reduced strength by about 20%. Muscle strength assessment using a device such as described here provided reliable results and should be considered for use in other scientific investigations to identify potential effects of anaesthetic agents.