British journal of anaesthesia
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Comparative Study
Skin conductance monitoring compared with bispectral index monitoring to assess emergence from general anaesthesia using sevoflurane and remifentanil.
Changes in skin conductance have previously been reported to correlate well with plasma levels of stress hormones and awakening stimuli. In this study, monitoring of skin conductance during emergence from general anaesthesia was compared with the monitoring of bispectral index (BIS). ⋯ NFSC, as a parameter of skin conductance, performed similarly to BIS in patients waking after a general anaesthetic.
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Comparative Study
First clinical experience of tracheal intubation with the SensaScope, a novel steerable semirigid video stylet.
Problems with tracheal intubation are a major cause of anaesthesia-related morbidity and mortality. Difficulty with tracheal intubation is primarily a consequence of failure to see the vocal cords with conventional direct laryngoscopy. We report our experience with use of the SensaScope for tracheal intubation in routine clinical practice. ⋯ The SensaScope is a reliable and effective device for tracheal intubation under vision of the normal airway. It has great potential to facilitate management of difficult airway situations in anaesthetized and paralysed patients.
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Dexamethasone prevents postoperative nausea and vomiting but may increase blood glucose. We compared blood glucose concentrations after dexamethasone in non-diabetic and type 2 diabetic patients undergoing surgery and looked for any association with preoperative glycosylated haemoglobin [HbA (1c)] and BMI. ⋯ After 10 mg dexamethasone, blood glucose levels increase in non-diabetic and type 2 diabetic patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Poorly controlled diabetes and severe obesity can influence the development of hyperglycaemia.
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The purpose of this study was an anatomical and clinical evaluation of ultrasonography-guided rectus sheath blocks in children. ⋯ The bilateral placement of levobupivacaine 0.25% 0.1 ml kg(-1) in the space between the posterior aspect of the rectus sheath and the rectus abdominis muscle under real-time ultrasonographic guidance provides sufficient analgesia for umbilical hernia repair. The unpredictable depth of the posterior rectus sheath in children is a good argument for the use of ultrasonography in this regional anaesthetic technique in children.
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The purpose of this study was to compare neostigmine-induced reversal of vecuronium in normal weight, overweight and obese female patients. ⋯ Early reversal after neostigmine is prompt; however, recovery to a TOF ratio of 0.9 is slow in overweight and obese patients when vecuronium is dosed on the basis of the patient's RBW.