British journal of anaesthesia
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Presently, no comprehensive and validated questionnaire to measure patient experiences of the preoperative assessment clinic (PAC) is available. We developed and validated the Patient Experiences with the Preoperative Assessment Clinic (PEPAC) questionnaire, which can be used for quantitative measurements of patient experiences of the PAC. ⋯ The PEPAC is a comprehensive, reliable, and validated questionnaire to measure patient experiences with the PAC. It might be a useful tool to identify the service areas of the PAC that require improvement and to determine which actions can bring about improvement.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Hyaluronidase reduces local anaesthetic volumes for sub-Tenon's anaesthesia.
Volumes of local anaesthetics for sub-Tenon's anaesthesia vary. Lower volumes produce less akinesia, whereas higher volumes increase chemosis and intra-ocular pressures. Hyaluronidase is often added to local anaesthetics to improve akinesia without increasing the volume of the injection, but this is controversial. This randomized, sequential allocation study examines the addition of hyaluronidase on the minimum local anaesthetic volume (MLAV) required for a sub-Tenon's block. ⋯ Hyaluronidase permits a significant 2.4-fold (95% CI, 1.8-3.4) reduction in MLAV for sub-Tenon's anaesthesia.
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Comparative Study
Similarity between the suprasystolic wideband external pulse wave and the first derivative of the intra-arterial pulse wave.
Wideband external pulse (WEP) monitoring, using a broad bandwidth piezoelectric sensor located over the brachial artery under the distal edge of a sphygmomanometer cuff, can be used for evaluating the contour of the arterial pressure pulse wave. The pulse contour contains valuable information relating to cardiovascular function which may be of clinical use in addition to blood pressure measurements. The aim of this study was to compare the shape of the WEP signal during inflation of the cuff to suprasystolic pressure, with intra-arterial pressure waves, after the administration of vasoactive drugs. ⋯ The suprasystolic WEP signals can be used to derive arterial pressure waves which, although not identical, track changes in the intra-arterial pulse wave induced by vasoactive drugs.
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Little information is available about the accuracy of the teeth mark on the laryngeal tube (LT) as a guide to correct placement in children. The aim of this crossover study was to evaluate three methods for optimal insertion depth of the size (#) 2 tube in children weighing 12-25 kg. ⋯ Insertion of the LT #2 aligned with the teeth mark can result in a shallow insertion depth and inadequate ventilation. The measured distance from the cricoid cartilage to the upper incisor offers alternative guidance for correct LT insertion.