British journal of anaesthesia
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Xenon has profound neuroprotective effects after neurological injury and is currently undergoing phase 2 clinical trials in cardiac arrest patients. However, xenon is very costly, which might preclude its widespread use. We hypothesized argon, which is more available, might also protect central nervous tissues and allow better functional recovery in a rodent model of global cerebral ischaemia. ⋯ Our study demonstrates that a single 1 h application of 70% argon significantly reduced histopathological damage of the neocortex and hippocampus, associated with a marked improvement in functional neurological recovery.
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Multicenter Study
Is postoperative cognitive dysfunction a risk factor for dementia? A cohort follow-up study.
Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common complication in elderly patients after major surgery. An association between POCD and the development of dementia has been suspected. In this study, we assessed if POCD was a risk factor for the occurrence of dementia. ⋯ POCD was not significantly associated with registered dementia over a median follow-up of 11 yr.
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The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block involves injecting a large volume of local anaesthetic between the muscles of the abdominal wall. Plasma concentrations of ropivacaine after gynaecological laparotomy are potentially high enough to result in systemic toxicity, and there are pharmacokinetic reasons why pregnancy may increase susceptibility to local anaesthetic toxicity. ⋯ TAP blocks can result in elevated plasma ropivacaine concentrations in patients undergoing Caesarean section, which may be associated with neurotoxicity.