British journal of anaesthesia
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Opioids are potent painkillers but come with serious adverse effects ranging from addiction to potentially lethal respiratory depression. A variety of drugs with separate mechanisms of action are available to prevent or reverse opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD). ⋯ Model-based drug development is needed to design an 'ideal' reversal agent-that is, one that is not influenced by opioid receptor kinetics, does not interfere with opioid analgesia, has a rapid onset of action with long-lasting effects, and is devoid of adverse effects.
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Multi-injection targeted intracluster injection ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block has been advocated to provide a faster onset of anaesthesia compared with a double injection technique. By placing the needle within clusters of hypoechoic structures, corresponding to neural tissue, this technique may increase needle trauma and the incidence of nerve injury. This study assessed the rate of sub-perineural needle placement with a single intracluster brachial plexus injection in the supraclavicular fossa of human cadavers. ⋯ We observed a high rate of sub-perineural injection with a single intracluster injection. Thus the targeted intracluster injection supraclavicular block cannot be recommended until further evidence is available regarding the safety of this technique.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Multicentre, prospective, double-blind, randomised controlled clinical trial comparing different non-opioid analgesic combinations with morphine for postoperative analgesia: the OCTOPUS study.
Head-to-head comparisons of combinations of more than one non-opioid analgesic (NOA) with morphine alone, for postoperative analgesia, are lacking. The objective of this multicentre, randomised, double-blind controlled trial was to compare the morphine-sparing effects of different combinations of three NOAs-paracetamol (P), nefopam (N), and ketoprofen (K)-for postoperative analgesia. ⋯ EudraCT: 2012-004219-30; NCT01882530.