Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2009
Ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block: outcome of 510 consecutive cases.
Supraclavicular brachial plexus block provides consistently effective anesthesia to the upper extremity. However, traditional nerve localization techniques may be associated with a high risk of pneumothorax. In the present study, we report block success and clinical outcome data from 510 consecutive patients who received an ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block for upper extremity surgery. ⋯ Ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block is associated with a high rate of successful surgical anesthesia and a low rate of complications and thus may be a safe alternative for both inpatients and outpatients. Severe underlying respiratory disease and coagulopathy should remain a contraindication for this brachial plexus approach.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2009
A web-based cross-sectional epidemiological survey of complex regional pain syndrome.
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a poorly understood pain disorder with little information on the natural course of the disease. Changes in its diagnostic criteria have simplified the identification of this syndrome, but convincing epidemiological data regarding this disorder are still lacking. Here, we collected epidemiological and other relevant information regarding CRPS via a Web-based survey to develop a better understanding of the epidemiology, symptoms, progression, therapy, and associated psychosocial factors related to CRPS. ⋯ Complex regional pain syndrome is a severe disabling pain disorder that results in physical as well as emotional and financial consequences to patients. The disease complexity requires coordination of multidisciplinary care that can be achieved by educational efforts directed to general practitioners.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2009
Clinical TrialExcretion of ropivacaine in breast milk during patient-controlled epidural analgesia after cesarean delivery.
Few studies have been published concerning the excretion of bupivacaine and lidocaine into the breast milk and none concerning ropivacaine. ⋯ The milk-plasma concentration ratio of ropivacaine was found to be lower than that reported for other local anesthetics It seems that PCEA with ropivacaine/fentanyl after cesarean delivery is not associated with excessive milk-plasma concentrations of ropivacaine.