Minerva anestesiologica
-
Minerva anestesiologica · Dec 2008
Randomized Controlled TrialSpinal anesthesia for transurethral resection operations: bupivacaine versus levobupivacaine.
This study tested the hypothesis that 0.5% levobupivacaine might be a good alternative to 0.5% plain bupivacaine for local spinal anesthesia during transurethral resection (TUR) operations. ⋯ Administration of 0.5% levobupivacaine may be a good alternative to 0.5% plain bupivacaine for local spinal anesthesia during TUR operations.
-
Minerva anestesiologica · Dec 2008
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyComparison of forced-air warming and resistive heating.
Perioperative hypothermia is common during anesthesia and surgery and is accompanied by several complications. Forced-air warming is recognized as an effective procedure to prevent hypothermia. The aim of this study was to compare a resistive heating device with a forced-air warming device. ⋯ Heat transfer in the resistive heating system was significantly greater than that of the forced-air warming system.
-
Nutrition support in critically ill patients is not merely simple nutrition, but rather metabolic support. In the last few years, the pharmacological properties of nutrients have been specifically addressed in a new field called pharmaconutrition. This review will offer a deeper insight into this field, focusing on the properties of arginine, glutamine, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids as well as the level of blood glycemia which should be maintained in critically ill patients.
-
Minerva anestesiologica · Dec 2008
ReviewIntrathecal therapy with ziconotide: clinical experience and considerations on its use.
Ziconotide is a synthetic peptide equivalent of an w-conotoxin, obtained from the marine snail Conus magus, which acts by blocking N-type calcium channels in the spinal cord, reducing the perception of pain. It is a newly marketed drug, exclusively for intrathecal use, indicated for severe chronic pain. Ziconotide came to the physicians' table with both doubts and promises; to determine its safety and efficacy, one of the largest and most well-designed randomized double-blind studies in the history of intrathecal therapy was undertaken, and this drug demonstrated efficacy in relieving chronic pain in patients coming from many years of different therapies and therapy failures. ⋯ We noted differences between the well-known activity of morphine on pain and mood, and the more focused action of ziconotide on pain. In addition, it is important to consider the lack of addiction, opioid-induced hyperalgesia and other systemic effects that are common with morphine. These are the reasons why the Polyanalgesic Consensus Conference of 2007 put ziconotide in the first line of intrathecal therapy management.
-
Minerva anestesiologica · Dec 2008
Comparative StudyHypotension during surgery for femoral neck fracture in elderly patients: effect of anaesthetic techniques. A retrospective study.
The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the incidence of hypotension between different anaesthetic techniques, including general anaesthesia (GA), spinal anaesthesia single injection (SA), continuous spinal anaesthesia with 2.5 mg bolus injections as needed (CSA 2.5) or 5 mg bolus injections as needed (CSA 5) in elderly patients (>75 yrs old) undergoing surgery for femoral neck fractures. ⋯ This study demonstrated that CSA 2.5 causes fewer episodes of hypotension than other anaesthetic techniques for surgical repair of hip fracture in elderly patients.