Regional anesthesia
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Regional anesthesia · Mar 1996
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialA comparison of meperidine and lidocaine for spinal anesthesia for postpartum tubal ligation.
This study compares the anesthetic potency, duration, and side effects of subarachnoid meperidine and lidocaine for postpartum tubal ligation. ⋯ Subarachnoid meperidine and lidocaine both provide adequate anesthesia for postpartum tubal ligation. Meperidine provided longer postoperative analgesia.
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Warnings about the hazards of epidural steroid injections occasionally appear in both medical and lay literature despite a lack of objective data to support such concerns. This literature review was undertaken to survey reports of adverse reactions associated with that procedure. ⋯ There are few published reports of serious complications following epidural steroid injections. There are a few published reports of complications following subarachnoid steroid injections, most of which were associated with multiple injections over a prolonged time period.
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Regional anesthesia · Mar 1996
Clinical TrialEvaluation of epidural sensory block by thermal stimulation, laser stimulation, and recording of somatosensory evoked potentials.
The existence of differential sensory block during epidural analgesia has been confirmed by some authors and disputed by others. This study attempts to elucidate this issue by using quantitative methods for evaluation of sensory block. ⋯ No differential block of small nerve fibers was found during epidural analgesia by Thermotest and argon laser stimulation. Recording of somatosensory evoked potentials did not demonstrate significant difference between responses from the sites with most superficial and with most intense sensory block.
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Regional anesthesia · Mar 1996
Case ReportsHigh spinal anesthesia after epidural test dose administration in five obstetric patients.
A commonly used test dose in parturients receiving continuous lumbar epidural analgesia for labor consists of 3 mL of dextrose-free 1.5% lidocaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine. ⋯ While this test dose appears to be a sensitive indicator of an unexpected subarachnoid catheter, the resulting excessive spinal blocks in these laboring patients raise the question of its safety.
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Epidural air bubbles are known to persist for more than 24 hours after injection. Nitrous oxide may cause expansion of these bubbles. ⋯ Inhalation of nitrous oxide results in expansion of epidural air bubbles. This may cause displacement of epidural local anesthetics it large volumes of air are present in the epidural space.