Cahiers d'anesthésiologie
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Cahiers d'anesthésiologie · Jan 1992
Biography Historical Article[The debut of ether anesthesia in Germany].
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Cahiers d'anesthésiologie · Jan 1991
Review[Mechanism of action and clinical use of opioids administered by the peripheral perineural route].
Experimental studies have shown that opioids could produce two types of effect on neuronal excitability. The first one, aspecific, is a local anesthetic action on the nerve fiber with a diminution of sodium and potassium conductance. ⋯ Clinical studies have proved that opioid injection in peripheral nervous trunks and specially in the brachial plexus produce a prolonged analgesia status in the post operative period but also and mostly in the chronic pain. The more liposoluble opioids like fentanyl and buprenorphine are the more effective.
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The aim of the regional administration of opioids is to provide an efficient and prolonged analgesia. Then, opiates can be useful for postoperative analgesia and for the treatment of chronic pain of malignant origin. Analgesia is correlated with several adverse effects of which the most frequent are nausea and itching and the most severe is respiratory depression. ⋯ Opioids also act by a reduction of the motor functions of the bowel, which perhaps could reduce the incidence of anastomotic breakdowns. Finally, other effects have been reported, as anecdotes, such as the treatment of spasm after bilateral replantation of the ureters, neurologic bladder dysfunctions and enuresis. Spinal administration of opioids has also been used as a treatment of premature ejaculation.