Articles: analgesia
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Patient-centred care and factors associated with patient satisfaction with anaesthesia have been widely studied. However, the most important considerations in the setting of obstetric anaesthesia are uncertain. Identification of, and addressing, factors that contribute to patient dissatisfaction may improve quality of care. ⋯ Hispanic ethnicity also had a negative relationship with dissatisfaction after caesarean delivery (p = 0.005). Thus, inadequate or delayed analgesia and treatment-related side-effects are associated with maternal dissatisfaction with obstetric anaesthesia care. Development of protocols to facilitate identification of ineffective analgesia and provide an appropriate balance between efficacy and side-effects, are important goals to optimise maternal satisfaction.
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We conducted a cohort study of adult patients presenting for orthopaedic trauma surgery at a statewide trauma centre, with the aims of determining (i) the incidence and risk factors for severe acute pain in the PACU, and (ii) the incidence and risk factors for persistent post-surgical pain at 3 months. ⋯ We identified three easy-to-measure risk factors: female sex, prior post-injury surgery for severe acute pain, and preoperative NRS scores for persistent pain. Further research is required to identify pain management strategies and psychosocial interventions to reduce the burden of pain, disability, and distress in these patients.
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Review
Molecular mechanisms of action of systemic lidocaine in acute and chronic pain: a narrative review.
Systemic administration of the local anaesthetic lidocaine is antinociceptive in both acute and chronic pain states, especially in acute postoperative and chronic neuropathic pain. These effects cannot be explained by its voltage-gated sodium channel blocking properties alone, but the responsible mechanisms are still elusive. ⋯ These include effects on the peripheral nervous system and CNS, where lidocaine acts via silencing ectopic discharges, suppression of inflammatory processes, and modulation of inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmission. We highlight promising objectives for future research to further unravel these antinociceptive mechanisms, which subsequently may facilitate the development of new analgesic strategies and therapies for acute and chronic pain.
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Interscalene nerve block is commonly used for shoulder surgery for anesthesia and postoperative analgesiaUnfortunately, interscalene blocks commonly result in hemidiaphragmatic paralysis WHAT THIS ARTICLE TELLS US THAT IS NEW: When interscalene block was compared with superior trunk block, less frequent hemidiaphragmatic paralysis was seen in the superior trunk block groupSuperior trunk block was noninferior to interscalene block in terms of worst pain scores in the recovery room, and superior trunk block patients were more satisfied BACKGROUND:: Interscalene nerve blockade remains one of the most commonly used anesthetic and analgesic approaches for shoulder surgery. The high incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis associated with the block, however, precludes its use among patients with compromised pulmonary function. To address this issue, recent studies have investigated phrenic-sparing alternatives that provide analgesia. None, however, have been able to reliably demonstrate surgical anesthesia without significant risk for hemidiaphragmatic paralysis. The utility of the superior trunk block has yet to be studied. The hypothesis was that compared with the interscalene block, the superior trunk block will provide noninferior surgical anesthesia and analgesia while sparing the phrenic nerve. ⋯ Compared with the interscalene block, the superior trunk block provides noninferior surgical anesthesia while preserving diaphragmatic function. The superior trunk block may therefore be considered an alternative to traditional interscalene block for shoulder surgery.