Articles: analgesia.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2002
Meta Analysis Comparative StudyIntrathecal opioids versus epidural local anesthetics for labor analgesia: a meta-analysis.
Some anesthesiologists contend that intrathecal opioid administration has advantages over conventional epidural techniques during labor. Randomized clinical trials comparing analgesia and obstetric outcome using single-injection intrathecal opioids versus epidural local anesthetics suggest that intrathecal opioids provide comparable analgesia with few serious side effects. This meta-analysis compared the analgesic efficacy, side effects, and obstetric outcome of single-injection intrathecal opioid techniques versus epidural local anesthetics in laboring women. ⋯ Published studies suggest that intrathecal opioids provide comparable early labor analgesia when compared with epidural local anesthetics. Intrathecal opioid administration results in a greater incidence of pruritus. The choice of technique does not appear to affect the method of delivery.
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Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) has become standard procedure in the clinical treatment of pain. Its widespread use in patients with all kinds of diseases opens a variety of possible interactions between analgesics used for PCA and other drugs that might be administered concomitantly to the patient. Many of these drug interactions are of little clinical importance. ⋯ The same is true for the opioid-sparing effects of coadministered non-opioid analgesics. Antidepressants, anticonvulsants or alpha2-adrenoreceptor agonists have also been shown to exert additive analgesic effects when administered together with an opioid. Inconsistent findings, however, are reported regarding the treatment of patients with opioid-induced nausea and sedation, since coadministration of antiemetics either increased or decreased the respective adverse effects or revealed additional unwanted drug effects.
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Comparative Study
Acute pain management after surgery or in the emergency room in Switzerland: a comparative survey of Swiss anaesthesiologists and surgeons.
The treatment of acute pain remains unsatisfactory despite advances in pain research and the publication of numerous guidelines. The aim of this study was to survey postoperative and emergency room acute pain treatment in Switzerland, particularly regarding compliance with practice guidelines on therapeutic responsibility, treatment algorithms, pain documentation, quality control and education. A representative sample of anaesthesiologists and surgeons (general and orthopaedic) was selected from all Swiss hospitals with regular surgical activity and sent a 256 point questionnaire on acute pain management. ⋯ Respondents accept the contribution of postoperative and emergency room analgesia to reduced costs and improved medical outcomes. Asked to highlight their major concerns in acute pain management, lack of education and inadequate organisation are listed in first and second positions. This survey suggests that compliance with published practice guidelines for acute pain management can be improved, and highlights the need for continuing organisational and educational development in acute analgesia, particularly for the emergency room.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2002
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialMultimodal analgesia and intravenous nutrition preserves total body protein following major upper gastrointestinal surgery.
This study examined whether perioperative multimodal analgesia (MMA) improves the effectiveness of intravenous nutrition (IVN) as a means of preventing protein wasting following major upper abdominal surgery (UAS). The MMA regimen utilized combined epidural opioid/local anesthetic and the systemic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) ketorolac for 48 hours. ⋯ In conclusion, we have shown that the combination of MMA and IVN prevents protein loss and improves pain control after major UAS. Our results suggest that after UAS, MMA significantly reduced pain and, in combination with IVN, preserves total body protein and fat. This is the first direct evidence of such effects associated with a commonly used multimodal regimen.