Articles: general-anesthesia.
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The use of dantrolene to reverse severe unexplained postanaesthetic muscle rigidity in a previously "healthy" 13-year-old male is described. Anaesthesia was induced with thiopentone. After intubation with pancuronium, the patient had an entirely uneventful nitrous oxide, oxygen and halothane anaesthetic. ⋯ The symptoms responded to IV dantrolene in a total dose of 2.0 mg.kg-1. Further testing failed to establish a definite diagnosis. Dantrolene could be a useful drug in treating such unexplained muscle rigidity.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Propofol-nitrous oxide versus thiopental-isoflurane-nitrous oxide for general anesthesia.
One hundred and twenty patients undergoing elective operations were randomly assigned to receive anesthesia with either thiopental, 4 mg/kg-isoflurane, 0.2-3%-nitrous oxide, 60-70% (control) or propofol, 2 mg/kg-propofol infusion, 1-20 mg/min-nitrous oxide, 60-70% (propofol). Although anesthetic conditions were similar during the operation, differences were noted in the recovery characteristics. For non-major (superficial) surgical procedures, the times to awakening, responsiveness, orientation, and ambulation were significantly shorter in the propofol group (4 +/- 3, 5 +/- 4, 6 +/- 4, and 104 +/- 36 min) than in the control group (8 +/- 7, 9 +/- 7, 11 +/- 9, and 142 +/- 61 min, respectively). ⋯ Delayed emergence (greater than 20 min), significant psychometric impairment, and a high overall incidence of postoperative side effects (55-60%) were noted in both drug treatment groups. The authors conclude that propofol-nitrous oxide compares favorably to thiopental-isoflurane-nitrous oxide for maintenance of anesthesia during short outpatient procedures. However, for major abdominal operations, propofol anesthesia does not appear to offer any clinically significant advantages over a standard inhalational anesthetic technique.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Postoperative pulmonary complications: general anesthesia with postoperative parenteral morphine compared with epidural analgesia.
In a prospective study, patients undergoing abdominal cancer surgery were randomly allocated to receive either general anesthesia with fentanyl intravenously and postoperative analgesia with parenteral morphine (GA group) or general anesthesia combined with epidural bupivacaine and epidural morphine for postoperative pain relief (EP group). Analgesia was tested on a visual pain scale. Pulmonary complications were evaluated by clinical complications, blood gas analysis, x-ray film changes, and pulmonary volumes (vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 second). ⋯ Whatever the criteria used, the rates of pulmonary complications were similar in the two groups: clinical complications 21% versus 26%, radiologic complications 50% versus 64% for GA and EP groups, respectively. Postoperative PaO2 and spirometric values were similar in the two groups. Postoperative epidural analgesia may improve the patient's comfort but does not decrease the incidence of pulmonary complications.
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Malignant hyperthermia is a seemingly rare genetic myopathy. Hypermetabolic crisis accompanied by a rise in body temperature to as high as 44 degrees C is its hallmark. Malignant hyperthermia is usually triggered by potent inhaled anesthetics or depolarizing muscle relaxants. ⋯ The contracture study was positive in all patients. No anesthetic or surgical complication was encountered. This study demonstrates that neurosurgical procedures can be performed safely in patients at risk of developing malignant hyperthermia while they undergo appropriately selected general anesthesia.