Articles: general-anesthesia.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 1983
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialThromboembolism after total hip replacement: role of epidural and general anesthesia.
The effects of continuous epidural anesthesia and of general anesthesia on the incidence of thromboembolism following total hip replacement were studied. Sixty patients were randomly allotted to one of two groups receiving either epidural or general anesthesia. Epidural anesthesia (N = 30) consisted of 0.5% bupivacaine with epinephrine intraoperatively; for pain relief in the postoperative period (24 h), 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine was given every 3 h. ⋯ Possible explanations for these differences include increased circulation in the lower extremities, less tendency for intravascular clotting to occur, and more efficient fibrinolysis in association with continuous epidural anesthesia. The decrease in blood loss associated with epidural anesthesia with lower transfusion requirements also might play a role. Epidural analgesia prolonged into the postoperative period, in addition to other appropriate thromboprophylactic measures, should be of value in patients undergoing operations associated with a high risk of thromboembolic complications.
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Infant and small children are not always able to cooperate in impedance measurements. For this reason it was decided, -in special cases, -to perform acoustic reflex examination under general anaesthesia. The first report on stapedius reflex and general anaesthesia was published by Mink et al. in 1981. ⋯ The reflex threshold remains unchanged and the amplitude of muscle contraction is somewhat increased. The method was used: 1. to assess the type and degree of hearing loss in children with cleft palate and/or lip prior to surgery. 2. to exclude neuromuscular disorders with indication of pharyngoplasties. 3. to quantify hearing level in children--mostly multiply handicapped--with retarded speech development. The results of Behavioral Observation and Impedance Audiometry are discussed and evaluated.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Muscular relaxation with atracurium, vecuronium and duador under balanced anaesthesia.
The neuromuscular effects of three new nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking drugs, atracurium, vecuronium and Duador, were investigated in surgical patients under balanced anaesthesia. (The numbers of patients in each study are given in the tables.) There were no significant differences in the neuromuscular effects of the three agents. None showed any cumulation after repeated administration of maintenance doses. Muscular relaxation for upper abdominal surgery was adequate as long as the isometric twitch tension (P) was no more than 25% of control. ⋯ The initial dose of Duador caused a 16.7% increase in heart rate. The findings indicate that the three new muscle relaxants merit further clinical trial. In our opinion, until the results of such studies become available, atracurium should not be used in patients with a history of allergic diathesis and Duador in those in whom increased heart rate may be harmful.