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Epidural Block (epidural + block)
Selected AbstractsTesting whether the epidural works: too time consuming?ACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2010J. LARSSON Background: When using epidural anaesthesia (EDA) for pain relief after major surgery, a failure rate of 10% is common. A crucial step in improving the care of patients with EDA is to define the position of the epidural catheter. The aim of this study was to investigate how much time it takes to determine whether the block is sufficient by assessing the extent of loss of cold sensation before induction of anaesthesia. Methods: One hundred patients listed for abdominal surgery were included in the study. After an epidural catheter had been inserted and an intrathecal or an intravenous position had been made unlikely by the use of a test dose, the patient was given a bolus dose of local anaesthetic plus an opioid in the epidural catheter. The epidural block was tested every 2 min, starting at 5 min and ending at 15 min. When at least four segments were blocked bilaterally, the testing was stopped, the time was noted and the patient was anaesthetised. Results: An epidural block was demonstrated after 5,6 min in 37 patients, after 7,8 min in 43 additional patients and after 9,10 min in 15 patients. In one patient, it took 12 min and in three patients, it took 15 min. In two patients, no epidural block could be demonstrated. Conclusion: Testing an epidural anaesthetic before the induction of anaesthesia takes only 5,10 extra minutes. Knowing whether the catheter is correctly placed means better quality of care, giving the anaesthetist better prerequisites for taking care of the patient post-operatively. [source] High thoracic epidural analgesia improves left ventricular function in patients with ischemic heartACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2009C.-J. JAKOBSEN Background: In patients with ischemic heart disease, high thoracic epidural analgesia (HTEA) has been proposed to improve myocardial function. Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) is a tool for quantitative determination of myocardial systolic and diastolic velocities and a derivative of TDI is tissue tracking (TT), which allows quantitative assessment of myocardial systolic longitudinal displacement during systole. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of thoracic epidural analgesia on left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function by means of two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography and TDI in patients with ischemic heart disease. Methods: The effect of a high epidural block (at least Th1,Th5) on myocardial function in patients (N=15) with ischemic heart disease was evaluated. Simpson's 2D volumetric method was used to quantify LV volume and ejection fraction. Systolic longitudinal displacement was assessed by the TT score index and the diastolic function was evaluated from changes in early (E,) and atrial (A,) peak velocities during diastole. Results: After HTEA, 2D measures of left ventricle function improved significantly together with the mean TT score index [from 5.87 ± 1.53 to 6.86 ± 1.38 (P<0.0003)], reflecting an increase in LV global systolic function and longitudinal systolic displacement. The E,/A, ratio increased from 0.75 ± 0.27 to 1.09 ± 0.32 (P=0.0026), indicating improved relaxation. Conclusion: A 2D-echocardiography in combination with TDI indicates both improved systolic and diastolic function after HTEA in patients with ischemic heart disease. [source] The effect of nitrous oxide on cerebral blood flow velocity in children anesthetized with propofolACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 3 2003E. Wilson-Smith Background: Propofol for maintenance of anesthesia by continuous infusion is gaining popularity for use in pediatric patients. Nitrous oxide (N2O) has been shown to increase cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) in both children and adults. To determine the effects of N2O on middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (Vmca) during propofol anesthesia in children, Vmca was measured with and without N2O using transcranial Doppler (TCD) sonography. Methods: Thirty ASA I or II children aged 18 months to 6 years undergoing elective urological surgery were enrolled. Anesthesia comprised propofol aimed at producing an estimated steady-state serum concentration of 3 µg·ml,1 and a caudal epidural block. A transcranial Doppler probe was used to measure middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity. Each patient was randomized to receive a sequence of either Air/N2O/Air or N2O/Air/N2O in 35% oxygen. Fifteen min after each change in the N2O concentration, three measurements of cerebral blood flow velocity, blood pressure and heart rate were recorded. Ventilatory parameters and EtCO2 were kept constant throughout the study period. Results: CBFV increased by 12.4% when air was replaced by N2O, and returned to baseline when N2O was subsequently removed. There was a 14% decrease in CBFV when N2O was replaced with air, which increased to baseline when air was subsequently replaced with N2O. Mean heart rate and blood pressure remained constant throughout the study period. Conclusion: The effects of nitrous oxide on CBFV are preserved in children during propofol anesthesia. [source] Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Visceral Abdominal PainPAIN MEDICINE, Issue 3 2010Leonardo Kapural MD Abstract Background., Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) may reduce pain scores and improve function in patients with chronic visceral abdominal pain. We thus present our large clinical experience in SCS for visceral abdominal pain. Methods., We trialed spinal cord stimulation in 35 patients, each of whom was shown by retrograde differential epidural block to have either visceral pain (n = 32) or mixed visceral and central pain (n = 3). SCS trials lasted 4 to 14 days (median 9 days). SCS lead tips were mostly positioned at T5 (n = 11) or T6 (n = 10). Results., Thirty patients (86%) reported at least 50% pain relief upon completion of the trial. Among these, pretrial visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores averaged 8.2 ± 1.6 (SD) and opioid use averaged 110 ± 119 mg morphine sulfate equivalents. During the trial, VAS pain scores decreased to 3.1 ± 1.6 cm (P < 0.001, Mann,Whitney Rank Sum Test) and opioid use decreased to 70 ± 68 mg morphine equivalent a day (P = 0.212). Five patients failed the trial, one was lost to follow-up, and 19 were followed for the whole year. Seven patients were either followed for less than a year (n = 3) or the SCS system was removed due to infection or lead migration (n = 4). One patient despite the successful trial felt no improvements at 6 months after the implant and requested an explant of the SCS device. Among the 28 patients who received permanent implant, 19 were followed at least a year. Their VAS pain scores remained low (3.8 ± 1.9 cm; P < 0.001) at 1 year, as did opioid use (38 ± 48 mg morphine equivalents; P = 0.089). Conclusions., Spinal cord stimulation may be a useful therapeutic option for patients with severe visceral pain. [source] Prediction of the Distance from the Skin to the Lumbar Epidural Space in the Greek Population, Using Mathematical ModelsPAIN PRACTICE, Issue 2 2005Emmanouil Stamatakis MD Abstract Background and Objectives:, The skin to lumbar epidural space distance (SLED) is variable, and therefore the ability to clinically predict the SLED may help increase the success of epidural anesthesia/analgesia. The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between the SLED and demographic/anthropometric variables in the Greek population, and develop a mathematical model for its prediction. Methods:, This prospective randomized study enrolled 406 male and female Greek patients who required an epidural block as part of their anesthetic management. With patients placed in the left lateral and knee-chest position, the lumbar epidural space was located by the loss of resistance to normal saline technique. Statistical analysis was used to identify the relationship between SLED, and the following variables were evaluated: age, weight, height, body mass index, body surface area, intervertebral space used, pregnancy, and geographic origin within Greece. Results:, No adverse events or dural punctures occurred. Mean SLED in the general population was 4.98 ± 0.95 cm, with values significantly higher in males (5.37 ± 0.88 cm) compared with females (4.83 ± 0.93 cm). SLED was best associated with weight, body surface area, and body mass index. Mathematical formulae for prediction of SLED in the general population and the female population were derived from linear regression analysis. These formulae were able to predict approximately half of the observed variability in SLED. Conclusions:, While mathematical models of SLED can be a useful tool, they should not be exclusively relied on in the clinical setting, but rather should be used as an adjunct to standardized techniques to improve the safety and efficacy of epidural anesthesia/analgesia. [source] Addition of sodium bicarbonate to lidocaine decreases the duration of peripheral nerve block in rat. (Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA) Anesthesiology 2000;93:1045,1052.PAIN PRACTICE, Issue 2 2001Catherine J. Sinnott This study evaluated the effect of adding sodium bicarbonate to lidocaine with and without epinephrine versus equivalent alkalinization by sodium hydroxide (NaOH) on onset, degree, and duration of peripheral nerve block. The study was broken up into two parts. Part I examined alkalinization by sodium bicarbonate versus NaOH to pH 7.8 on 0.5% lidocaine, with and without epinephrine prepared from crystalline salt. Part II examined 0.5% and 1.0% commercial lidocaine solutions, with and without epinephrine, either unalkalinized or alkalinized with sodium bicarbonate or NaOH. The study concluded that with 1% commercial lidocaine without epinephrine, sodium bicarbonate decreases the degree and duration of the block. However, in solutions with epinephrine, sodium bicarbonate hastens onset, without effecting degree or duration. Comment by Octavio Calvillo, M.D., Ph.D. There is evidence that adding sodium bicarbonate to lidocaine without epinephrine improves the quality of epidural block, whereas adding sodium bicarbonate to lidocaine with epinephrine does not. The addition of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate to 2% lidocaine without epinephrine was shown to decrease the onset time and enhance the depth of the epidural block. When bicarbonate was added to 2% lidocaine with epinephrine neither onset time nor depth of the epidural block was affected. Most investigators have used epidural block as their paradigm. The authors in this study used the sciatic nerve block of the rat. [source] Transient hearing loss with labour epidural blockANAESTHESIA, Issue 10 2003P. A. J. Hardy No abstract is available for this article. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||