Additional Analgesia (additional + analgesia)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Superficial selective cervical plexus block following total thyroidectomy: A randomized trial

HEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 8 2010
Isaak Kesisoglou MD
Abstract Background. Pain after thyroid surgery is of moderate intensity and short duration. Bilaterally superficial cervical plexus block (BSCPB) may reduce analgesic requirements. However, its effectiveness in decreasing pain after thyroidectomy is debated. Methods. This double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled study in 100 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy evaluates the effects of BSCPB done with 20 mL of 0.75% ropivacaine. Additional parecoxib was administrated immediately postoperatively and 12 hours later. Results. Postoperative pain was assessed by visual analogue rating scale. All parameters were recorded at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 hours after surgery. The control group had higher values than the ropivacaine group at all moments (p < .05) except H12 (p = .76). Additional analgesia was needed for 7 patients (14%) in the control group and for 8 patients (16%) in the group with ropivacaine (p = .96). Conclusion. Two-point bilateral BSCPB has a major analgesic effect on patients after total thyroidectomy, with a statistically significant reduction in postoperative pain scores. However, no significant difference was noted in the proportion of patients that required additional analgesics. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2010 [source]


Heat or Cold Packs for Neck and Back Strain: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Efficacy

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 5 2010
Gregory Garra DO
Abstract Objectives:, Acute back and neck strains are very common. In addition to administering analgesics, these strains are often treated with either heat or cold packs. The objective of this study was to compare the analgesic efficacy of heat and cold in relieving pain from back and neck strains. The authors hypothesized that pain relief would not differ between hot and cold packs. Methods:, This was a randomized, controlled trial conducted at a university-based emergency department (ED) with an annual census of 90,000 visits. ED patients >18 years old with acute back or neck strains were eligible for inclusion. All patients received 400 mg of ibuprofen orally and then were randomized to 30 minutes of heating pad or cold pack applied to the strained area. Outcomes of interest were pain severity before and after pack application on a validated 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) from 0 (no pain) to 100 (worst pain), percentage of patients requiring rescue analgesia, subjective report of pain relief on a verbal rating scale (VRS), and future desire for similar packs. Outcomes were compared with t-tests and chi-square tests. A sample of 60 patients had 80% power to detect a 15-mm difference in pain scores. Results:, Sixty patients were randomized to heat (n = 31) or cold (n = 29) therapy. Mean (±standard deviation [SD]) age was 37.8 (±14.7) years, 51.6% were female, and 66.7% were white. Groups were similar in baseline patient and pain characteristics. There were no differences between the heat and cold groups in the severity of pain before (75 mm [95% CI = 66 to 83] vs. 72 mm [95% CI = 65 to 78]; p = 0.56) or after (66 mm [95% CI = 57 to 75] vs. 64 mm [95% CI = 56 to 73]; p = 0.75) therapy. Pain was rated better or much better in 16/31 (51.6%) and 18/29 (62.1%) patients in the heat and cold groups, respectively (p = 0.27). There were no between-group differences in the desire for and administration of additional analgesia. Twenty-five of 31 (80.6%) patients in the heat group and 22 of 29 (75.9%) patients in the cold group would use the same therapy if injured in the future (p = 0.65). Conclusions:, The addition of a 30-minute topical application of a heating pad or cold pack to ibuprofen therapy for the treatment of acute neck or back strain results in a mild yet similar improvement in the pain severity. However, it is possible that pain relief is mainly the result of ibuprofen therapy. Choice of heat or cold therapy should be based on patient and practitioner preferences and availability. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:484,489 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine [source]


Unilateral groin surgery in children: will the addition of an ultrasound-guided ilioinguinal nerve block enhance the duration of analgesia of a single-shot caudal block?

PEDIATRIC ANESTHESIA, Issue 9 2009
NARASIMHAN JAGANNATHAN MD
Summary Background:, Inguinal hernia repair, hydrocelectomy, and orchidopexy are commonly performed surgical procedures in children. Postoperative pain control is usually provided with a single-shot caudal block. Blockade of the ilioinguinal nerve may lead to additional analgesia. The aim of this double-blind, randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the efficacy of an adjuvant blockade of the ilioinguinal nerve using ultrasound (US) guidance at the end of the procedure with local anesthetic vs normal saline and to explore the potential for prolongation of analgesia with decreased need for postoperative pain medication. Methods:, Fifty children ages 1,6 years scheduled for unilateral inguinal hernia repair, hydrocelectomy, orchidopexy, or orchiectomy were prospectively randomized into one of two groups: Group S that received an US-guided ilioinguinal nerve block with 0.1 ml·kg,1 of preservative-free normal saline and Group B that received an US-guided nerve block with 0.1 ml·kg,1 of 0.25% bupivacaine with 1 : 200 000 epinephrine at the conclusion of the surgery. After induction of anesthesia but prior to surgical incision, all patients received caudal anesthesia with 0.7 ml·kg,1 of 0.125% bupivacaine with 1 : 200 000 epinephrine. Patients were observed by a blinded observer for (i) pain scores using the Children and Infants Postoperative Pain Scale, (ii) need for rescue medication in the PACU, (iii) need for oral pain medications given by the parents at home. Results:, Forty-eight patients, consisting of 46 males and two females, with a mean age of 3.98 (sd ± 1.88) were enrolled in the study. Two patients were excluded from the study because of study protocol violation and/or alteration in surgical procedure. The average pain scores reported for the entire duration spent in the recovery room for the caudal and caudal/ilioinguinal block groups were 1.92 (sd ± 1.59) and 1.18 (sd ± 1.31), respectively. The average pain score difference was 0.72 (sd ± 0.58) and was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In addition, when examined by procedure type, it was found that the difference in the average pain scores between the caudal and caudal/ilioinguinal block groups was statistically significant for the inguinal hernia repair patients (P < 0.05) but not for the other groin surgery patients (P = 0.13). For all groin surgery patients, six of the 23 patients in the caudal group and eight of the 25 patients in the caudal/ilioinguinal block group required pain rescue medications throughout their entire hospital stay or at home (P = 0.76). Overall, the caudal group received an average of 0.54 (sd ± 1.14) pain rescue medication doses, while the caudal/ilioinguinal block group received an average of 0.77 (sd ± 1.70) pain rescue medication doses; this was, however, not statistically significant (P = 0.58). Conclusions:, The addition of an US-guided ilioinguinal nerve block to a single-shot caudal block decreases the severity of pain experienced by pediatric groin surgery patients. The decrease in pain scores were particularly pronounced in inguinal hernia repair patients. [source]


Prospective evaluation of flex-rigid pleuroscopy for indeterminate pleural effusion: Accuracy, safety and outcome

RESPIROLOGY, Issue 6 2007
Pyng LEE
Objective: This study aimed to assess prospectively the accuracy, safety and outcome of flex-rigid pleuroscopy in the diagnosis of patients with indeterminate pleural effusions. Methods: Included in the study were all patients with unilateral exudative pleural effusions of unknown aetiology who underwent diagnostic flex-rigid pleuroscopy from July 2003 to June 2005, and were followed until December 2005. The procedure was conducted in the endoscopy suite under local anaesthesia and, where indicated, talc poudrage was carried out at the same time. Clinical data, length of hospitalization, chest tube drainage, outcome, diagnostic accuracy of pleuroscopy and procedure-related adverse events were recorded prospectively. Results: Fifty-one patients were recruited (20 male and 31 female). Median age was 53 years (range 45,67). Flex-rigid pleuroscopy was 96% accurate and yielded a diagnosis in 49 out of 51 patients. It was safely carried out without need for surgical intervention, blood transfusion or endotracheal intubation. Culture-negative fever was observed in eight patients (16%), and five patients (10%) required additional analgesia for postoperative pain. Duration of chest tube drainage and length of stay for patients who underwent diagnostic pleuroscopy were 1 and 2 days, respectively, while they were both 3 days when talc poudrage was carried out. Success rates with pleuroscopic talc pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusions were 94%, 92% and 89.5% at 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively, and the 30-day mortality was 0%. Conclusion: Flex-rigid pleuroscopy is a safe procedure with a high diagnostic accuracy and should be considered for the evaluation of indeterminate pleural effusion. [source]


Open vs specific questioning during anaesthetic follow-up after Caesarean section

ANAESTHESIA, Issue 2 2009
T. Nguyen
Summary Words with negative emotional content such as pain or itch may enhance perception of these symptoms. We assessed open and direct questioning for symptoms in 100 women following Caesarean section. Of the 65 women reporting pain, 25 (39%) did so only when questioned specifically. Similarly, three women with bothersome pain (5%), and two requesting analgesia (3%), failed to disclose pain until questioned specifically. None of the 46 women with pain scores < 6 on a verbal numerical rating scale requested additional analgesia. Of 31 women with pruritus, two (6%) stated it bothered them and requested treatment and one (3%) failed to disclose pruritus on open questioning. Most women with bothersome pain or who request analgesia reveal this with open questioning. However, specific questioning is required to elicit pain in all patients. Most patients are bothered by pain at pain scores , 6, while those with scores < 6 are unlikely to request additional analgesia. [source]