BACKGROUND: Beta-adrenergic agonists enhance behavioural and electroencephalographic arousal reactions. We explored whether adding esmolol, a short-acting beta(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist, to propofol anaesthesia modified the bispectral index (BIS) during induction of anaesthesia and orotracheal intubation. METHODS: Fifty patients were randomly allocated, in a double-blind fashion, to receive esmolol 1 mg kg(-1) followed ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine if the intravenous administration of sufentanil or clonidine before the induction of anaesthesia could obtund the increase of intraocular pressure associated with rapid-sequence induction. METHODS: Thirty-two ASA I-II patients with no history of eye illness scheduled for elective non-ophthalmic surgery were randomly ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare bispectral index (BIS) values to hemodynamic variations, in order to evaluate adequacy of anesthesia during orotracheal intubation with muscle relaxants. METHODS: Forty-one patients ASA I-II, scheduled for elective peripheral surgery under general anesthesia with tracheal intubation were enrolled in the study. Fentanyl/thiopental followed by vecuronium were used ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Thiopental prolongs the QT interval more than propofol, and the two induction agents were compared in patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage predisposed to electrocardiographic abnormalities and cardiac dysrhythmias. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients were studied randomly. Anaesthesia was induced with either thiopental or propofol and fentanyl; vecuronium was used as ...

The effect of age on the haemodynamic response to tracheal intubation was studied. Ninety ASA 1 or 2 patients were divided into three groups of 30 each based on age; ie., young (18-25 years), middle-aged (40-50 years) and elderly (65-80 years). The haemodynamic response after tracheal intubation was observed as ...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cardio-respiratory effects of the combination of medetomidine and thiopentone followed by reversal with atipamezole as a combination for anaesthesia in 10 healthy German Shepherd dogs breathing spontaneously in a room at an altitude of 1486 m above sea level with an ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Although combined spinal and epidural anaesthesia is efficient and easy to perform, the technique can be a double-edged sword having the potential risk that an increased flux of drugs across the meninges through the hole made in it may lead to severe adverse effects. The aim was ...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the degree of linearity and correlation between the anaesthetic depth indices BIS and AAI over a wide range of hypnotic depth using propofol. METHODS: 20 ASA I patients were studied during propofol induction. Co-induction with 0.05 mg fentanyl and 30 mg propofol iv before initiation of the ...

Lightwand devices are effective and safe as an aid to tracheal intubation. Theoretically, avoiding direct-vision laryngoscopy could allow for less stimulation by intubation than the conventional laryngoscopic procedure. We designed this prospective randomized study to assess the cardiovascular changes after either lightwand or direct laryngoscopic tracheal intubation in adult patients ...

We evaluated the cardio-respiratory effects of equi-sedative doses of dexmedetomidine and propofol for intraoperative sedation. Secondary comparison end points were time to achieve and terminate sedation and postoperative analgesia and psychomotor performance. Forty patients scheduled for elective surgery provided informed consent and were randomized equally to receive either dexmedetomidine (1 ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Intrathecal fentanyl provides effective labor analgesia for a limited time with frequent side effects. We evaluated the effects of adding epinephrine to intrathecal fentanyl with and without bupivacaine. METHODS: Eighty healthy, term, nulliparous parturients with cervical dilation of 5 cm or less received combined spinal-epidural (CSE) analgesia. ...

The haemodynamic effects of oxytocin receive scant attention in pharmacology texts, but may be clinically significant in vulnerable patients. Despite prescriber information recommending a dose of 5 international units by slow i.v. injection, it is the authors' experience that it is very common practice in the UK to give 10 ...

Maternal position during induction of intrathecal anaesthesia for caesarean section influences block height and haemodynamic stability. In a randomised study of 90 women presenting for elective caesarean section using combined spinal-epidural anaesthesia, three positions were compared--the Oxford position (group O), the right lateral to supine wedged (group R) and the ...

We examined the effectiveness of avoiding laryngoscopy in reducing the hemodynamic responses to orotracheal intubation during the induction of anesthesia. One hundred surgical patients who required orotracheal intubation were randomly allocated into four groups. The first and third groups underwent fiberoptic intubation, in which an anesthesiologist inserted the endotracheal tube ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of growth, maturity, and pregnancy on epidural pressure in cattle. ANIMALS: 50 healthy Holstein cattle (18 heifers, 23 lactating cows, and 9 pregnant nonlactating cows). PROCEDURE: Each of the cattle was restrained in a standing position. Height of the second lumbar vertebra's transverse process (2LTP) ...

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of propofol on the change in airway pressure produced by diaphragmatic contraction. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective, controlled study in patients anaesthetised with propofol in a university hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We stimulated the phrenic nerves before and immediately after induction of anaesthesia in 11 subjects, ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Induction of general anaesthesia in combination with positive-pressure ventilation is often associated with a significant decrease of arterial pressure. A decreased preload may contribute to this phenomenon. The aim was to investigate whether a change in cardiac filling occurs following the induction of general anaesthesia with sufentanil ...

Maternal cardiovascular changes and neonatal acid-base status, including lactate levels, were assessed in 30 healthy women undergoing elective caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia. Patients were allocated randomly to receive IV ephedrine infusion (n = 15) (5 mg.min(-1) immediately after the spinal injection or bolus administration of IV ephedrine (n = ...

Twelve elderly patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty received lumbar epidural anaesthesia and propofol infusion at 5 mg.kg(-1).h(-1) following a 1.5-2.0 mg.kg(-1) bolus dose with preservation of spontaneous respiration via a laryngeal mask airway. Circulatory, respiratory and metabolic variables were measured before and 1, 3, 5, 15 and 30 min after ...

The effect of opioid administration on the bispectral index (BIS) during general anesthesia is controversial. Several investigators have reported BIS to be insensitive to opioid addition, whereas others have found a hypnotic response. We designed this study to examine the effect of remifentanil on BIS during combined regional/general propofol anesthesia ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In this randomized, double-blind study, we aimed to investigate the effect of aminophylline on recovery from sevoflurane. METHODS: One-hundred ASA I-II patients scheduled for elective surgery were randomly divided into two groups receiving either NaCl 0.9% (Group 1, n = 50) or aminophylline 5mg kg(-1) (Group 2, ...

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To identify an improved rapid inhalation induction (RII) technique by investigating hemodynamics and heart rate variability of induction with midazolam and RII with 7% sevoflurane in comparison with RII alone. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized study. SETTING: Operating room of a university hospitals. PATIENTS: 40 patients scheduled for gastrectomy without ...

Etomidate is a sedative-hypnotic chemically unrelated to other induction agents. The pharmacological and safety profile of etomidate offers many advantages for induction during rapid sequence intubation (RSI) in the emergency department (ED). Its onset of action is within 5 to 15 seconds, and its duration of action is 5 to ...

Rapacuronium is a nondepolarizing muscle relaxant similar in structure to pancuronium, rocuronium, and vecuronium. Rapacuronium has a mild to moderate effect on heart rate and arterial blood pressure in ASA physical status I and II patients. However, rapacuronium was often administered after, e.g., thiopental, an inhaled anesthetic, and fentanyl, thus ...

Few studies have compared the clinical profile of target-controlled infusions of propofol with that of manually-controlled infusions. Fifty-four ASA physical status I or II patients scheduled for an elective otorhinolaryngology endoscopy performed under general anesthesia with spontaneous ventilation were enrolled in this prospective randomized study to compare the clinical outcome ...

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate the haemodynamic changes that follow the appearance of pruritus during vancomycin administration. METHODS: We studied 50 patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass surgery, and we compared data from patients who exhibited pruritus with those from patients who did not. After the ...

BACKGROUND: The study tested the hypothesis that the incidence of hypotension during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section is less in parturients who remain in the sitting position for 3 min compared with parturients who are placed in the modified supine position immediately after induction of spinal anesthesia. METHODS: Spinal anaesthesia ...

We indirectly assessed the in vivo effect of propofol on sympathetic neural and endothelial control of vascular smooth muscle (VSM) tone in Sprague-Dawley rats by measurement of in situ responses of VSM transmembrane potential (E(m)) in intact, small mesenteric arteries and veins superfused with physiologic salt solution. Measurements were made ...

The objective of the study was to examine the changes in central nervous system (CNS) activity and physical behaviour during induction and awakening from CO2 anaesthesia. Two studies, each using pigs immersed into 90% CO2 gas for a period of 60 s were performed. In study 1, we monitored middle ...

BACKGROUND: Autoregressive modeling with exogenous input of middle-latency auditory evoked potential (A-Line autoregressive index [AAI]) has been proposed for monitoring anesthetic depth. The aim of the current study was to compare the accuracy of this new index with the Bispectral Index (BIS), predicted effect-site concentration of propofol, and hemodynamic measures. ...

PURPOSE: Remifentanil is a new, short-acting opioid that is similar pharmacodynamically to currently available opioids but differs in its pharmacokinetics. In the present study, we compared the use of remifentanil with the use of meperidine during intravenous conscious sedation for third molar surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty patients who were ...

It is common practice to chronically implant catheters for subsequent blood sampling from conscious and undisturbed animals. This method reduces stress associated with blood sampling, but anaesthesia per se can also be a source of stress in animals. Therefore, it is imperative to evaluate the time required for physiological parameters ...

BACKGROUND: Because general anesthesia with tracheal intubation can elicit life-threatening bronchospasm in patients with bronchial hyperreactivity, epidural anesthesia is often preferred. However, segmental high thoracic epidural anesthesia (sTEA) causes pulmonary sympathetic and respiratory motor blockade. Whether it can be safely used for chest wall surgery as a primary anesthetic technique ...

BACKGROUND: We compared the effects of remifentanil and alfentanil on arterial pressure and heart rate at induction of anaesthesia and tracheal intubation in 40 ASA I-III patients aged greater than 65 yr, in a randomized double-blind study. METHODS: Patients received either remifentanil 0.5 microg kg(-1) over 30 s, followed by ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The effects of remifentanil, alfentanil and fentanyl were compared on cardiovascular responses to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation in morbidly obese patients. METHODS: Eighty morbidly obese ASA I-II patients were included in the study. Patients were randomly divided into four groups to receive either 1 microgkg(-1) fentanyl (Group ...

We assessed whether flexible fibreoptic-guided orotracheal intubation could be rapidly and successfully achieved during a simulated rapid sequence induction in 30 anaesthetised and paralysed patients. Rapid sequence induction was simulated by applying practised cricoid pressure. Using a flexible fibreoptic laryngoscope with camera and closed circuit television, an anaesthetist experienced with ...

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine whether nasal bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) can be used as an airway during combined epidural-propofol anesthesia. DESIGN: Prospective, consecutive case series study. SETTING: Operating room at a general hospital. PATIENTS: 213 ASA physical status I and II adult patients undergoing lower extremity or lower abdominal ...

The analgesic mechanism of epidural steroids in reducing pain associated with degenerative spinal disease (DSD) is poorly understood. We report increased inline epidural infusion pressure in patients with DSD and assess whether this phenomenon is affected by administration of an epidural steroid injection. We collected data during epidural placement for ...

Sixty-two children were randomly allocated to receive, during inhalational anaesthesia with isoflurane and nitrous oxide, either 1.0 microg x kg(-1) remifentanil (n = 33) or saline (n = 29) just before the tunnelling phase of ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion, in a double-blind study. The remifentanil group showed little stress response to ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of an alfentanil dose on bispectral index (BIS) variations during tracheal suction in ICU sedated patients. DESIGN AND SETTING: A prospective open-label pilot study in a 12-bed surgical ICU in a university-affiliated, tertiary referral hospital. PATIENTS: Eleven sedated (midazolam plus fentanyl) mechanically ventilated patients. INTERVENTIONS: ...

Levobupivacaine is the pure S(-)-enantiomer of racemic bupivacaine but is less toxic to the heart and central nervous system. Although it has recently been introduced for routine obstetric and nonobstetric epidural anesthesia, comparative clinical studies on its intrathecal administration are not available. We therefore performed this prospective randomized double-blinded study ...

OBJECTIVE: Awareness with recall is a rare but serious complication of general anaesthesia with an incidence ranging from 0.1%-0.7%. In the absence of a reliable depth-of-anaesthesia monitor, attempts have been made to predict awareness from intraoperative haemodynamic monitoring data, with little success. Artificial neural networks can sometimes detect relationships between ...

We investigated the influence of drug-induced hypotension at a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 60-70 mm Hg on cerebral pressure autoregulation in 45 adult patients during propofol-fentanyl anesthesia. Time-averaged mean blood flow velocity in the right middle cerebral artery (Vmca) was continuously measured at a PaCO(2) of 39-40 mm Hg ...

The pressor response is known to be exaggerated in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension, which can result in increased morbidity and mortality in both mother and newborn. Various pharmacological agents have been used before induction in an attempt to attenuate the adrenergic response but with varying degree of success. Esmolol, an ...

The use of remifentanil for sedation during awake epilepsy surgery has been described in a case report. However, little information is available regarding the effect of remifentanil on the quality of intraoperative electrocorticography (ECoG). This study was designed to investigate the effect of sedative doses of remifentanil on ECoG interictal ...

Epidural application of bupivacaine has been suggested to have a sympatholytic effect on spinal reflex mechanisms that shortens postoperative paralysis and leads to an improved transit time. The influence on anastomitic healing remains controversial. Laparotomy was performed in eight dogs. A short segment of the distal colon was resected and ...

Sedation usually decreases the reliability of subjectively detecting an intravascular test dose, but the efficacies of objective hemodynamic and T-wave criteria remain undetermined. Sixty healthy patients were randomly assigned to receive IV midazolam in 1-mg increments until they were lightly sedated, fentanyl 2 microg/kg followed by incremental midazolam until they ...

Target controlled infusions (TCI) of propofol allow anaesthetists to target constant blood concentrations and respond promptly to signs of inappropriate anaesthetic depth. Studies comparing propofol TCI with manually controlled infusion (MCI) reported similar control of anaesthesia, but did not use an objective measure of anaesthetic depth. We therefore tested whether ...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of a remifentanil infusion for pediatric cardiac catheterization. DESIGN: Prospective. SETTING: University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Children undergoing cardiac catheterization (n = 55). INTERVENTIONS: All patients (age range, 2 months to 12 years) were premedicated with an oral mixture of hydroxyzine and midazolam 60 minutes before the ...

The effects of 2% and 4% sevoflurane in oxygen and nitrous oxide for induction of anaesthesia in 60 unpremedicated elderly patients was compared to those obtained during an intravenous Thiopentone induction. Intravenous induction induced anaesthesia in 27 +/- 5 seconds, significantly faster than a 2% or 4% sevoflurane induction (109 ...