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PubMed1985

Advantages and disadvantages of regional anesthesia for cesarean section. A review.

Both epidural and spinal anesthesia have advantages and disadvantages for cesarean section. Compared to general anesthesia, regional offers reduced maternal mortality, the ability to use fewer drugs, more direct experience of childbirth and the capability to decrease blood loss and provide excellent postoperative pain control. The disadvantages of regional anesthesia include hypotension, intraoperative discomfort, post-lumbar-puncture headache and the potential for neurologic and cardiac toxicity from local anesthetics. The choice of which anesthetic technique to employ must depend on maternal preference, the experience and skills of the anesthesiologist, and the obstetric indication for the cesarean section.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗
PubMed1989

[Hemostatic requirements for the performance of regional anesthesia. Workshop on hemostatic problems in regional anesthesia].

There is uncertainty as to which preoperative examinations are necessary before performing regional anesthesia. Therefore an interdisciplinary consensus conference was established to obtain recommendations on some of the open questions related to this topic. Preoperative laboratory examinations are not necessary prior to peripheral nerve blocks near large vessels if these are easy to compress. In patients on anticoagulant therapy direct puncture of the vessel should be avoided. Prior to spinal or epidural anesthesia, no preoperative laboratory examinations are necessary if no anamnestic or clinical evidence of coagulation disorders exists. Otherwise the following examinations are useful: clotting time, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time (PTT), and thrombocyte count. Low-dose heparin prophylaxis is no contraindication to spinal or epidural anesthesia. However, in patients at increased risk of bleeding or with low body weight, PTT and thrombocyte count are necessary. Since at present no definite data exist as to the bleeding risk in patients treated with low-molecular-weight heparin prophylaxis, spinal/epidural anesthesia should be performed in controlled studies only under these conditions. This particular precaution seems to be necessary because low-molecular-weight heparin increases levels of plasminogen activators (t-PA) and therefore has fibrinolytic activity. If plasma expanders are administered perioperatively, the highest bleeding risk exists after dextran infusions. There is also an increased bleeding risk if nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, especially acetylsalicylic acid, are administered repeatedly within 5 days prior to spinal/epidural anesthesia. In these patients preoperative determination of the clotting time appears necessary.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anesthesia, Conduction↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Regional anesthesia and chronic pain management in the 1920s and 1930s. The influence of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Physicians in the 1920s and 1930s began to treat patients with chronic pain syndromes using regional anesthetic techniques for both temporary and permanent block of pain pathways. The founding of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia (ASRA) in 1923 provided a unique venue for the dissemination of information concerning regional anesthesia for both surgery and chronic pain management. METHODS: The growth of chronic pain management on a national basis was assessed by using the Quarterly Cumulative Index to the Medical Literature to trace the distribution of information on regional anesthesia. From the Minutes of Meeting of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia, presented papers and the discussion that followed were analyzed. RESULTS: Inquiries into regional anesthesia during the 1920s and 1930s predominantly dealt with technique. For the first time pain papers were listed under the regional anesthesia heading in the Index. The papers presented at ASRA meetings during the period helped develop the use of regional anesthesia for both chronic pain management and surgical anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: The ASRA was instrumental in bringing together physicians interested in regional anesthesia and pain management. During the 1930s physician anesthetists came to predominate as the organization's officers and members and helped translate the work of the ASRA into a part of the knowledge required to be a specialist physician in anesthesia.

Anesthesia, Conduction↗
PubMed1997

The efficacy of regional anesthesia for outpatient anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Arthroscopically assisted anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a common orthopaedic procedure. Until recently, the majority of these procedures have been performed on an impatient basis. This retrospective study evaluated 67 consecutive patients who underwent an arthroscopically assisted, autogenous bone-patellar ligament-bone ACL reconstruction that was supervised by the same surgeon. General endotracheal anesthesia was used for 36 patients and a femoral sciatic nerve block was used in 31 patients. Only patients who underwent either isolated ACL reconstructions, or those combined with either medial or lateral meniscectomies, were included. No statistically significant differences in either the mean anesthesia time or operative time existed between the general anesthesia and regional anesthesia groups. Patients receiving regional anesthesia did require a significantly longer recovery room stay than those who received general anesthesia. Most of the patients who received general anesthesia had inpatient procedures. In the general anesthesia group, 31 of 36 patients spent at least one night in the hospital. Three of 30 patients who received regional anesthesia required hospital admission. There were no differences between anesthesia-related complication between groups. The cost saving of performing ACL reconstructions under regional anesthesia compared with general anesthesia was calculated to be $2,907 per case and predominantly reflected the outpatient approach used in these cases. This study supports the use of femoral sciatic nerve block anesthesia as a safe and reliable alternative to general anesthesia for patients undergoing outpatient ACL reconstruction. The use of this technique was not found to compromise operating room efficiency. Patients receiving regional anesthesia did require a slightly longer recovery room stay. ACL reconstruction performed under regional anesthesia with same-day discharge was well tolerated by our patients and it provides a cost-efficient alternative to ACL reconstructions performed as inpatient procedures.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Disclosure of risks associated with regional anesthesia: a survey of academic regional anesthesiologists.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In view of the relatively few large studies available to estimate the rates of complications following regional anesthesia, we aimed to identify and quantify the risks that academic regional anesthesiologists and regional anesthesia fellows disclose to their patients before performing central and peripheral nerve blockade. METHODS: We asked 23 North American regional anesthesia fellowship program directors to distribute a questionnaire to the regional anesthesiologists and regional anesthesia fellows at their institutions. The questionnaire was designed to capture the risks and corresponding incidences that are routinely disclosed to patients before performing the most common central and peripheral nerve block techniques. RESULTS: The total number of respondents was 79 from 12 different institutions. Fifty-eight (74%) respondents disclose risks of regional anesthesia in order to allow their patients to make an informed choice, whereas 20 (26%) disclose risks for medicolegal reasons. For central neural blockade, the most commonly disclosed risks are headache, local pain/discomfort, and infection. For peripheral nerve blockade, the most commonly disclosed risks are transient neuropathy, local pain/discomfort, and infection. For both central and peripheral nerve blockade, the risks most commonly disclosed are also those with the highest-reported incidences. CONCLUSIONS: The risks of regional anesthesia most commonly disclosed to patients by academic regional anesthesiologists and regional anesthesia fellows are benign in nature and occur frequently. Severe complications of regional anesthesia are far less commonly disclosed. The incidences of severe complications disclosed by academic regional anesthesiologists and their fellows can be inconsistent with those cited in the contemporary literature.

Anesthesia, Conduction↗
PubMed1988

Sudden complications in regional anesthesia.

In regional anesthesia sudden and severe complications occur from time to time and may rapidly turn into life threatening situations. Their rarity might well be their most vicious characteristic. Therefore, awareness of the possible complications, careful preparation to cope with them, vigilance enabling prompt recognition of their occurrence and quick administration of the appropriate treatment are all essential for a safe practice of regional anesthesia. The routine use of pulse oximetry is now strongly recommended.

Anesthesia, Conduction↗
PubMed1985

Intravenous regional anesthesia.

Intravenous regional anesthesia is a simple and effective method of analgesia of an extremity by intravenous injection of a local anesthetic while the circulation is interrupted. Although the pharmacokinetics of the injected drug is relatively well known, its precise mode of action is still not well understood. The complications of the technique are uncommon and generally minor ones. They occur immediately after tourniquet release. The relative and absolute contra-indications to the use of intravenous regional anesthesia are presented.

Anesthesia, Conduction↗
PubMed2006

Orbital regional anesthesia.

Orbital regional anesthesia is a useful and safe modality for providing excellent operating conditions for the surgeon and painless, pleasant circumstances for the patient. It is especially suited for patients who are extremely sensitive and who could not tolerate topical anesthesia or a sub-Tenon's block without deep sedation. Both intraconal and extraconal techniques can be used safely and effectively if proper precautions are taken to enter the safest areas of the orbit and to avoid the vascular areas and the deep orbit where structures are tightly packed and thus more easily harmed. Thorough knowledge of orbital anatomy and understanding of the globe-orbit relationship of every patient are necessary to perform this form of regional anesthesia. In addition, knowledge of the effects and side effects of the anesthetics and adjuvants is also required.

Anesthesia, Conduction↗
PubMed2004

[Local or regional anesthesia in knee arthroscopic surgery--patients satisfaction].

There is no doubt, that local anesthesia for knee arthroscopic surgery is rather simple, reliable, well tolerated, cost-effective and safe procedure acceptable also for one-day-surgery and outpatients. Patient's acceptance and satisfaction are behind those measurable data and could be predicted only after the question if the patients would prefer intraarticular analgesia when they should need to have another arthroscopy performed. The aim of the investigation was to compare this prediction with real patients feeling. Comparison was made between the types of anesthesia (regional, intraarticular) used for knee surgery, twice the same knee and patient. The retrospective data (mean 9 months after the last surgery) showed higher patients satisfaction (93.5%) with local anesthesia if compare with regional (2.6%) and femoral nerve block (3.9%).

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Effectiveness of regional anesthesia for loco-regional carotid surgery. Retrospective review of 147 interventions].

The Authors present a retrospective review that compares general anesthesia with regional anesthesia performed during carotid endarterectomy surgery. The study includes 147 procedures, performed on 144 patients: 76 had general anesthesia and 71 had regional anesthesia. After emphasizing the importance of conscience preservation during regional anesthesia to allow a simple and secure monitoring of the patient's neurologic functions, the Authors point out the decrease of peri- and postoperative accidents, whether neurologic or not, obtained with regional anesthesia. Another essential advantage of this technique is the possibility to insert the transitory shunt only when objectively necessary, ulteriorly reducing neurologic complications. Cervical plexus block is primarily indicated for high risk patients with instable neurologic simptomatology, severe stenosis of the contralateral carotid, coronary heart disease. The technique has proved to be of easy execution, safe and well accepted by the patient and the surgeon.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

[An "atraumatic" universal needle for single-shot regional anesthesia: clinical results and a 6 year trial in over 30,000 regional anesthesias].

The so-called "atraumatic" needle was developed by modification of two essential features of the Whitacre Spinal needle. The new atraumatic needle tip is universally suitable for all single-shot techniques of regional anesthesia. This is the result of a 6-year test period with 34,950 applications of 24- and 22-Gauge needles in spinal anesthesia, diagnostic lumbar puncture, peridural anesthesia, plexus anesthesia, peripheral nerve blocks with a Teflon-coated version (unipolar electrostimulation), and lumbar sympathetic and celiac plexus blocks. Postspinal headache was observed following 0.02% of punctures for anesthetic or diagnostic purposes. Transient monosymptomatic nerve damage occurred in 1 case after axillary block (0.009%). No permanent neurological sequelae were observed due to vascular, neural, or dural lesions. In comparison, 10 cases of persistent traumatic nerve damage were reported to be caused by conventional needles during the last decade. An analysis of these cases reveals some reasons for underestimating the risk of neurological sequelae after regional anesthesia. The routine clinical use of this type of atraumatic needle revealed no disadvantages with regard to efficacy of nerve blocks or training of anesthetists. Due to the extremely low incidence of postspinal headache, this needle has been used for spinal therapy and diagnostic lumbar punctures in outpatient pain therapy for 2 years. As of this time, the overall risk of outpatient lumbar puncture cannot be estimated. Our experience should encourage further controlled studies to evaluate criteria for excluding those patients unsuited for outpatient spinal anesthesia and lumbar puncture.

Anesthesia, Conduction↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Loco-regional anesthesia in remote medical units. III. Anesthesia of upper-limb: the intravenous loco-regional anesthesia (author's transl)].

The loco-regional intravenous anesthesia has the great advantage of its simplicity. It is a good complement of the plexic blocks for anesthesia of the upper limb, but it must be discarded in case of lasting interventions because of the tourniquet, or in case of large damages through which the anesthesic fluid leak out, or if a long hemostatic checking may be foreseen.

Anesthesia, Conduction↗
PubMed2006

The effect of propofol as an antioxidant agent in intravenous regional anesthesia.

Intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA) is a technique whereby a tourniquet is used to restrict blood flow to an exsanguinated limb. Propofol was shown to attenuate ischemia-reperfusion damage. We aimed to investigate the effect of low-dose propofol as an antioxidant in this process. Twenty-six unpremedicated adult patients (ASA I-II) were studied. The patients in the control group (Group C, n = 12) were administered 40 ml of 0.5% lidocaine, while the patients in the propofol group (Group P, n = 14) were administered 40 ml of 0.5% lidocaine plus 20 mg propofol for IVRA. Serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and paraoxonase activity were measured at 1 min before, immediately upon, and 30 min after the release of the tourniquet. Serum paraoxonase activity was observed to have a significant decreasing course in both groups (p < 0.01). In contrast, we observed a progressive increase in the serum levels of MDA in Group C (p < 0.05). However, in Group P, serum levels of MDA after the release of the tourniquet periods were significantly lower than that before the release of the tourniquet (p < 0.05). The addition of propofol (20 mg) to lidocaine for IVRA inhibits MDA levels. We conclude that the addition of propofol to lidocaine can be considered as a useful antioxidant in this type of anesthesia.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[A simple technique for estimating the level of analgesia in regional anesthesia].

In regional anesthesia the onset of analgesia is usually determined by stimulating the skin with sharp or cold objects: when sensations of sharp pain or cold are lost, all nociceptive afferents are regarded as blocked. Sharp pain and cold are mediated by thin, myelinated axons whereas the majority of nociceptor axons are unmyelinated. In peripheral nerve blocks unmyelinated fibers are blocked first, followed by those mediating sharp pain and cold. In spinal and epidural blocks the levels of anesthesia to sharp pain and cold correspond within 1-2 segments. Although pinprick seems to be a simple test for analgesia, it involves the risk of infection and is disliked by the patient. As the stimulus is spatially discontinuous, coarse testing may simulate analgesia. An ideal stimulus for testing analgesia should be noninvasive, give distinct sensations, not frighten the patient, and allow spatially continuous examination of larger skin areas. A stimulus that meets these conditions is cold applied to the skin by a metal roller (Fig. 1). If the roller is kept at room temperature (20 degrees-24 degrees C), it gives a strong cold sensation when it is slowly rolled (5-10 cm/s) over the warm skin (usually 30 degrees-35 degrees C on the trunk). With this noninvasive device, the levels of anesthesia to cold can be determined rapidly, with high precision, and without frightening the patient.

Analgesia↗
PubMed1987

Sedatives in regional anesthesia.

In regional anesthesia our experience shows that the association of small dose of fentanyl (20 mcg i.v.) and droperidol (1 mg i.v.) with a small dose of benzodiazepine i.v. injected 5' after provides a good sedation during surgery. The choice of the benzodiazepine is based on the duration of anesthesia: midazolam (1.5 or 3 mg i.v.) in anesthesia with a duration less or equal to 1 h 30'; flunitrazepam (0.2 mg or 0.4 mg i.v.) in anesthesia with a duration longer than 1 h 30'.

Adjuvants, Anesthesia↗
PubMed2004

[The use of regional anesthesia in orthopedics].

Regional anesthesia has its place in the perioperative pain management of orthopedic patients. A reduction in postoperative mortality and morbidity with regional anesthesia is acknowledged for subsets of patient populations. Single shot and continuous applications are techniques for providing regional analgesia. Continuous infusion of local anesthetics with catheter techniques provides for uninterrupted postoperative analgesia. The combination of regional and general anesthesia reduces the consumption of systemic anesthetics. The side effects of opioid therapy are thereby reduced. The inhibition of intraoperative stress reaction, especially with epidural anesthesia, helps to prevent or lower unwanted metabolic changes. Patient contentment with analgesic quality differs with the technique with which the regional anesthesia is applied (PDA, PCEA, IVRA, peripheral block, i.a. injection), and the medication (LA, opioid) used.

Anesthesia, Conduction↗