BACKGROUND: Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) has been widely used for pain relief after cesarean delivery under epidural anesthesia. However, IV-PCA alone has a limited effect on early postoperative pain relief. Epidural morphine injected intraoperatively could alleviate the early postcesarean pain. We evaluated the effects and side effects of intraoperative epidural morphine on postoperative IV-PCA. METHODS: Forty patients scheduled for cesarean section under epidural anesthesia were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The patients in the intravenous group (IV group, n = 20) received intravenous morphine 3 5 mg after the operation in the recovery room when patients complain of pain, and the patients in the epidural group (EPI group, n = 20) received intraoperative epidural morphine 3 mg after fetus delivery. After that, both groups received morphine IV-PCA (no basal infusion, bolus 1.0 mg, lock-out time 6 min). Analgesic efficacy, degree of patient satisfaction, drug consumption and side effects were compared at 4 and 24 hours after surgery. RESULTS: The EPI group had significantly lower VAS for pain at 4h after surgery on movement and resting than the IV group, whereas no significant difference was observed at 24h after surgery. The cumulative morphine consumptions at 4h and 24h after surgery were more in the IV group (each, P < 0.001). Fewer patients in the EPI group had drowsiness at 24h after surgery, but there were no significant differences in other side effects and degree of satisfaction between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that intraoperative epidural morphine was effective with less side effects for postoperative IV-PCA in the cesarean patients under epidural anesthesia.
Analgesia, Patient-Controlled* ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Morphine* ; Pain, Postoperative ; Patient Satisfaction ; Pregnancy ; Recovery Room ; Sleep Stages

Open tracheostomy has been indicated for patients who require prolonged mechanical ventilation or respiratory care in order to avoid lots of complications during long-term endotracheal intubation. Because there are a number of disadvantages and serious complications in standard open tracheostomy, a simpler, safe and minimally invasive procedure such as percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) and translaryngeal tracheostomy (TLT) were introduced as an appropriate procedure that can be administered at bedside. In terms of prevention of complications, minimal invasive tracheostomy techniques are more advisable for post open heart surgery patients. After two failed attempts at respirator weaning, we experienced a successful TLT for a 71-year-old male patient with intractable post CABG pneumonia post-op 15 days in an intensive care unit. During and post-TLT courses were not eventful. The cannula was removed 2 weeks after TLT and the patient was subsequently discharged to ward.
Aged ; Catheters ; Heart* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Male ; Pneumonia ; Respiration, Artificial ; Thoracic Surgery* ; Tracheostomy* ; Ventilator Weaning

BACKGROUND: Esmolol has been applied to lower myocardial oxygen consumption and creates a quieter operative field by reducing systemic blood pressure and heart rate but can cause a certain amount of hemodynamic instability during minimally invasive direct vision coronary artery bypass graft (MIDCAB). The aim of this study was to compare the hemodynamic differences between two methods; inducing hypotension and bradycardia between esmolol infusion alone, and concomitant use of neostigmine during MIDCAB anesthesia. METHODS: Twenty MIDCAB patients were randomly allocated into two groups, group E (n = 10) receiving esmolol 0.3 mg/kg/min, group EN (n = 10) receiving esmolol 0.2 mg/kg/min and neostigmine 1.0 mg for induced hypotension and bradycardia during coronary anastomosis. The hemodynamic parameters were evaluated 10 minutes after induction of anesthesia (T1), 10 minutes after beginning of operation (T2), 5 minutes before the end of anastomosis (T3) and 10 minutes after the end of anastomosis (T4). Data were analyzed by ANOVA test for intragroup comparisons, and by T-test for intergroup comparisons with significance set at a P value of < 0.05. RESULTS: Heart rate significantly decreased at T3 in both groups and more in group EN. Systolic blood pressure decreased at T3 in both groups and there were no group differences but more episodes of extreme hypotension in group E. The cardiac index significantly decreased at T3 in both groups and more in group E. There was a small but significant increase in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure at T3 and T4 in group E and no change of central venous pressure in both groups. CONCLUSION: Concomitant use of neostigmine during esmolol infusion produces more reliable induced hypotension and bradycardia than esmolol infusion alone for MIDCAB anesthesia in terms of prevention of myocardial ischemia and easiness of anastomosis technique.
Anesthesia* ; Blood Pressure ; Bradycardia* ; Central Venous Pressure ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypotension* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Neostigmine* ; Oxygen Consumption ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Transplants

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BACKGROUND: Regional anesthesia for cesarean section is associated with a high incidence of nausea and/or vomiting (N&V) during the operation. Metoclopramide and droperidol have been known to be effective in the prevention of N&V. However, they have been reported to induce some adverse effects such as sedation. We evaluated the efficacy of metoclopramide and droperidol in the prevention of N&V in spinal and epidural anesthesia for cesarean section. METHODS: A prospective randomized double-blind study was performed on 180 parturients scheduled for elective cesarean section. They were allocated into spinal or epidural (n = 90, each) anesthesia groups and each group into either a placebo, metoclopramide, or droperidol drug group (n = 30, each). After delivery, 2 ml saline, 10 mg metoclopramide, or 0.625 mg droperidol was given to the parturients, respectively. Incidences of N&V and sedation during the operation were checked, and the other adverse effects of the anesthesias such as hypotension and visceral pain were compared among the groups. The height of sensory blockade was also checked. RESULTS: Epidural anesthesia was more related with N&V than spinal (P = 0.030). Among the groups there was a significant difference in the incidence of N&V (P = 0.002). There were fewer parturients with N&V in the droperidol group than in the placebo group during epidural anesthesia (P = 0.021). During both spinal and epidural anesthesia more parturients in the droperidol group had sedation than placebo or metoclopramide groups (P = 0.0001) and more in the metoclopramide group than in the pacebo group (P = 0.01). No differences were found in incidences of hypotension and in the height of sensory block among the groups. There were more parturients with visceral pain during epidural anesthesia (P = 0.031). CONCLUSIONS: Epidural anesthesia provoked N&V more frequently than spinal anesthesia for cesarean section. Only droperidol was effective in the prevention of N&V during epidural anesthesia, but had a more sedative effect than metoclopramide during either spinal or epidural anesthesia.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Conduction ; Anesthesia, Epidural* ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Cesarean Section* ; Double-Blind Method ; Droperidol* ; Female ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Metoclopramide* ; Nausea* ; Pregnancy ; Prospective Studies ; Visceral Pain ; Vomiting*

Botulinum toxin has been used for the treatment of many clinical disorders by producing temporary skeletal muscle relaxation. In pain management, botulinum toxin has demonstrated an analgesic effect by reducing muscular hyperactivity, but recent studies suggest this neurotoxin could have direct analgesic mechanisms different from its neuromuscular actions. At the moment, botulinum toxin is widely investigated and used in many painful diseases such as myofascial syndrome, headaches, arthritis, and neuropathic pain. Further studies are needed to understand the exact analgesic mechanisms, efficacy and complications of botulinum toxin in chronic pain disorders.
Arthritis ; Botulinum Toxins ; Chronic Pain ; Headache ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Neuralgia ; Pain Management ; Relaxation

Botulinum toxin has been used for the treatment of many clinical disorders by producing temporary skeletal muscle relaxation. In pain management, botulinum toxin has demonstrated an analgesic effect by reducing muscular hyperactivity, but recent studies suggest this neurotoxin could have direct analgesic mechanisms different from its neuromuscular actions. At the moment, botulinum toxin is widely investigated and used in many painful diseases such as myofascial syndrome, headaches, arthritis, and neuropathic pain. Further studies are needed to understand the exact analgesic mechanisms, efficacy and complications of botulinum toxin in chronic pain disorders.
Arthritis ; Botulinum Toxins ; Chronic Pain ; Headache ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Neuralgia ; Pain Management ; Relaxation

Primary hyperhidrosis, a disorder of unknown etiology, is characterized by excessive uncontrollable sweating, most often of the palm surface of the hands, armpits, groin and feet. To decrease the symptoms of hyperhidrosis, drug therapy, iontophoresis, excision of axillary sweat glands and thoracoscopic sympathectomy have been attempted. A lumbar sympathectomy is one of the available choices for the treatment hyperhidrosis of the lower extremities. A 28-year old female patient presented with excessive sweating of her hands and feet. For the treatment of her foot hyperhidrosis, a bipolar radiofrequency ablation system was used to ablate the lumbar sympathetic ganglion, with a successful result. This modality will receive greater attention as an available alternative to lumbar sympathetic neurolysis.
Adult ; Catheter Ablation ; Drug Therapy ; Electrocoagulation* ; Female ; Foot ; Ganglia, Sympathetic ; Groin ; Hand ; Humans ; Hyperhidrosis* ; Iontophoresis ; Lower Extremity ; Sweat ; Sweat Glands ; Sweating ; Sympathectomy

BACKGROUND: Epidural "top-up" has been known to enhance spinal anesthesia in combined spinal-epidural anesthesia. Saline and local anesthetics were reported to have a volume effect when infused as epidural "top-up". In cesarean deliveries where high sensory block has been achieved using a combined spinal-epidural technique, we evaluated the effects of epidural "top-up" on the underlying spinal block. METHODS: Sixty-six parturients were allocated randomly into group C (control, n = 21), S (saline, n = 21), or B (bupivacaine, n = 24). Ten minutes after they received 8 mg of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine intrathecally, nothing, 10 ml saline, or 10 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine were infused, respectively. The sensory level at 10 min, the maximal level and the time to reach it, and degrees of motor block and muscle relaxation were compared. We also investigated intraoperative side effects and postoperative findings in the PACU. RESULTS: There were significant changes in sensory level after epidural top-ups in the group S and B, but no differences in maximal height of sensory block and degree of muscle relaxation among the groups. Intraoperative pain was complained in fewer patients in the group B. Times to sensory and motor recovery were longer in patients of the group B. CONCLUSIONS: Eight milligrams of hyperbaric bupivacaine using a combined spinal-epidural technique was not sufficient for cesarean section. Epidural saline top-up showed volume effect, which didn't improve the spinal block. Epidural "top-up" of 0.25% 10 ml bupivacaine enhanced the spinal block and sustained the block postoperatively.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Epidural* ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Anesthetics, Local ; Bupivacaine ; Cesarean Section* ; Female ; Humans ; Muscle Relaxation ; Pregnancy

Pulsed or conventional radiofrequency (RF) denervation of the third occipital nerve (TON) is considered to be a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of pain originating from the cervical 2-3 facet joint, including cervicogenic headache. However, proper positioning of the RF probe in the TON can be difficult and time consuming due to the possible involvement of various lesions along the target nerve. We found that bipolar RF is easier to perform and more convenient than unipolar RF when administering a lumbar medial branch block. Here, we report the successful treatment of a patient with a cervicogenic headache by pulsed RF (PRF) denervation of the TON, using a bipolar probe. We believe that bipolar PRF denervation of the TON is an effective alternative to unipolar RF or PRF for the treatment of pain originating from the cervical 2-3 facet joint.
Denervation ; Humans ; Post-Traumatic Headache ; Zygapophyseal Joint