OBJECTIVE: Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for the determination of opiates in biological samples according to the emerging problem in drugs abuse. METHODS: Opiates such as heroin, 6-acetylmorphine, morphine, codeine, acetylcodeine, hydrocodone and hydromorphone were isolated from human blood, urine, oral fluid and hair using a simple extraction and consequently analyzed using LC-MS/MS. The method was evaluated by real cases. RESULTS: The mobile phase give the optimum separation for opiates. The detection limit of morphine in urine with dilution and liquid-liquid extraction and in hair is 10ng/mL, 0.01 ng/mL and 0.01 ng/mg, respectively. CONCLUSION The method is simple and rapid, offering superior sensitivity and selectivity for opiates. The target compounds comprising hydrocodone and hydromorphone enlarge the applied area.
Chromatography, Liquid ; Codeine/analysis* ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Hair/chemistry* ; Humans ; Hydrocodone/analysis* ; Hydromorphone/analysis* ; Morphine/analysis* ; Narcotics/analysis* ; Reproducibility of Results ; Saliva/chemistry* ; Substance Abuse Detection/methods* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Adult ; Analgesics, Opioid ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fentanyl ; pharmacology ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Male ; Morphine ; pharmacology ; Narcotics ; pharmacology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

A new benzodiazepine derivative, Rohypnol (Ro 5-4200), was used for management of general anesthesia with nitrous oxide, narcotics and muscle relaxants to evaluate the effect on the cardiovascular and respiratory system in 35 surgical patients. In each patient, we observed the blood pressure, pulse rate, minute volume and arterial blood gas analysis and also local effects, postoperative recovery state and amnesia. The results are as follows; 1) Induction dosage of Rohypnol was not constant as other benzodiazepines. 2) Rohypnol showed a little effect an the cardiovascular system. 3) The effects of Rohypnol on the respiratory system were negligible but slight depression was seen. 4) If respiration became shallower or apnea occured during induction with Rohypnol, it was preferred to use assisted or controlled ventilation with 100% oxygen. 5) It was thought better to give oxygen through a nasal catheter for prevention of decreased PaO2 in recovery room. 6) When we used the non-depolarizing muscular relaxants instead of S.C.C. for intubation, we observed that a significantly decreased amount of relaxant was needed for maintenance of general anesthesia.
Amnesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Apnea ; Balanced Anesthesia* ; Benzodiazepines ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular System ; Catheters ; Depression ; Flunitrazepam* ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Intubation ; Narcotics ; Nitrous Oxide ; Oxygen ; Recovery Room ; Respiration ; Respiratory System ; Ventilation

Patients undergoing thoracotomy experience severe postoperative pain and marked respiratory impairment. Analgesics(narcotics or loeal anesthetics) administered via epidural catheter in epidural space have been shown to provide postoperative analgesia and improve respiratory mechanics after thoracotomy. Several different methods have been utilized in an attempt to reduce pain and pulmonary mechanics after thoracotomy. These include epidural blocks using local anesthetics, epidural narcotics, ketamine, steroid, and clonidine. These methods have been shown to provide pain relief with relative preservation of lung volumes in the postoperative period, but have disadvantages. Especially epidural local anesthetics may cause hypotension and motor blockade of lower extremities, and epidural narcotics may cause pruritus, nausea and vomiting, urinary retension and respiratory depression. In an attempt to provide excellent analgesia and improve pulmonary mechanics after thoracotomy and to decrease the side effects associated with the intermittent bolus administration of epidural narcotics or local anesthetics, we performed a study of continuously administered epidural infusion of small concentration of fentanyl combined with low concentration of bupivacaine. Twenty eight patients undergoing thoracotomy were randomized into groups based upon a postoperative pain regimen as indicated: Group I: intermittent intramuscualr injection of nalbuphine 0.2 mg/kg(n=13), Group II: continuous epidural injection of mixtures of 0.2/ bupivacaine and fentanyl 3 ug/ml(n= 15). Two, 8, 24 and 48 hours postoperative, the following indices were measured: visual analogue pain scale, vital capacity, tidal volume, arterial blood gas analysis(pH, PaCo2, PaO2), side effects, and 24 hour urine 17-ketosteroids. The results were as follows: 1) Pain score was evaluated by visual analogue pain scale postoperatively and the pain scores significantly decresed in group II as compaired with those in group L 2) Vital capacity and tidal volume in group II were more improved than group I. 3) There was no difference in arterial blood gas analysis except for decreased PaO2 at 2 hour and 24 hour compared with preoperative value in group L 4) Major complications in group II were two cases of nausea and vomiting, one case of urinary retension, whereas only I patient in group I complained of nausea and vomiting. 5) No significant difference occurred in 24 hour urine l7-ketosteroid at 24 hour and 48 hour postoperatively in group I and group II, which were within normal limits.
17-Ketosteroids ; Analgesia* ; Anesthetics, Local ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Bupivacaine* ; Catheters ; Clonidine ; Epidural Space ; Fentanyl* ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Injections, Epidural ; Ketamine ; Lower Extremity ; Lung ; Mechanics ; Nalbuphine ; Narcotics ; Nausea ; Pain Measurement ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postoperative Period ; Pruritus ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Respiratory Mechanics ; Thoracotomy* ; Tidal Volume ; Vital Capacity ; Vomiting