The aim of this study was to compare with the effects of baclofen using an animal model of neuropathic pain. The sciatic nerve of rats was ligated unilaterally about dorsal half-portion in the tight according to the method of Seltzer and his colleague. After surgical operation, the rats showed painful symptoms of the ipsilateral hind paw, suggesting the possibility of spontaneous pain. And then, the paw withdrawal latency to the local heating on the paw through the glass plate and the frequency of paw withdrawal response to innocuous mechanical stimulation with modified von Frey filaments were determined to compare with the effects of pre-and post-medication of baclofen, respectively, at postoperative 3, 7, and 10 days. The results obtained were as follows: 1) The thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia produced by partially tight ligation of sciatic nerve appeared continously postoperative 3 days later. 2) In the hyperesthetic rats, the thermal hyperalgesia was inhibited from the 3rd posroperative day with orally administered baclofen 0.2mg and 1.0mg. 3) In the hyperesthetic rats, the mechanical allodynia was inhibited with baclofen 0.2mg, but not with baclofen 1.0mg, These results suggest that baclofen have more specific effects on thermal hyperalgesia than mechanical allodynia.
Animals* ; Baclofen* ; Glass ; Heating ; Hot Temperature ; Hyperalgesia ; Ligation ; Models, Animal* ; Neuralgia* ; Rats ; Sciatic Nerve

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Anesthesia, General* ; Angiography ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee* ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Venous Thromboembolism* ; Venous Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: Lidocaine is often administered intravenously to suppress airway reflexes associated with tracheal intubation or tracheal suction. In addition, lidocaine is known to have airway relaxant effects through a direct relaxant mechanism on the smooth muscle. The presence of airway epithelium has been reported to reduce the sensitivity and maximum contractile response to histamine or acetylcholine(ACh). The purpose of this study was to determine whether the cumulative application of lidocaine may cause a concentration-dependent relaxation of the rat tracheal smooth muscle strips with intact or rubbed epithelium. METHODS: Using the rat tracheal smooth muscle strips, the effects of 10 6~3 10 3M of lidocaine pretreatment on isometric tension induced by 40 mM of K+ or 10 5M of ACh in presence or absence of adherent epithelium, and the influences of 10 6M of propranolol, 10 4M of L-NAME and 10 6M of atropine on relaxing response of lidocaine were studied. RESULTS: The tracheal smooth muscle concentration induced by K+ and ACh was similar magnitude both in presence or absence of adherent epithelium. The removal of epithelium did not affect the relaxant effect of lidocaine on the K+ and ACh-induced tracheal smooth muscle contraction. Lidocaine pretreatment reduced Ca2+-dependent contraction of the rat tracheal smooth muscle. Following pretreatment of the tracheal smooth muscle preparations respectively with propranolol, L-NAME and atropine the relaxing responses to lidocaine of tracheal smooth muscle were not depressed. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the effect of the epithelium on lidocaine-induced relaxation of the tracheal smooth muscle is not significant and lidocaine may directly relax tracheal smooth muscle by the influences on the Ca2+ mobilization.
Anesthetics ; Animals ; Atropine ; Epithelium* ; Histamine ; Intubation ; Lidocaine* ; Muscle, Smooth* ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Propranolol ; Rats* ; Reflex ; Relaxation ; Suction

Although the incidence of epidural abscess is rare, once it occurs, its high morbidity rate and high mortality rate create a great deal of serious sequalae for these patient, if this condition is not diagnosed in time. We experienced a case of epidural abscess after performing percutaneous vertebroplasty in a patient who had a lumbar spinal compression fracture. This case will remind the pain clinician of the possibility of epidural abscess after such a procedure.
Epidural Abscess* ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Vertebroplasty*

We report a case of cavernous hemangioma of the anterior mediastinum that was incidentally detected by chest radiography taken at a routine health check-up. A mass lesion was seen in the anterior mediastinum on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Direct surgical removal was performed for diagnosis and treatment through right thoracotomy. Histopathology confirmed the mass as a cavernous haemangioma. Post-operative course was uneventful.
Caves ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mediastinum ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Pain following shoulder surgery is usually severe and difficult to control using conventional postoperative pain control maneuvers. Therefore, we investigated the pain control efficacy, PONV (postoperative nausea vomiting) and complications by the use of a continuous brachial plexus block in patients who had undergone shoulder surgery. METHODS: Thirty three shoulder surgery patients were enrolled in this study. According to the Borgeat's modified lateral technique, 30 ml of 0.37% ropivacaine were injected into the patients, which was followed by insertion of a continuous brachial plexus catheter into the plexus sheath. The operation was then conducted under general anesthesia, and postoperative pain was evaluated in the recovery room 12, 24, 36, and 48 hr after surgery. In addition, nausea and vomiting was calculated using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and sedation was evaluated using the modified Ramsay score. A total of 400 ml of 0.2% Ropivacaine was administered at a rate of 8 ml/hr to control the postoperative pain for 2 days. In addition, other neurological complications were investigated, and the catheter tips were cultured after they were removed to determine if any infection had occurred. RESULTS: The postoperative pain scores were below 2 on the 10 cm VAS, and the level of nausea and vomiting was also satisfactorily (< 2/10 cm VAS). In addition, the mean sedation score of the patients in the recovery room was 2. There were complications including motor weakness (24%), dyspnea (15%), Hornor's syndrome (9%), postauricular numbness (9%) and metallic taste (3%), however, there were no patients who complained of neurological symptoms after one month of follow-up, and no signs of infection were found when the results of catheter tip cultures were evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a continuous interscalene brachial plexus block is a feasible method of postoperative pain control for patients who undergo major shoulder surgery.
Anesthesia, General ; Brachial Plexus* ; Catheters ; Dyspnea ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Nausea ; Nerve Block ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; Recovery Room ; Shoulder* ; Taste Disorders ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic surgery in the Trendelenburg position affects the cardiopulmonary system and may also influence intraocular pressure (IOP). The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of propofol and sevoflurane anesthesias on IOP change during laparoscopic hysterectomy. METHODS: Thirty-one women were randomly allocated to either a propofol (P-group, n = 15) intravenous anesthesia group or a sevoflurane (S-group, n = 16) inhaled anesthesia group with fentanyl-N2O/O2-vecuronium. Heart rate, mean arterial pressure, plateau airway pressure, ETCO2, and IOP were measured before induction (T1), 10 min after induction (T2), 10 min after pneumoperitoneum in the Trendelenburg position (T3), and 5 min after pneumoperitoneum deflation in the horizontal position (T4). RESULTS: IOP was significantly decreased in both groups after induction. IOP was increased in both groups after pneumoperitoneum in the Trendelenburg position, but IOP in the sevoflurane group was significantly higher than that in the propofol group. CONCLUSIONS: Propofol intravenenous anesthesia may be a better choice for IOP control during laparoscopic surgery.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, Intravenous ; Arterial Pressure ; Female ; Head-Down Tilt ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Intraocular Pressure* ; Laparoscopy ; Pneumoperitoneum ; Propofol*

No abstract available.
Hemiarthroplasty* ; Hemorrhage* ; Hip* ; Hypotension* ; Retrospective Studies*