PROSPECT guideline for hallux valgus repair surgery: a systematic review and procedure-specific postoperative pain management recommendations.

Hallux valgus repair is associated with moderate-to-severe postoperative pain. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the available literature and develop recommendations for optimal pain management after hallux valgus repair. A systematic review using PROcedure SPECific Postoperative Pain ManagemenT (PROSPECT) methodology was undertaken. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in the English language from inception of database to December 2019 assessing postoperative pain using analgesic, anesthetic, and surgical interventions were identified from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database, among others. Of the 836 RCTs identified, 55 RCTs and 1 systematic review met our inclusion criteria. Interventions that improved postoperative pain relief included paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or cyclo-oxygenase-2 selective inhibitors, systemic steroids, ankle block, and local anesthetic wound infiltration. Insufficient evidence was found for the use of gabapentinoids or wound infiltration with extended release bupivacaine or dexamethasone. Conflicting evidence was found for percutaneous chevron osteotomy. No evidence was found for homeopathic preparation, continuous local anesthetic wound infusion, clonidine and fentanyl as sciatic perineural adjuncts, bioabsorbable magnesium screws, and plaster slippers. No studies of sciatic nerve block met the inclusion criteria for PROSPECT methodology due to a wider scope of included surgical procedures or the lack of a control (no block) group. The analgesic regimen for hallux valgus repair should include, in the absence of contraindication, paracetamol and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug or cyclo-oxygenase-2 selective inhibitor administered preoperatively or intraoperatively and continued postoperatively, along with systemic steroids, and postoperative opioids for rescue analgesia.

Intercostal blockade and pulmonary function after cholecystectomy.

Sixty-six patients undergoing cholecystectomy were randomly allocated to receive either intercostal blockade with bupivacaine supplemented with papaveretum or papaveretum alone for postoperative analgesia. Both groups were similar regarding distribution of sex, age, and weight. These two groups were compared. Patients who did not have intercostal blockade required postoperative analgesia sooner. There was no significant difference, however, in the total consumption of papaveretum. Both groups experienced similar degrees of pain, and there were no differences in postoperative pulmonary function. We conclude that although single intercostal blockade is an effective analgesic, it does not improve pain relief and does not improve pulmonary function after cholecystectomy when compared with a regimen of on-demand, intramuscularly administered papaveretum.

Clinical evaluation of the Datex 221 neuromuscular transmission monitor for recording posttetanic electromyographic responses.

The assessment of deep neuromuscular blockade produced by nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents is not possible with the conventional use of the Datex NMT-221 "relaxograph" (Datex NMT-221 monitor, Datex Instrumentarium, Helsinki, Finland), an otherwise useful electromyographic (EMG) monitoring device. A method whereby the relaxograph can be adapted to quantitatively measure posttetanic responses is described here. In anesthetized adult patients, neuromuscular blockade was monitored simultaneously on both hands with two relaxographs. On one hand, EMG responses of hypothenar muscles to the built-in 1/20-second sequence of train-of-four stimuli of the monitor were used. On the other hand, similar recordings were made with the addition of periodically superimposed supramaximal tetanic stimuli of 100 Hz to the ulnar nerve. Neuromuscular block was provided with pancuronium. The time courses of the spontaneous recovery of the first of the train-of-four EMG responses were compared in the stimulated and control arms. At the end of the surgery, the neuromuscular block was pharmacologically reversed with atropine and neostigmine. If no tetanic stimuli were applied, the EMG responses were identical in both arms during the spontaneous recovery from the neuromuscular blockade. If tetanic stimuli were applied every 4 or 7 minutes, the rate of recovery in the stimulated hand usually exceeded that of the control hand. However, no significant difference was observed in the recovery rate when the tetanic stimuli were spaced at 15-minute intervals. Pharmacologic reversal by atropine and neostigmine was found to be identical in all patient groups. The author concludes that the Datex relaxograph is suitable for the quantitative assessment of profound surgical neuromuscular blockade with the described modification.

Intercostal nerve blockade producing analgesia after appendicectomy.

Intercostal nerve blockade of the 10th, 11th and 12th thoracic nerves on the right side was compared with i.m. papaveretum as analgesia after appendicectomy. Patients with intercostal nerve blockade had significantly less pain at 0, 4, 8 and 12 h after operation and required less papaveretum (mean 0.26 mg kg-1/24 h) compared with the controls (mean 0.62 mg kg-1/24 h). There were no complications in either group. Intercostal nerve blockade may provide better quality analgesia following appendicectomy than i.m. papaveretum alone.

Reversal of pipecuronium bromide with pyridostigmine.

Pipecuronium Bromide (Arduan, Organon, Inc, West Orange) is a long-acting, nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent. The efficacy of pyridostigmine 170 micrograms/kg intravenously (approximately 10 mg/70 kg) for reversing pipecuronium has not been reported. This study was performed to determine the time required to obtain a train-of-four (TOF) ratio of 0.7 after administration of pyridostigmine 140 micrograms/kg at 25% recovery of T1 after pipecuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade. Sixteen, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) I or II patients undergoing surgical procedures of at least 90 minutes, requiring intubation and muscle relaxation were included. Neuromuscular blockade was assessed using the Puritan-Bennett/Datex NMT 221 placed for ulnar nerve stimulation. Anesthesia was maintained with a nitrous oxide/narcotic technique and the use of potent inhalational anesthetics was avoided. The mean reversal time was found to be 16.14 minutes, with a minimum of 10.3 minutes and a maximum of 24.3 minutes. The standard error was +/- 1.05 minutes with a variance of 17.68 minutes.

Dual action of pancuronium on succinylcholine block.

The effects of pretreatment with both sub-paralyzing and paralyzing doses of pancuronium and d-tubocurarine, on the onset and duration of succinylcholine-induced neuromuscular blockade were evaluated and compared in 225 patients. D-tubocurarine antagonized both onset and duration of succinylcholine block, while pancuronium produced a dual effect, antagonizing the onset and potentiating the duration of succinylcholine block. Pretreatment with d-tubocurarine (0.07 mg/kg, 0.3 mg/kg and 0.6 mg/kg) increased the time to onset of succinylcholine paralysis from 28 to 118%, and decreased the duration from 16 to 37%. Pancuronium (0.02 mg/kg, 0.04 mg/kg and 0.08 mg/kg) also antagonized the onset of succinylcholine paralysis with increases of 32 to 114%, but potentiated its duration from 30 to 103% compared with succinylcholine alone in the same patients. Although pancuronium markedly inhibited serum cholinesterase in vitro (I50=5 X 10(-7) mol) there was only a 10% inhibition of cholinesterase in vivo after pancuronium 0.08 mg/kg.

Intrauterine neuromuscular blockade in fetus.

Antenatal intrauterine fetal therapy has now become the target of numerous invasive diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers. Fetal motion during intrauterine fetal therapy not only makes these procedures technically more difficult but also increases the likelihood of trauma to the umbilical vessels and the fetus. Combination of high doses of sedatives, tranquilizers, and narcotics rarely results in adequate suppression of fetal movement. Such medication puts the mother at risk of respiratory depression, regurgitation and aspiration. The use of pancuronium or atracurium to temporarily arrest fetal movement in ten fetus is reported. After an initial ultrasound assessment of fetal lie, placental location, and umbilical cord insertion site, the fetal weight was calculated by the ultrasound parameters of biparietal diameter and abdominal circumference. Under ultrasound guidance, we injected pancuronium 0.15 mg/kg or atracurium 1.0 mg/kg using a 23-gauge spinal needle into the fetal gluteal muscle. Short-term paralysis of the fetus was induced in all cases. Fetal movement stopped by sonographic observation within 5.8 +/- 2.3 min in the pancuronium group and 4.7 +/- 1.8 min in the atracurium group. Fetal movements returned both to maternal sensation or ultrasonic observation by 92 +/- 23 min in the first group and 36 +/- 11 min in the second group. No adverse effect of the relaxant has been observed in any of the mothers. There was no evidence of local soft tissue, nerve or muscle damage at the site of injection on initial examination of the neonates after delivery. The use of neuromuscular relaxant in fetus was a safe and useful method.

Impact of shorter-acting neuromuscular blocking agents on fast-track recovery of the cardiac surgical patient.

BACKGROUND: Residual paralysis associated with the use of long-acting muscle relaxants can delay recovery from anesthesia and surgery. The authors tested the hypothesis that use of shorter-acting neuromuscular blocking agents is associated with reductions in tracheal extubation times and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: One hundred ten patients scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass grafting or single valve surgery were randomized prospectively to receive either pancuronium or rocuronium intraoperatively. Anesthetic management and muscle relaxant maintenance dosing were standardized. In the ICU, the time required to wean ventilatory support, the duration of tracheal intubation, and length of stay were recorded. Subjects were asked to quantify generalized muscle weakness as they awakened in the ICU and again after tracheal extubation. RESULTS: Complete data were collected on 51 patients in the pancuronium group and 52 patients in the rocuronium group. No differences were found between the groups in anesthetic, surgical, or ICU management. Significant increases in the duration of weaning of ventilatory support were observed in patients who received pancuronium (median, 180 min; range, 50-780 min) compared with the rocuronium group (median, 110 min; range, 45-250 min). Tracheal extubation was significantly delayed in the pancuronium group (median, 500 min; range, 240-1,305 min) compared with the rocuronium group (median, 350 min; range, 210-1,140 min). Subjects in the pancuronium group experienced more mild to severe weakness in the ICU. However, the choice of muscle relaxant did not influence ICU length of stay. CONCLUSION: The use of shorter-acting neuromuscular blocking agents in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass is associated with reductions in tracheal extubation times and symptoms of residual paresis.

Rectus sheath block for diagnostic laparoscopy.

Sixty adult females of ASA grade 1 or 2 scheduled to undergo diagnostic laparoscopy were allocated randomly to one of two groups. In group A, laparoscopy was performed with a standardised general anaesthetic technique alone. In group B, the same general anaesthetic technique was supplemented with bilateral rectus sheath block. Postoperative analgesia was assessed at 1, 6 and 10 hours after operation. Visual analogue pain scores in group B were significantly lower than in group A despite a greater use of intramuscular analgesic injections in group A (p less than 0.005 in each case).

Sciatic nerve block for children. Sciatic nerve block by the anterior approach for postoperative pain relief.

This study aimed to establish whether it was practical to perform sciatic nerve block by the anterior approach in a group of children of different ages and weights. A total of 82 blocks were performed of which 78 (95.2%) were judged to have been successful. The technique of the block differed slightly from that used in adult practice, in that great reliance was placed on the loss of resistance felt as the needle point passed through the thigh muscles into the sciatic neurovascular compartment. There were no immediate or late complications associated with this block in any of the patients. It is concluded that the block is easy to perform and can produce reliable postoperative analgesia for most common operations on the foot and ankle in paediatric practice.

The relationship between acceleromyographic train-of-four fade and single twitch depression.

BACKGROUND: During offset of nondepolarizing neuromuscular block, a train-of-four (TOF) fade ratio of 0.70 or greater is considered to reliably indicate the return of single twitch height (T1) to its control value. Studies using mechanomyography or electromyography confirm this observation. The authors' impressions when using the acceleromyograph as a neuromuscular monitor did not support these results. Therefore, the authors studied the relation between T1 and the TOF ratio (when measured by acceleromyography) during recovery from neuromuscular block. METHODS: Sixteen adult patients were studied. Anesthesia was induced with intravenous opioid plus 2.0-2.5 mg/kg propofol. Laryngeal mask placement or tracheal intubation was accomplished without the use of muscle relaxants. Anesthesia was maintained with nitrous oxide, desflurane (2.0-3.0%, end-tidal), and fentanyl. The response of the thumb to ulnar nerve stimulation was recorded with the TOF-Guard acceleromyograph (Organon Teknika BV, Boxtel, The Netherlands). TOFs were administered every 15 s. After final calibration, 0.15 mg/kg mivacurium was administered. No further relaxants were administered. T1 and the TOF ratio were then recorded until the TOF ratio had returned to its initial value (+/- 5%). RESULTS: At a TOF ratio of 0.70 (during recovery of neuromuscular function), T1 averaged only 69 +/- 8% of control. At a TOF ratio of 0.90, T1 averaged 86 +/- 5% of control. To achieve 90% recovery of T1, a TOF ratio of 0.93 +/- 0.08 was required. CONCLUSION: Assumptions regarding the relation between T1 and the TOF ratio derived from studies using mechanomyography and electromyography do not necessarily apply to observations obtained using acceleromyography.

Incomplete reversal of pancuronium neuromuscular blockade by neostigmine, pyridostigmine, and edrophonium.

Three clinically used anticholinesterases--neostigmine, pyridostigmine, and edrophonium--were tested for their ability to reverse two levels (60% and 95%) of neuromuscular blockade produced by pancuronium. A controlled in vitro environment of the rat diaphragm-phrenic nerve system was used for the studies. Concentrations of anticholinesterases spanned the clinical range and were extended beyond to establish dose-response curves. Neostigmine was the most potent reversal drug (ED50 for 95% block 5.5 +/- 4 nM), followed by pyridostigmine (0.27 +/- 0.06 microM) and edrophonium (2.1 +/- 0.05 microM). The three drugs were equally effective at reversal of block and fade as measured by train-of-four stimulation. The dose-response curves for all three drugs showed a ceiling effect for reversal of tension and fade. Supraclinical concentrations of drug did not effect complete reversal, especially at 95% block. High concentrations of anticholinesterase led to randomly appearing hyperactivity manifested by spontaneous twitching and repetitive firing with severe fade on stimulation.

Antagonism of pancuronium- and pipecuronium-induced neuromuscular block.

We have compared the antagonism of neuromuscular block produced by pipecuronium with pancuronium in 80 anaesthetized surgical patients using mechanomyography and electromyography. Pancuronium 0.1 mg kg-1 or pipecuronium 0.07 mg kg-1 was given after induction of anaesthesia and neuromuscular block was adjusted to 75% twitch depression at the time of antagonism. The following regimens were used: edrophonium 0.5 and 1.0 mg kg-1, neostigmine 0.04 mg kg-1, pyridostigmine 0.3 mg kg-1 and edrophonium 0.25 mg kg-1 with pyridostigmine 0.15 mg kg-1. Antagonism was evaluated also by the head lift test. There was no difference between the reversibility of neuromuscular block produced by pancuronium or pipecuronium. Edrophonium produced a significantly faster antagonism than neostigmine or pyridostigmine but onset of action was not significantly faster than that of edrophonium with pyridostigmine. All regimens produced 100% (or near 100%) antagonism of twitch response within 15 min. However, TOF fade antagonism was more complete with pyridostigmine, neostigmine and edrophonium 1.0 mg kg-1 than with edrophonium 0.5 mg kg-1. The head lift test indicated somewhat less antagonism with edrophonium 0.5 and 1.0 mg kg-1. Using five monitoring methods, the rank order of reversal potency was: pyridostigmine approximately neostigmine > edrophonium 1.0 mg kg-1 > edrophonium+pyridostigmine > edrophonium 0.5 mg kg-1.

Comparative evaluation of neuro-muscular blockade after pancuronium administration in patients with and without renal failure.

Objective studies about the duration of action pancuronium (PCM) in renal failure patients are scarce. This study was undertaken to obtain more complete information on spontaneous reversal from PCM-induced neuromuscular block by monitoring the twitch height to full recovery in the absence of any potentiating agent. Thumb abduction was monitored by a deplacement transducer in end-stage renal failure (ESRF) and in control patients without renal failure (RF) during neuroleptanalgesia after 0.04 mg/kg and 0.08 mg/kg PCM administration. In the small dosage series, the prologation of action in ESRF becomes significant for the 75% recovery level (mean values +/- s.e.mean:control: 42 +/- 7 min, ESRF: 71 +/- 10 min, P less than or equal to 0.05). In the second series (0.08 mg/kg), the 50% recovery level is already significantly delayed in ESRF patients (control: 91 +/- 7 min, ESRF: 163 +/- 27 min, P less than or equal to 0.05). The 100% twitch height recovery is obtained with 0.04 mg/kg PCM within 65+/- 7 min for patients without RF and within 103 +/- 9 min in ESRF patients (P less than or equal to 0.01). For the 0.08 mg/kg PCM dose, these figures are, respectively, 139 +/- 9 min and 214 +/- 20 min (P less than or equal to 0.01). The prolongation of PCM action in ESRF is in agreement with the pharmaco-kinetics of the drug. Large dosages of PCM must be avoided in ESRF patients because it delays spontaneous full recovery for too long.

Plasma concentrations of pancuronium during predetermined intensities of neuromuscular blockade.

The plasma concentrations of pancuronium were monitored during i.v. infusions of the relaxant in dogs. Pancuronium was administered at rates which maintained the degree of neuromuscular blockade at three predetermined levels. The concentrations of the drug in the blood were consistent for any one animal but showed considerable overlap for the three levels of paralysis between animals. Concentrations obtained during infusion and which maintained the twitch response at 20% and 80% of control were compared, in the same dogs, with concentrations obtained during recovery from a bolus injection of pancuronium. When the infusion maintained the twitch response at 20% of the control value, the mean plasma concentration of pancuronium was 0.152 microgram ml-1. That measured after the bolus injection was 0.156 microgram ml-1. The concentrations at 80% of control were 0.094 microgram ml-1 and 0.083 microgram ml-1 respectively. The agreement between these results suggests a relationship between the plasma concentration of the relaxant and its effect during the termination of the action after a large bolus injection of the drug. As this occurs chiefly during the postdistribution equilibrium, the relatively slow decrease in plasma concentration would appear to become the rate-limiting factor in recovery from paralysis.

Comparison of the effectiveness of bilateral ilioinguinal nerve block and wound infiltration for postoperative analgesia after caesarean section.

We have studied the effects of bilateral ilioinguinal nerve block and wound infiltration with 0.5% bupivacaine on postoperative pain and analgesic requirements in 62 patients undergoing Caesarean section under general anaesthesia. A control group received no local anaesthetic supplementation. Both ilioinguinal block and wound infiltration reduced significantly the pain scores and analgesic requirements in the immediate postoperative period (P < 0.05). The differences in pain scores and analgesic requirements between the study groups were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).