Spinal anesthesia reduces postoperative delirium in opium dependent patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

We investigated the effect of high spinal anesthesia on postoperative delirium in opium dependent patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The study was conducted in a tertiary referral university hospital on a population of 60 opium dependent patients undergoing CABG surgery. Patients were divided into two groups based on anesthesia protocol. One group were given general anesthesia (GA Group), the other group additionally received intrathecal morphine and bupivacaine (SGA Group). Postoperative delirium (POD) was defined as the main outcome of interest. Incidence of POD was significantly higher in patients of GA Group as compared with those in SGA Group (47% and 17% for GA and SGA respectively; P-value = 0.01). Time to extubation was on average 2.2 h shorter in SGA than in GA (7.1 h and 9.3 h respectively, P-value < 0.001). Intrathecal morphine and bupivacaine reduced the risk of POD after CABG in a population of opium dependent patients.

Delirium: an under-recognized problem.

CASE STUDY: Ms. G, a 78-year-old woman with a history of heart failure and a left ventricular ejection fraction of 45%, had an exploratory laparotomy with colon resection and colostomy two days ago for an obstructive stage IIIB adenocarcinoma of the colon. She is a patient on a general surgical unit. Upon assessment at 7 am, Ms. G was easily aroused and oriented. She has a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump for postoperative pain control with 1 mg of morphine available every 30 minutes; she used a total of 4 mg of morphine via IV since midnight. Ms. G requires belladonna and opium suppositories about every eight hours to treat bladder spasms associated with her urinary catheter.

Opium Withdrawal Delirium: Two Case Reports.

Two patients with opium dependence developed delirium during abstinence. The delirium resolved completely within 48-58 hours of appropriate treatment. Caution needs to be exercised during opioid detoxification in timely detecting and treating potentially life-threatening condition like delirium.

Trazodone-induced delirium: case report / Delirio inducido por trazodona: reporte de caso

ABSTRACT Trazodone is used as an antidepressant in doses between 150 and 600 mg. At lower doses, it is commonly used to treat insomnia. There are few case reports about confusional symptoms as an undesirable side effect of this drug. We report a case of a patient who presented with delirium after prescription of trazodone 100 mg. She required hospitalisation but, shortly after discontinuation of trazodone, the symptoms disappeared without antipsychotic medication. Seven months after the episode, the patient remains asymptomatic.

RESUMEN La trazodona se usa como antidepresivo en dosis de 150-600 mg. En dosis más bajas, se usa comúnmente para tratar el insomnio. Hay pocos reportes de caso sobre síntomas confusionales como un efecto secundario indeseable de este medicamento. Se presenta el caso de una paciente que acudió con delirio después de la prescripción de trazodona 100 mg. La paciente requirió hospitalización pero, poco después de la interrupción de la trazodona, los síntomas desaparecieron sin medicación antipsicótica. A los 7 meses del episodio, la paciente permanecía asintomática.

Tratamento homeopático uma opção no transtorno delirante em adolescentes (relato de caso) / Homeopathic treatment an option in delusional disorder in adolescent (case report)

Através do relato de um caso clínico de transtorno delirante em adolescente, o autor procura demonstrar a eficácia do tratamento homeopático, respeitada a individualidade de cada paciente. Comenta a restrita bibliografia referente ao tema e discute o resultado obtido por tratamento homeopático. conclui pelo sucesso obtido com a abordagem, que inclui minuciosa anamnese e individualização. (AU)

Remifentanil vs fentanyl with a target controlled propofol infusion in patients undergoing craniotomy for supratentorial lesions.

AIM: Remifentanil hydrochloride is an ultra-short acting m-opioid receptor agonist. This study compared the use of remifentanil with that of fentanyl during elective supratentorial craniotomy in a target controlled infusion (TCI)-propofol anesthesia regimen and evaluated the quality of recovery from anesthesia. METHODS: After written informed consent for this prospective study, 40 adult patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: in group F analgesia was provided with fentanyl 2-3 mg kg(-1) h(-1) and in group R with remifentanil 0.25 mg kg(-1) h(-1). Anesthesia was induced with thiopental and pancuronium bromide, and maintained with propofol-TCI, pancuronium, air and oxygen and fentanyl (group F) or remifentanil (group R), respectively. After tracheal intubation, infusion rate of remifentanil was reduced and then adjusted to maintain stable hemodynamics. Hemodynamics and recovery time were monitored for 60 min after surgery. Analgesic requirements, propofol intraoperative consumption, nausea and vomiting in postoperative period were monitored. Recovery was evaluated according to a modified Aldrete score. RESULTS: Baseline hemodynamics were similar in both groups. Mean arterial pressure differed between the 2 groups (P<0.05) with the greatest decrease in group R during dura opening (P<0.001). Postoperative mean arterial pressure was higher in group R. Patients in group R exhibited a faster recovery. The incidence of nausea and vomiting was similar in the 2 groups. Noteworthy, there was a reduction in the amount of propofol used in group R. CONCLUSIONS: Remifentanil appears to be a reasonable alternative to fentanyl during elective surgery of supratentorial lesions.

Ketamine and military anaesthesia. The effect of heavy papaveretum premedication and Althesin induction on the incidence of emergence phenomena.

An anaesthetic technique suitable for military field anaesthesia was sought which would attenuate the psychic side effects of ketamine. Heavy premedication with 30 mg of papaveretum and induction of anaesthesia with Althesin were evaluated. A combination of the two lowered the incidence of side effects, but they still occurred frequently enough to pose problems. Ketamine sequelae are considered incompatible with the battlefield environment.

Revalorización del repertorio. Su uso como guía en la clínica homeopática / Repertory evaluation. Ita utility as guide in homeopathic clinic

Los subrubros del rubro Delirio del Repertorio de Kent son los objetos de este trabajo. En él se proponen nuenos tipos de búsqueda no alfabética en el Repertorio de Kent. Se demuestra que ello sirve como guía en la clínica que facilita la orientación de las observaciones del médico homeópata sobre el discurso y las actuaciones el paciente. (AU)

El repertorio como guia de la clinica homeopatica / The repertory as a guide of the homeopathic clinic

Los subrubros del rubro Delirio del Repertorio de Kent son los objetos de este trabajo. En el se propone un nuevo tipo de busqueda no alfabetica en el repertorio de Kent, que oriente las observaciones del medico homeopata sobre el discurso y las actuaciones del paciente.(AU)

Los delirantes materia medica comparada / The delirous drugs conparative materia medica

Se presenta una materia medica comparada de los medicamentos constituyentes de la triada del deliro de Nash: Belladonna, Hyosciamus y Stramonium. Peviamente se hace una intoduccion sobre los conceptos del delirio a traves de las definiciones propuestas por la American Psychiatric Association. (AU)

El delirio como cerimonia de iniciación / Delirium as initiation rite

Este trabajo se propone presentar dos hipotesis: 1.Ciertossíntomas de la crisis psicótica característica de Stramonium parecen corresponderse con elementos presentes en las ceremonias de iniciación celebradas con bebidas alucinógenas preparadas con Datura stramonium. 2.Desde el punto de vista homeopático el delirio puede ser interpretado como síntoma exonerativo y, como tal, si no es reprimido puede contribuir al proceso de curación del paciente. (AU)

Estudio clínico y nosológico de veinte casos de parafrenia / Nosologic and clinical study of 20 cases of paraphrenia

Se analizaron las historias clínicas de 20 pacientes diagnosticados como parafrenia. Los casos fueron rediagnosticados según el DSM-III-R y el borrador de la CIE-10. Hubo un predominio de mujeres con una edad promedio de 37.3 años. El perfil clínico fue de un apsicosis delirante-alucinatoria de curso crónico sin deterioro de la voluntad y de la actividad pragmática. Los casos analizados se distribuyeron en varias categorías de la CIE-10 y delDSM-III-R; hubo casos que no pudieron ser diagnosticados según el DSM-III-R. Se discute la utilidad de mantener la independencia nosológica de la parafrenia