[Analgesic effect of buccal acupuncture on patients after lumbar spinal fusion: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of buccal acupuncture on pain after lumbar spinal fusion. METHODS: Sixty patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a control group (30 cases, 1 case was eliminated). The patients in the control group were treated with routine anesthesia. On the basis of the control group, the patients in the observation group were treated with buccal acupuncture at bilateral back point, waist point, and sacral point for 30 min per treatment. The first acupuncture was given before anesthesia induction, and then once a day postoperation for two days, totally 3 treatments. The dosage of sufentanil, the number of remedial analgesia, and the incidence of nausea and vomiting within 48 h after surgery were compared between the two groups; rest and motion visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at 2 (T1), 8 (T2), 12 (T3), 24 (T4), and 48 (T5) h after surgery were observed; the quality of recovery-15 scale (QoR-15) at 24 and 48 h after surgery were evaluated. RESULTS: The dosage of sufentanil and the number of remedial analgesia within 48 h after surgery in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.01). There was no significant statistically difference in rest and motion VAS scores between the two groups in T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 (P>0.05). The QoR-15 scores in the observation group at 24 and 48 h after surgery were higher than those in the control group (P<0.01). The incidence of nausea in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Buccal acupuncture could reduce the amount of postoperative analgesic drugs of patients after lumbar spinal fusion, and promote early postoperative recovery.

Effects of Pharmacological Intervention on Recovery After Sevoflurane Anesthesia in Children: a Network Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Sevoflurane, commonly administered to children as anesthesia, often leads to emergence delirium (ED). Currently, a consensus is lacking among clinicians regarding pharmacological interventions to improve recovery. To determine an effective approach, we compared the effects of several drugs in lowering the incidence of ED after sevoflurane anesthesia in children.We searched online databases for relevant randomized controlled trials (59 studies selected; 5199 NMA-eligible participants) and performed a frequentist network meta-analysis (NMA). This study was registered on PROSPERO (number CRD: 42022329939).All included studies had a low to moderate risk of overall bias. The incidence of ED after sevoflurane anesthesia in children differed according to other drugs administered, and were ranked from high to low according to the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA).Sufentanil (91.2%) and dexmedetomidine (77.6%) were more likely to reduce the incidence (SUCRA value) of ED, whereas the placebo (6.5%), ramelteon (11.1%), and magnesium (18%) were less likely to reduce the incidence of ED. Remifentanil (89.3%) ranked first in shortening emergence time, followed by placebo (82.4%) and ketamine (69.7%). Placebo shortened extubation time, followed by remifentanil (66.5%) and alfentanil (61.4%).Sufentanil and remifentanil lowered sevoflurane-induced ED incidences among children and shortened the emergence time more effectively than other drugs. Most adjuvant drugs that are combined with sevoflurane either do not change or may even prolong extubation time. Further research and clinical trials are required to support and update these conclusions.

Effect of Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture on Postoperative Analgesia after Total Knee Arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of wrist-ankle acupuncture (WAA) in pain and functional recovery after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: From June to September 2020, 94 participants were included from the Second Hospital of Tangshan and randomly assigned to the WAA group (47 cases) and the sham WAA group (47 cases) by a random number table, receiving real or sham WAA treatment, respectively. The primary outcome measure involved the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at rest and in motion. The secondary outcomes involved the range of motion (ROM) of the knee joints, straight-leg raising time, postoperative weight-bearing time, sufentanil consumption within 48 h of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: The VAS scores on the 3rd, 5th, and 7th postoperative days at rest and in motion was significantly lower in the WAA group than that of the sham WAA group (P<0.01). The ROM on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd PODs was significantly higher in the WAA group than that of the sham WAA group (P<0.01). In comparison to the sham WAA group, the sufentanil consumption within 48 h of PCA pump was significantly less in the WAA group (156.3 ± 12.2 µg vs. 128.8 ± 9.8 µg, P<0.01). There was no significant difference in active straight-leg raising time, postoperative weight-bearing time, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: WAA could alleviate post-TKA pain, improve knee joint function, and reduce the sufentanil consumption within 48 h of PCA pump. WAA is a safe and effective treatment in the perioperative analgesic management for TKA.

Analgesic effect of buccal acupuncture on patients after lumbar spinal fusion: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of buccal acupuncture on pain after lumbar spinal fusion.@*METHODS@#Sixty patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a control group (30 cases, 1 case was eliminated). The patients in the control group were treated with routine anesthesia. On the basis of the control group, the patients in the observation group were treated with buccal acupuncture at bilateral back point, waist point, and sacral point for 30 min per treatment. The first acupuncture was given before anesthesia induction, and then once a day postoperation for two days, totally 3 treatments. The dosage of sufentanil, the number of remedial analgesia, and the incidence of nausea and vomiting within 48 h after surgery were compared between the two groups; rest and motion visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at 2 (T1), 8 (T2), 12 (T3), 24 (T4), and 48 (T5) h after surgery were observed; the quality of recovery-15 scale (QoR-15) at 24 and 48 h after surgery were evaluated.@*RESULTS@#The dosage of sufentanil and the number of remedial analgesia within 48 h after surgery in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.01). There was no significant statistically difference in rest and motion VAS scores between the two groups in T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 (P>0.05). The QoR-15 scores in the observation group at 24 and 48 h after surgery were higher than those in the control group (P<0.01). The incidence of nausea in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Buccal acupuncture could reduce the amount of postoperative analgesic drugs of patients after lumbar spinal fusion, and promote early postoperative recovery.

Effect of Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture on Postoperative Analgesia after Total Knee Arthroplasty / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the effect of wrist-ankle acupuncture (WAA) in pain and functional recovery after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).@*METHODS@#From June to September 2020, 94 participants were included from the Second Hospital of Tangshan and randomly assigned to the WAA group (47 cases) and the sham WAA group (47 cases) by a random number table, receiving real or sham WAA treatment, respectively. The primary outcome measure involved the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at rest and in motion. The secondary outcomes involved the range of motion (ROM) of the knee joints, straight-leg raising time, postoperative weight-bearing time, sufentanil consumption within 48 h of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications.@*RESULTS@#The VAS scores on the 3rd, 5th, and 7th postoperative days at rest and in motion was significantly lower in the WAA group than that of the sham WAA group (P<0.01). The ROM on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd PODs was significantly higher in the WAA group than that of the sham WAA group (P<0.01). In comparison to the sham WAA group, the sufentanil consumption within 48 h of PCA pump was significantly less in the WAA group (156.3 ± 12.2 µg vs. 128.8 ± 9.8 µg, P<0.01). There was no significant difference in active straight-leg raising time, postoperative weight-bearing time, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications between the two groups (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#WAA could alleviate post-TKA pain, improve knee joint function, and reduce the sufentanil consumption within 48 h of PCA pump. WAA is a safe and effective treatment in the perioperative analgesic management for TKA.

Effect of acupuncture at Shuitong and Shuijin points on sufentanil-induced cough in general anesthesia induction: a randomized controlled trial. / é’ˆåˆºæ°´é€šã€æ°´é‡‘ç©´å¯¹å ¨èº«éº»é†‰è¯±å¯¼æœŸèˆ’èŠ¬å¤ªå°¼è¯±å‘å‘›å’³çš„å½±å“ï¼šéšæœºå¯¹ç §è¯•éªŒ.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Shuitong and Shuijin points on preventing sufentanil-induced cough and its influence on hemodynamics in general anesthesia induction. METHODS: A total of 80 patients scheduled for elective surgery undergoing general anesthesia were randomly divided into an observation group (40 cases) and a control group (39 cases,1 case eliminated). In the control group, the routine anesthesia was performed,with intravenous injection of 1% sufentanil citrate 0.5 µg/kg, 1% propofol (total amount was calculated according to 2 mg/kg) and cisatracurium besilate 0.2 mg/kg. In the observation group, before routine anesthesia induction, acupuncture was applied to Shuitong and Shuijin points on the right and the needles were retained for 30 min. During anesthesia induction, the complications i.e. cough and chest wall stiffness were observed, and the systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR) and pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2) were monitored 5 min after the patients entered the operation room (T0),at the moment of intravenous injection of sufentanil (T1) and 2 min after sufentanil injection (T2) , 1 min before and after endotracheal intubation (T3,T4) of the two groups, respectively. RESULTS: During anesthesia induction,the condition of mild, moderate and severe cough in the observation group was superior to that of the control group (P<0.05), the total cases of cough and its total incidence were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). Two cases of chest wall stiffness were present in each group, but without statistical difference between the two groups (P>0.05). In comparison of SBP, HR and SpO2 at T0, T1, T2, T3 and T4, the differences were not significant statistically between the two groups (P>0.05). SBP and HR increased at T2 when compared with those at T1 in the control group (P<0.05), but there was no statistical difference in SpO2 (P>0.05); while, the differences in SBP, HR and SpO2 were not significant at T2 when compared with those at T1 in the observation group (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture at Shuitong and Shuijin points can effectively prevent from sufentanil-induced cough, reduce the severity of cough and stabilize the hemodynamic indicators.

Effects of Hypovitaminosis D on Preoperative Pain Threshold and Perioperative Opioid Use in Colorectal Cancer Surgery: A Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pain after colorectal cancer surgery has a significant impact on postoperative physical and mental health. Vitamin D deficiency has been correlated with both acute pain states, including postoperative and post-traumatic pain, and several chronic pain diseases. The effects of hypovitaminosis D on preoperative pain threshold and perioperative opioid use in colorectal cancer surgery still need to be studied. OBJECTIVES: To find the relationship between hypovitaminosis D on pain threshold, perioperative opioid use, and postoperative complications in colorectal cancer surgery. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 112 patients, who were enrolled in this prospective, observational trial, were divided into 2 groups based on their preoperative serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 [OH] D3) levels: (1) group D: vitamin D-deficient group (< 20 ng/mL); and (2) group S: vitamin D-sufficient group (>= 20 ng/mL). METHODS: Primary outcomes were pain threshold indexes, perioperative dosages of opioid use, and postoperative pain. Secondary outcomes were other postoperative complications. RESULTS: Preoperative serum level of vitamin D was 14.94 ± 3.10 ng/mL in group D and 24.20 ± 4.80 ng/mL in group S. Significant differences were showed in the 3 indexes of pain threshold and analgesic consumption between the 2 groups (P < 0.05). A low 25 (OH) D3 level was associated with a higher opioid dose of sufentanil. There was an association between 25 (OH) D3 and pain enduring threshold (PET), beta coefficient beta = 0.532, 95% confidential interval  (0.440, 0.623), P < 0.001. The history of diabetes mellitus (DM) and vitamin C and vitamin D levels may be risk factors of surgical site infections (SSI), and the binary logistics regression model is statistically significant, chi-squared = 35.028, P < 0.001. LIMITATIONS: There is room for further expansion in the sample size. Our study lacked objective indicators to measure pain threshold. Intestinal recovery time and total hospital stay were not included in the final analysis. In the follow-up study, the vitamin D supplementation group should be set and the specific site of colorectal cancer surgery also needs to be divided more carefully. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the study results, hypovitaminosis D is associated with increased perioperative opioid consumption in colorectal cancer surgery. Sensory perception and pain threshold of patients with insufficient 25 (OH) D3 concentration were more sensitive, and PET was lower. History of DM, vitamin D, and vitamin C may be factors related with SSI. Future studies are needed to investigate their relationship further and discover if postoperative pain and pain threshold can benefit from vitamin D supplementation in these patients.

Efficacy and safety of epidural anesthesia versus local anesthesia in percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: For some patients, local anesthesia (LA) in percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED), especially during canal shaping and discectomy, is insufficient for analgesia. Epidural anesthesia (EA) is infrequently applied in PTED but reports satisfactory results. Previous studies present conflicting results in analgesia satisfactory and adverse events. Differences in surgery details and small sample size might explain conflicting results. Meta-analysis pools the results from individual studies to create a larger sample size and provides a more reliable conclusion. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of EA in PTED. METHODS: The search terms "percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy" and "anesthesia" are used to search Cochrane, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, OVID, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP, and Wanfang from inception to 2021-08. Inclusion criteria is defined according to PICOS principals: P (patients): patients are diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation or spinal canal stenosis. I (intervention): patients undergo PTED under EA. C (comparisons): patients undergo PTED under LA. O (outcomes): primary outcomes: intraoperative visual analogue scale (VAS), anesthesia satisfactory, sufentanil usage. Secondary outcomes: adverse events, surgery exit, bleed volume, X-ray radiation. S (study design): randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The Cochrane RoB 2.0 is used to evaluate the quality of the included studies. Authors perform meta-analysis through Review Manager 5.4. RESULTS: A total of 6 studies representing 529 patients are included: EA group includes 261 patients, and LA group includes 268 patients. All studies lack design of allocation concealment and blinding of participants and personnel. Only Luo reports blinding of outcome assessment in 2019. Meta analysis concludes that EA is superior in intraoperative analgesic [mean difference (MD) =-4.31; 95% confidence interval (CI): -4.52 to -4.09; P<0.00001], anesthesia satisfactory [odds ratio (OR) =10.06; 95% CI: 2.41 to 41.98; P=0.002], sufentanil usage (MD =-9.12; 95% CI: -10.34 to -7.90; P<0.00001), adverse events (OR =0.19; 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.52; P=0.001). There is no difference in bleed volume (MD =-2.61; 95% CI: -5.45 to 0.23; P=0.07), exit rate (OR =0.23; 95% CI: 0.04 to 1.35; P=0.10) and future effects (MD =-0.23; 95% CI: -0.50 to 0.03; P=0.08). DISCUSSION: EA is an effective and safe anesthesia method for PTED and might achieve better clinical results than LA. More high-quality research is needed to provide high-quality evidence for efficacy and safety.

Comparison of dexmedetomidine and sufentanil as adjuvants to local anesthetic for epidural labor analgesia: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The epidural dexmedetomidine combined with ropivacaine has been successfully used for labor analgesia. We compared the effects of dexmedetomidine and sufentanil as adjuvants to local anesthetic for epidural labor analgesia. METHODS: Eighty nulliparous women were enrolled in the double-blind study and randomly divided into two groups. Group D received 0.5 µg/mL dexmedetomidine with 0.1% ropivacaine for epidural labor analgesia, and group S (control group) received 0.5 µg/mL sufentanil with 0.1% ropivacaine for labor analgesia. Hemodynamic parameters were monitored. Pain was assessed using a visual analog scale. The onset of epidural analgesia, duration of stages of labor, Ramsay Sedation Scale, blood loss, neonatal Apgar scores, umbilical artery blood pH and adverse effects, such as respiratory depression, nausea, vomiting, pruritus, and bradycardia, were recorded. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, visual analog scale values after cervical dilation >3 cm were lower in group D (P<0.05) and first-stage labor duration was shorter in group D (378.5±52.6 vs 406.5±58.2, P<0.05). Ramsay Sedation Scale values were higher in group D compared to the control group (2.8±0.6 vs 2.4±0.5, P<0.05). No significant differences in side effects were observed between the groups. CONCLUSION: Dexmedetomidine is superior to sufentanil in analgesic effect and duration in first-stage labor during epidural analgesia when combined with 0.1% ropivacaine (www.chictr.org.cn, registration ChiCTR-OPC-16008548).

Potentially clinically relevant concentrations of Cefazolin, Midazolam, Propofol, and Sufentanil in auto-transfused blood in congenital cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Use of donor blood in congenital cardiac surgery increases the risk for post-operative morbidity and mortality. To reduce the need for allogenic blood transfusion a technique for peri-operative mechanical red cell salvage is applied. Blood from the operation site is collected in a reservoir, processed, passed through a lipophilic filter and returned to the patient. Influence of this cellsaver system on coagulation, fibrinolysis and inflammatory markers is known. To our knowledge no studies have been performed on the effects of autotransfusion on drug concentrations. A clinically relevant drug dose could potentially be returned to the patient through the auto-transfused blood, leading to unwanted drug reactions post-operatively. We aimed to measure drug concentrations in blood salvaged from the operation site and in the auto-transfused blood to determine if a clinically relevant drug dose is returned to the patient. METHODS: The study was performed at the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery of a tertiary university hospital. Blood samples were taken from the reservoir, after processing before the lipophilic filter, the auto-transfused blood, and the waste fluid. Samples were stored at - 80 C and drug concentration for sufentanil, propofol, midazolam and cefazolin were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Drug concentrations measured in the reservoir and the auto-transfused blood were compared and the relative reduction was calculated for each patient. RESULTS: Blood samples were taken from 18 cellsaver runs in 18 patients, age 0-13 years. Drug concentrations in the reservoir were comparable to concomitant concentrations in the patient. For sufentanil 34% (median, IQR 27-50) of drug concentration was retained from the reservoir in the auto-transfused blood, for midazolam 6% (median, IQR 4-10), for cefazolin 5% (median, IQR 2-6) and for propofol 0% (median, IQR 0-0) respectively. CONCLUSION: Depending on the drug, up to 34% of the drug concentration salvaged from the operation site is returned to the patient through autotransfusion, potentially causing unwanted drug reactions post-operatively. Additionally, influence of a cellsaver system should be considered in pharmacological research during and after congenital cardiac surgery and could result in dose adjustments in the postoperative phase. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration at the Dutch Trial Registry ( NTR3579 ) at August 14 2012.

Effects of transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation combined with low-dose sufentanil pretreatment on the incidence and severity of etomidate-induced myoclonus: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Myoclonus is an undesirable phenomenon that occurs after induction of general anesthesia using etomidate. Opioids such as sufentanil are considered effective pretreatment drugs for myoclonus inhibition, although high doses are required. Transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation (TAES), a noninvasive technique involving electrical stimulation of the skin at the acupuncture points, exhibits analgesic effects, promotes anesthetic effects, decreases the dose of anesthetic drugs, and increases endogenous opioid peptide levels. In the present study, we investigated the effects of TAES combined with low-dose sufentanil pretreatment on the incidence and severity of etomidate-induced myoclonus in patients undergoing elective hysteroscopy. METHODS: In a double-blind manner, 172 patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists class I-II; age, 20-55 years) scheduled to undergo elective hysteroscopy were randomized into the following groups (n = 43 each): control (false TAES followed by saline injection after 30 min), TAES (TAES followed by saline injection after 30 minutes), sufentanil [false TAES followed by low-dose sufentanil (0.1 µg/kg) injection after 30 minutes], and sufentanil plus TAES (TAES followed by low-dose sufentanil injection after 30 minutes). In all groups, general anesthesia was induced by etomidate 0.3 mg/kg after sufentanil or saline injection. The incidence and severity of myoclonus were assessed for 2 minutes after etomidate administration. The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for pain at 1 hour after surgery were recorded. The heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SPO2) were recorded before premedication, after etomidate injection, after uterus expansion, and after recovery from anesthesia. RESULTS: The incidence of myoclonus was highest in the control group (88.3%), followed by TAES (74.4%), sufentanil (60.4%), and TAES plus sufentanil (48.8%) groups. Thus, the incidence was significantly higher in the control and TAES groups than in the sufentanil and TAES plus sufentanil groups. Grade 3 myoclonus occurred in 30.2%, 9.3%, 11.6%, and 9.3% patients in the control, TAES, sufentanil, and TAES plus sufentanil groups, respectively, with significant differences between the control group and the other 3 groups. Furthermore, the postoperative VAS scores for pain were significantly lower in the TAES, sufentanil, and TAES plus sufentanil groups compared with those in the control group. There were no significant differences in any other parameters among groups. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that TAES combined with low-dose opioids such as sufentanil can decrease the incidence and severity of etomidate-induced myoclonus.

[Clinical research of electroacupuncture on the analgesic effect of thoracic perioperative stage].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the clinical therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture at Neimadian (Extra) and Neiguan (PC 6) on the analgesic effect of thoracic perioperative stage and its effect mechanism. METHODS: Sixty cases of esophageal cancer with elective radical resection under general anesthesia were divided into an observation group and a control group according to the operation sequence, 30 cases in each one. In the control group, the general anesthesia was simply applied and sufentanil was administered for patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) after operation. In the observation group, on the basis of the scheme as the control group, the electroacupuncture was used at Neimadian (Extra) and Neiguan (PC 6) 30 min before anesthesia induction and after operation, with continuous wave, tolerable intensity, lasting for 30 min. Separately, before acupuncture (T1) and 2h (T2), 12h (T3), 24h (T4) and 48h (T5) after operation, the plasma ß-endorphin (ß-EP), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were determined. During operation, under the same state (from 50 to 60) of bispectrum of EEG (BIS), the intraoperative anesthetic dose was recorded. Using visual analogue scale (VAS), the pain degree was evaluated at T2, T3, T4 and T5 separately and the grade assessment of the therapeutic effects and safety were recorded at each time point. RESULTS: ①The total dosage of sufentanil in the observation group was less than that in the control group[(1.83±0.56) mg vs (2.54±0.62) mg, P<0.05]. ②VAS scores at T2, T3 and T4 in the patients of the observation group were all lower than those in the control group (all P<0.05). ③The levels of plasma ß-EP at T3, T4 and T5 in the observation group were increased significantly as compared with those in the control group (all P<0.05) and the levels of plasma 5-HT and PGE2 at T2, T3 and T4 were reduced significantly as compared with those in the control group (all P<0.05). ④ The excellent analgesia rates 2h、12h and 24h after operation in the observation group were better than those in the control group (all P<0.05). ⑤The rate of the A grade safety in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Electroacupuncture at Neimadian (Extra) and Neiguan (PC 6) provides the safe and effective postoperative anesthesia of thoracic surgery and reduces the dosage of analgesics during the operation, which is possibly related to the increase of endogenous ß-EP and the inhibition on the release of 5-HT and PGE2.

Economic assessment of postoperative pain control strategies for treatment of adult patients with cancer / Avaliação econômica de estratégias para controle da dor pós-operatória para tratamento de pacientes adultos com câncer

Summary Objective: The authors performed an economic assessment of opioids currently being used for control of postoperative pain relating to the surgical treatment of cancer (fentanyl and sufentanil) within the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS, in the Portuguese acronym). Method: The assessment was based on the perspective of the government, in order to collaborate with the promotion of effectiveness in public policies of health, and to optimize the allocation of public resources into health. A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed using data collected from the Brazilian Unified Health System and information from literature review, in order to build a decision tree on the alternatives for control of postoperative pain related to cancer treatment among adult patients. The outcomes considered were: effectiveness of postoperative analgesia and occurrence of nausea and vomit in the 48 hour period after surgery, and additional 24-hour cycles in patient follow-up. A univariate sensitivity analysis was conducted in order to verify robustness of the model estimated. Results: Literature review showed a limited number of studies directly comparing fentanyl and sufentanil for control of postoperative pain. The adoption of sufentanil (cost = U$ 25.72 / outcome = 1.6 VAS points) was dominant in relation to the use of fentanyl (cost = U$ 32.58 / outcome = 2.6 VAS points). The estimated model showed robustness in relation to changes in the parameters analyzed. Conclusion: Sufentanil presented higher cost-effectiveness ratio in relation to fentanyl for control of postoperative pain in surgeries related to cancer treatment among adult patients in the Brazilian Unified Health System.

Resumo Objetivo: O artigo apresenta uma avaliação econômica de opioides atualmente utilizados no controle de dor pós-operatória relacionada ao tratamento cirúrgico do câncer (fentanil e sufentanil) no contexto do Sistema Único de Saúde. Método: A avaliação baseou-se na perspectiva do governo, de forma a colaborar na promoção da efetividade das políticas públicas de saúde e melhorar a alocação de recursos públicos em saúde. Uma análise custo-efetividade foi realizada a partir de dados coletados no Sistema Único de Saúde e de informações provenientes de revisão da literatura para construção de uma árvore de decisão contendo alternativas para controle de dor pós-operatória relacionada ao tratamento cirúrgico do câncer entre pacientes adultos. Os desfechos considerados foram: efetividade da analgesia pós-operatória e ocorrência de náusea e vômito no período de 48 horas após cirurgia e em ciclos adicionais de 24 horas de seguimento do paciente. Uma análise de sensibilidade univariada foi conduzida para verificar a robustez do modelo estimado. Resultados: Na revisão de literatura, um número limitado de estudos efetuou comparação direta entre fentanil e sufentanil no controle de dor pós-operatória. A adoção de sufentanil (custo = U$ 25,72 / desfecho = 1,6 pontos VAS) foi dominante em relação ao uso do fentanil (custo = U$ 32,58 / desfecho = 2,6 pontos VAS). O modelo estimado demonstrou robustez em relação a mudanças nos parâmetros analisados. Conclusão: O sufentanil apresentou razão custo-efetividade superior em relação ao fentanil no controle de dor pós-operatória em cirurgias relacionadas ao tratamento de câncer entre pacientes adultos no Sistema Único de Saúde.

Economic assessment of postoperative pain control strategies for treatment of adult patients with cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The authors performed an economic assessment of opioids currently being used for control of postoperative pain relating to the surgical treatment of cancer (fentanyl and sufentanil) within the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS, in the Portuguese acronym). METHOD: The assessment was based on the perspective of the government, in order to collaborate with the promotion of effectiveness in public policies of health, and to optimize the allocation of public resources into health. A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed using data collected from the Brazilian Unified Health System and information from literature review, in order to build a decision tree on the alternatives for control of postoperative pain related to cancer treatment among adult patients. The outcomes considered were: effectiveness of postoperative analgesia and occurrence of nausea and vomit in the 48 hour period after surgery, and additional 24-hour cycles in patient follow-up. A univariate sensitivity analysis was conducted in order to verify robustness of the model estimated. RESULTS: Literature review showed a limited number of studies directly comparing fentanyl and sufentanil for control of postoperative pain. The adoption of sufentanil (cost = U$ 25.72 / outcome = 1.6 VAS points) was dominant in relation to the use of fentanyl (cost = U$ 32.58 / outcome = 2.6 VAS points). The estimated model showed robustness in relation to changes in the parameters analyzed. CONCLUSION: Sufentanil presented higher cost-effectiveness ratio in relation to fentanyl for control of postoperative pain in surgeries related to cancer treatment among adult patients in the Brazilian Unified Health System.

The effect of general anaesthesia and neuromuscular blockade on Eustachian tube compliance: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The most common complications of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) are related to pressure changes on gas-containing cavities. Therefore, inability to auto-inflate the middle ear may result in transient or permanent hearing loss. However, it seems that middle ear barotrauma (MEBt) does not develop more often in mechanically ventilated patients than in ambulatory patients. This might be explained by deep sedation of these patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether anaesthesia and/or neuromuscular blockade can influence Eustachian tube (ET) function. METHODS: Forty patients who were undergoing surgery under general anaesthesia were enrolled in this prospective study. ET function was evaluated by tympanography performed three times: before induction of general anaesthesia (baseline), after induction with sufentanyl/propofol and after full blockade was achieved with a long-acting neuromuscular blocking agent. RESULTS: There were no differences in ear volume (P = 0.19) and ear pressure (P = 0.07). There was a significant variation in compliance on tympanography after the induction of general anaesthesia (P = 0.009). Compared to the baseline, this variation was characterized by an increase after induction of anaesthesia (24 ± 7.13%, P 〈 0.01) and neuromuscular blockade (23 ± 8.9%, P 〈 0.05). The difference between after induction and after neuromuscular blockade was not statistically significant (P = 0.13). DISCUSSION: The findings of this trial suggest that the administration of hypnotic drugs associated with opioids improves ET compliance. Therefore it may have favourable prophylactic effects on MEBt in ventilated intensive care unit patients scheduled for HBOT.

Evaluation of spinal anesthesia blockade time with 0. 5% hyperbaric bupivacaine, with or without sufentanil, in chronic opioid users: a randomized clinical trial / Avaliação do tempo de bloqueio da raquianestesia com bupivacaína a hiperbárica 0, 5%, com ou sem sufentanil, em usuários crônicos de opioides: um estudo clínico randômico

Abstract Objective: The primary outcome of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding sufentanil to hyperbaric bupivacaine on duration of sensory blockade of spinal anesthesia in chronic opioid users in comparison with non-addicts. Methods: Sixty patients scheduled for orthopedic surgery under spinal anesthesia were allocated into four groups: group 1 (no history of opium use who received intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine along with 1 mL saline as placebo); group 2 (no history of opium use who received intrathecal bupivacaine along with 1 mL sufentanil [5 µg]); group 3 (positive history of opium use who received intrathecal bupivacaine along with 1 mL saline as placebo) and group 4 (positive history of opium use who received intrathecal bupivacaine along with 1 mL sufentanil [5 µg]). The onset time and duration of sensory and motor blockade were measured. Results: The duration of sensory blockade in group 3 was 120 ± 23.1 min which was significantly less than other groups (G1 = 148 ± 28.7, G2 = 144 ± 26.4, G4 = 139 ± 24.7, p = 0.007). The duration of motor blockade in group 3 was 145 ± 30.0 min which was significantly less than other groups (G1 = 164 ± 36.0, G2 = 174 ± 26.8, G4 = 174 ± 24.9, p = 0.03). Conclusions: Addition of 5 µg intrathecal sufentanil to hyperbaric bupivacaine in chronic opioid users lengthened the sensory and motor duration of blockade to be equivalent to blockade measured in non-addicts.

Resumo Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito da adição de sufentanil à bupivacaína hiperbárica na duração do bloqueio sensorial da raquianestesia em usuários crônicos de opioides em comparação com não adictos. Métodos: Foram distribuídos em quatro grupos 60 pacientes agendados para cirurgia ortopédica sob raquianestesia: Grupo 1 (sem história de uso de ópio, recebeu bupivacaína hiperbárica intratecal juntamente com 1 mL de solução salina como placebo); Grupo 2 (sem história de uso de ópio, recebeu bupivacaína intratecal juntamente com 1 mL de sufentanil [5 µg]); Grupo 3 (com história de uso de ópio, recebeu bupivacaína intratecal juntamente com 1 mL de solução salina como placebo) e Grupo 4 (com história de uso de ópio, recebeu bupivacaína intratecal juntamente com 1 mL de sufentanil [5 µg]). O tempo de início e a duração dos bloqueios sensitivo e motor foram registrados. Resultados: A duração do bloqueio sensorial no Grupo 3 foi de 120 ± 23,1 min, um tempo significativamente menor do que nos outros grupos (G1 = 148 ± 28,7, G2 = 144 ± 26,4, G4 = 139 ± 24,7, p = 0,007). A duração do bloqueio motor no Grupo 3 foi de 145 ± 30,0 min, um tempo significativamente menor do que nos outros grupos (G1 = 164 ± 36.0, G2 = 174 ± 26.8, G4 = 174 ± 24,9; p = 0,03). Conclusões: A adição de 5 µg de sufentanil intratecal à bupivacaína hiperbárica em usuários crônicos de opioides aumenta a duração dos bloqueios sensorial e motor de forma equivalente ao bloqueio avaliado em não adictos.

Evaluation of spinal anesthesia blockade time with 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine, with or without sufentanil, in chronic opioid users: a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: The primary outcome of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding sufentanil to hyperbaric bupivacaine on duration of sensory blockade of spinal anesthesia in chronic opioid users in comparison with non-addicts. METHODS: Sixty patients scheduled for orthopedic surgery under spinal anesthesia were allocated into four groups: group 1 (no history of opium use who received intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine along with 1mL saline as placebo); group 2 (no history of opium use who received intrathecal bupivacaine along with 1mL sufentanil [5µg]); group 3 (positive history of opium use who received intrathecal bupivacaine along with 1mL saline as placebo) and group 4 (positive history of opium use who received intrathecal bupivacaine along with 1mL sufentanil [5µg]). The onset time and duration of sensory and motor blockade were measured. RESULTS: The duration of sensory blockade in group 3 was 120±23.1min which was significantly less than other groups (G1=148±28.7, G2=144±26.4, G4=139±24.7, p=0.007). The duration of motor blockade in group 3 was 145±30.0min which was significantly less than other groups (G1=164±36.0, G2=174±26.8, G4=174±24.9, p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Addition of 5µg intrathecal sufentanil to hyperbaric bupivacaine in chronic opioid users lengthened the sensory and motor duration of blockade to be equivalent to blockade measured in non-addicts.

Effects of Intravenous Patient-Controlled Sufentanil Analgesia and Music Therapy on Pain and Hemodynamics After Surgery for Lung Cancer: A Randomized Parallel Study.

OBJECTIVE: Postoperative pain is caused by surgical injury and trauma; is stressful to patients; and includes a series of physiologic, psychological, and behavioral reactions. Effective postoperative analgesia helps improve postoperative pain, perioperative safety, and hospital discharge rates. This study aimed to observe the influence of postoperative intravenous sufentanil patient-controlled analgesia combined with music therapy versus sufentanil alone on hemodynamics and analgesia in patients with lung cancer. METHODS: This was a randomized parallel study performed in 60 patients in American Society of Anesthesiologists class I or II undergoing lung cancer resection at the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University. Patients were randomly assigned to a music therapy (MT) group and a control (C) group. The MT group underwent preoperative and postoperative music intervention while the C group did not. Both groups received intravenous patient-controlled sufentanil analgesia. The primary outcome was the visual analogue scale (VAS) score at 24 hours after surgery. The secondary outcomes included hemodynamic changes (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate), changes on the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), total consumption of sufentanil, number of uses, sedation, and adverse effects. The postoperative sufentanil dose and analgesia frequency were recorded. RESULTS: Compared with the C group, the MT group had significantly lower VAS score, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and SAS score within 24 hours after surgery (p < 0.01). In addition, postoperative analgesia frequency and sufentanil dose were reduced in the MT group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Combined music therapy and sufentanil improves intravenous patient-controlled analgesia effects compared with sufentanil alone after lung cancer surgery. Lower doses of sufentanil could be administered to more effectively improve patients' cardiovascular parameters.

[Analgesia for labour in the Czech Republic in the year 2011 from the perspective of OBAAMA-CZ study - prospective national survey]. / Analgezie u porodu v Ceské republice v roce 2011 z pohledu studie OBAAMA-CZ- prospektivní observacní studie.

GOAL OF THE STUDY: The aim of national survey was to describe current practice for analgesia during labour provided by anaesthesiologists in the Czech Republic (CZE). TYPE OF THE STUDY: National prospective observational. SETTING: 49 obstetric departments in CZE. METHODS: We aimed to enrol all 97 obstetric departments in CZE and to monitor every case of anaesthetic care in peripartum period during November 2011. Data were recorded to Case Report Form with two parts (Demography 2010 and Case Report) into TrialDB database (Yale University, USA; adapted IBA, MU, CZE). Demographic data for CZE were obtained on request by ÚZIS. The data were analysed using SPSS 22. RESULTS: We enrolled 1943 cases of anaesthesiological care and 579 (29.8%) of them was to relief labour pain. Population and center weighted estimate of incidence of epidural labour analgesia was 12.5% (95% CI: 10.6% - 14.4%). Epidural analgesia was the most frequently applied via Tuohy needle G18 (97.8%), with administration of an epidural catheter G20 (95.7%), via medial approach (98.8%), in lateral position (76.7%) by the loss of resistance method (94.3%). All administrations of epidural analgesia were started by initial bolus, only in 28.2% of cases were followed continously. Always has been applied mixture of local anaesthetic with sufentanil at a dose of 3-10 mcg. Bupivacaine was most frequently used local anaesthetic (80.7%), followed by levobupivacaine (12.6%). Median concentrations both bupivacaine and levobupivacaine were 0.125% (min. 0.1%, max. 0.3%).The most common complication of epidural analgesia was repeated puncture (21.2%), blood in the catheter (1.4%), blood in the needle (1.2%), unintended puncture of the dura mater (0.7%) and transient paresthesias (0.5%). CONCLUSION: In comparison to previously published data there was trend for lower incidence of epidural analgesia for labour in the CZE.