Acupuncture on Yintang point decreases preoperative anxiety.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ear-press needle acupuncture on Yintang point for preoperative anxiety. DESIGN: This was a prospective, randomized, single-blind, controlled study. SETTINGS/LOCATION: The study setting was the Department of Anesthesiology in Ankara Training and Research Hospital of Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey. SUBJECTS: The study comprised 52 adult surgical patients. INTERVENTIONS: A single, 20-minute session of single-point acupuncture was applied on Yintang (acupuncture group) or sham point (sham acupuncture group). OUTCOME MEASURES: The efficacy of acupuncture was evaluated by means of the changes in bispectral index (BIS) and STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Index). RESULTS: BIS values in the acupuncture group were significantly lower than in the sham group in all time intervals (p<0.0042). BIS values were lower than baseline in the study group during the entire study period (p<0.0004) while no such effect has been observed in the sham group (p>0.0004). Mean values of state anxiety (STAI-S) decreased after acupuncture in the study group (p=0,018), while no change was observed in trait anxiety (STAI-T) (p=0.156). Patients of the sham group showed no change in both parameters (p=0.387 and p=0,116). CONCLUSIONS: Ear-press needle acupuncture on Yintang point reduces preoperative anxiety in adult surgical patients.

Avaliação da eficácia de bupivacaína embebida em Gelfoam® no local do enxerto ósseo de crista ilíaca / Evaluation of the efficacy of bupivacaine soaked in Gelfoam® at the iliac crest bone graft site / Evaluación de la eficacia de la bupivacaina empapada en Gelfoam® en la región del injerto óseo de la cresta ilíaca

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: Um número considerável de pacientes relata dor após coleta de enxerto da crista ilíaca anterior. Este estudo avaliou a eficácia da aplicação de bupivacaína embebida em uma esponja de gelatina absorvível (Gelfoam®) no local doador de osso e do uso parenteral de opioides no controle da dor pós-operatória. MÉTODO: Estudo prospectivo, duplo-cego, randomizado e controlado por placebo comparando a infiltração no período intraoperatório de 20 mL de bupivacaína (tratamento, grupo B) versus soro fisiológico (placebo) com Gelfoam embebida no local de coleta óssea da crista ilíaca em pacientes submetidos à cirurgia eletiva de coluna cervical. No período pós-operatório, a administração de cloridrato de hidromorfona (na sala de recuperação pós-anestésica e analgesia controlada pelo paciente) foi padronizada. Um escore de dor com base em escala visual analógica (EVA) com pontuação de zero a 10 foi usado para avaliar a intensidade da dor associada ao local doador. Os escores de dor e uso/frequência de narcóticos foram registrados 24 e 48 horas após a operação. Os médicos, pacientes, a equipe de enfermagem e os estatísticos desconheciam o tratamento usado. RESULTADOS: Os grupos eram semelhantes em idade, gênero e comorbidades. Não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos nos escores da EVA. As doses de narcótico foram significativamente menores no grupo B nos tempos de 24 e 48 horas (p < 0,05). CONCLUSÃO: Este estudo demonstrou que bupivacaína embebida em esponja de gelatina absorvível no local de coleta do enxerto ósseo de crista ilíaca (EOCI) reduziu o uso parenteral de opioides no pós-operatório.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: A substantial number of patients report pain after graft harvest from the anterior iliac crest. This study examined the efficacy of local application of bupivacaine soaked in a Gelfoam® at the bone donor site in controlling postoperative pain and parenteral opioid use. METHOD: We performed a prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study comparing intraoperative infiltration of 20 mililiters of bupivacaine (treatment, group B) versus saline (placebo), with Gelfoam® soaked into the iliac crest harvest site for patients undergoing elective cervical spinal surgery. Postoperative administration of dihydromorphinone hydrochloride (post anesthesia care unit and patient-controlled analgesia) was standardized. A pain score based on a 10-point visual analog scale (VAS). was used to assess the severity of pain associated with donor site. Pain scores and narcotic use/frequency were recorded at the twenty-four and forty-eighth hour after the operation. Physicians, patients, nursing staff, and statisticians were blinded to the treatment. RESULTS: The groups were similar in baseline age, gender, and comorbidities. There was no significant difference between groups in VAS scores. Narcotic dosage, were significantly less in the Group B at 24 and 48 hours (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated that bupivacaine soaked in gelfoam at the iliac bone graft harvest site reduced postoperative parenteral opioid usage.

JUSTIFICATIVA Y OBJETIVOS: Un número considerable de pacientes relata sentir dolor después de la recolección del injerto de la cresta ilíaca anterior. Este estudio evaluó la eficacia de la aplicación de bupivacaina empapada en una esponja de gelatina absorbible (Gelfoam®) en la región donadora del hueso y el uso parenteral de opioides en el control del dolor postoperatorio. MÉTODO: Realizamos un estudio prospectivo, doble ciego, aleatorio y controlado por placebo, comparando la infiltración en el período intraoperatorio de 20 mL de bupivacaina (tratamiento, grupo B) versus suero fisiológico (placebo) con Gelfoam empapado dentro de la región de la recolección ósea de la cresta ilíaca, en pacientes sometidos a la cirugía electiva de la columna cervical. En el período postoperatorio, la administración de clorhidrato de hidromorfona (unidad de recuperación y analgesia controlada por el paciente) se estandarizó. Un puntaje de dolor con base en la escala visual analógica (EVA) y un puntaje de 0 a 10 fueron usados para evaluar la intensidad del dolor asociada con la región donadora. Los puntajes de dolor y el uso/frecuencia de narcóticos se registraron 24 y 48 horas después de la operación. Los médicos, pacientes, el equipo de enfermería y los estadísticos no conocían el tratamiento usado. RESULTADOS: Los grupos eran similares en edad, sexo y comorbilidades. No hubo diferencia significativa entre los grupos en los puntajes de la EVA. Las dosis de narcótico fueron significativamente menores en el grupo B en los tiempos de 24 y 48 horas (p < 0,05). CONCLUSIONES: Este estudio demostró que la bupivacaina empapada en esponja de gelatina absorbible en la región de recolección del injerto óseo de la cresta ilíaca (EOCI) redujo el uso parenteral de opioides en el postoperatorio.

Evaluation of the efficacy of bupivacaine soaked in Gelfoam(®) at the iliac crest bone graft site.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: A substantial number of patients report pain after graft harvest from the anterior iliac crest. This study examined the efficacy of local application of bupivacaine soaked in a Gelfoam(®) at the bone donor site in controlling postoperative pain and parenteral opioid use. METHOD: We performed a prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study comparing intraoperative infiltration of 20 mililiters of bupivacaine (treatment, group B) versus saline (placebo), with Gelfoam(®) soaked into the iliac crest harvest site for patients undergoing elective cervical spinal surgery. Postoperative administration of dihydromorphinone hydrochloride (post anesthesia care unit and patient-controlled analgesia) was standardized. A pain score based on a 10-point visual analog scale (VAS). was used to assess the severity of pain associated with donor site. Pain scores and narcotic use/frequency were recorded at the twenty-four and forty-eighth hour after the operation. Physicians, patients, nursing staff, and statisticians were blinded to the treatment. RESULTS: The groups were similar in baseline age, gender, and comorbidities. There was no significant difference between groups in VAS scores. Narcotic dosage, were significantly less in the Group B at 24 and 48 hours (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated that bupivacaine soaked in gelfoam at the iliac bone graft harvest site reduced postoperative parenteral opioid usage.

Capsicum plasters on acupoints decrease the incidence of emergence agitation in pediatric patients.

AIM: To detect the effect of capsicum plasters on bilateral HT 7 acupoints for decreasing Emergence agitation (EA) in pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy. BACKGROUND: Emergence agitation with its incidence of 10% to 80% may have deleterious effects in postoperative period. Children may harm themselves and/or care providers who require extra nursing care and additional sedatives and/or analgesics that may cause a delay in discharge from hospital. The studies dealt with the potential benefits of the use of adjuvant drugs have yielded controversial results. Some may have side effects as well as the absence of a positive effect on EA. METHODS/MATERIALS: Fifty patients undergoing elective adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy who aged between 2 and 10 were included to the study. Patients were divided into two groups, and capsicum plasters (acupuncture) or inactive plasters (sham) were applied on bilateral HT 7 points preoperatively. Pain, emergence agitation, and side effects were evaluated for 15 min postoperatively. RESULTS: Incidence of EA (PAED scale) (28.0% vs 60.0) and postoperative side effects was lower in acupuncture group than in sham group while there was no significant difference in the severity of EA between groups. Duration of recovery was shorter in acupuncture group. Pain scores (CHEOPS scale) were comparable between groups. EA patients were noted to have greater age and more retching than non-EA patients. Postoperative side effects such as retching, laryngospasm, and vomiting were seen more frequently in the patients with EA. CONCLUSIONS: Application of capsicum plasters on acupoints offers a valuable choice in the prevention of EA in children.

Passiflora incarnata Linneaus as an anxiolytic before spinal anesthesia.

PURPOSE: Patients who undergo regional anesthesia experience anxiety in the preoperative period. Passiflora incarnata Linneaus is a plant that has traditionally been used as an anxiolytic and sedative. We aimed to investigate the effect of preoperative oral administration of Passiflora incarnata Linneaus on anxiety, psychomotor functions, sedation, and hemodynamics in patients undergoing spinal anesthesia. METHODS: Under local ethics committee approval, 60 patients who were aged 25-55 years and ASAI-II and who were scheduled for spinal anesthesia were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study. Thirty minutes before spinal anesthesia, baseline hemodynamic parameters, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) score, sedation score, and psychomotor function test results were measured, then patients were randomly assigned to two groups: oral Passiflora incarnata Linneaus extract or placebo was given to the patients. Tests were repeated just before spinal anesthesia. Hemodynamics, sedation score, sensory-motor block and side effects were assessed during the operation. Psychomotor function tests were repeated at the end of the operation and 60 min after the operation. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups for the increase in State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) score obtained just before spinal anesthesia when compared to the baseline. There was no statistically significant difference in psychomotor function from the baseline for either group. A significant difference was not found between the two groups in demographics, psychomotor function, sedation score, hemodynamics, and side effects. CONCLUSION: Oral preoperative administration of Passiflora incarnata Linneaus suppresses the increase in anxiety before spinal anesthesia without changing psychomotor function test results, sedation level, or hemodynamics.