Immediate influence of transcranial electrostimulation on pain and beta-endorphin blood levels: an active placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Stimulation of the antinociceptive system by noninvasive electrical current from electrodes placed on the head is a renewed method of pain relief. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on 20 chronic back pain patients. They were treated with either transcranial electrostimulation (TCES) or an active placebo device. Pain level and serum beta-endorphin levels were measured before and after treatment. RESULTS: beta-Endorphin level increased in seven of the ten patients from the treatment group and did not change in eight of ten patients from control group (P = 0.057 between groups). Pain level decreased in eight treated patients and seven control patients (significant decrease for each group, no significant difference between groups). CONCLUSIONS: Transcranial electrostimulation is a nonpharmacologic method of pain relief accompanied or mediated by beta-endorphin release. The comparable degree of the initial clinical response emphasizes the powerful placebo effect on reported pain not mediated by endorphin release. This preliminary study shows that noninvasive electrical stimulation is a safe treatment with a positive effect on beta-endorphin blood levels.

Use of cuffed oropharyngeal vs laryngeal mask airway in elderly patients.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to compare the new cuffed oropharyngeal airway (COPA) to the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) in elderly patients. METHODS: In a randomized, controlled study, 80 patients, age > or = 65, ASA I-III, undergoing urology procedures, were managed with either COPA or LMA. Propofol requirements for insertion of the devices, ease of insertion and removal, airway manipulations, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, P(ET)CO2, SpO2, peak inspiratory pressure, selection of the appropriate size of the device and leaks, fibreoptic visualization of larynx and complications were studied. RESULTS: There were more airway manipulations in the COPA group than in the LMA group (40% and 5% respectively) whereas P(ET)CO2 was higher in the LMA group (P < 0.05). In 60% of COPA patients the vocal cords could not be visualized but ventilation was adequate in all but two cases. Postoperative sore throat occurred in 20% of patients with LMA vs 10% with COPA). Bloody secretions on the device were present in two patients managed with LMA. CONCLUSION: In elderly patients COPA required more airway manipulations than the LMA. Laryngeal mask airway caused more sore throats, but was better for fibreoptic visualisation of the larynx. Both are excellent options when intubation is not indicated/desired.

Oral clonidine premedication does not prolong analgesia after herniorrhaphy under subarachnoid anesthesia.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of oral clonidine premedication on duration of sensory and motor block, postoperative analgesia, hemodynamic stability, sedation, and respiratory parameters after subarachnoid anesthesia (SA). DESIGN: Prospective, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. PATIENTS: 80 ASA physical status I patients were randomized into four equal groups to receive oral premedication with either clonidine 5 mcg/kg (C5), clonidine 2.5 mcg/kg (C2.5), diazepam 100 mcg/kg (D), or placebo (PL). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The following parameters were measured: duration of motor and sensory block, requirement for postoperative analgesia; systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean (MBP) blood pressures; heart rate (HR); sedation and anxiolysis scales; respiratory rate (RR); oxyhemoglobin saturation; and complications. (1) The duration of sensory and motor block did not differ significantly among the groups. (2) There were no differences in the time to first request for analgesia and in requirements for analgesia in the first 24 postoperative hours. (3) Clonidine premedication before SA did not produce episodes of significant hypotension. HR did not differ significantly among the groups. Baseline SBP was significantly higher (p = 0.037) in group PL than in groups C5 and C2.5. Three minutes after SA significant decrease in the following parameters was observed: SBP in group PL compared with the other three groups (p = 0.004), DBP in group PL vs. groups C5 and C2.5 (p = 0.002), and MBP in group PL vs. groups C5 and C2.5 (p = 0.003). (4) Sedation and anxiolysis were more pronounced (p = 0.0001) in groups C5 and C2.5 than in groups D and PL and in group C5 than in group C2.5. (5) RR was significantly lower (p = 0.0024) in group C5 than in groups D and PL. (6) Complications consisted of three episodes (15%) of bradycardia in the C5 group and two of bradypnea (10%) in the same group. CONCLUSIONS: In healthy patients, premedication with oral clonidine provided useful sedation and anxiolysis and stable hemodynamics, without prolongation of sensory and motor block. Side effects occurred only with clonidine 5 mcg/kg. Thus, a dose of 2.5 mcg/kg is recommended.

Adult respiratory distress syndrome after radical neck dissection.

The clinical management of an unusual case of postoperative ARDS is reported. A few hours following neck surgery and septic insult, the patient developed unexpected ARDS. Aetiologic and supportive treatment were successfully instituted and after 72 hours of intensive therapy, the patient's clinical status improved. The very short time lapse between the septic insult and appearance of ARDS is emphasized. A brief literature review on aetiology, diagnosis and therapy of sepsis, as well as some pertinent aspects concerning the pathogenesis of ARDS and its linkage to sepsis are presented.