[Continuous epidural perfusion with meperidine on demand for the treatment of postoperative pain]. / Perfusión continua más demanda de meperidina por vía peridural en el tratamiento del dolor postoperatorio.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether epidural administration of meperidine through a system affording patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is appropriate for postoperative pain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective double-blind study of 30 patients undergoing high abdominal surgery randomly into two groups. After surgery with the same type of general anesthesia for both groups, group A received epidural meperidine through a PCA pump (initial boluses of 50 mg + infusion of 10 mg/h with additional doses of 25 mg upon patient demand and closure time of 90 min). Control group B received 0.9% saline serum through an epidural PCA system with identical perfusion characteristics. All patients had access to additional analgesia with subcutaneous meperidine (1 mg/kg weight). RESULTS: There was a wide interindividual variation in meperidine consumption in group A, with a mean total dose of 301.4 +/- 73 mg in 24 hours and no patient requiring additional subcutaneous meperidine. Subcutaneous meperidine required in group B reached 273 +/- 65.8 mg in 24 hours, with no significant differences between groups A and B for total dose given. No side effects inherent to the technique were found. Sufficient control of pain was achieved for all patients receiving epidural meperidine. CONCLUSIONS: Epidurally administered PCA with meperidine affords better pain relief with greater patient satisfaction than the same amount of drug given subcutaneously in successive doses upon patient request.

[Acute postoperative mononeuropathy in a patient with type II diabetes mellitus]. / Mononeuropatía aguda postoperatoria en un paciente con diabetes mellitus tipo II.

Diabetes mellitus is an endocrinologic illness that affects multiple systems. One of then is the nervous system. It has been attempted to establish a relationship between metabolic abnormalities associated with diabetes and the degree of nervous system affectation. We present a case of mononeuritis involving the left peroneal nerve which occurred suddenly during the postoperative phase of a thoracoplasty in a patient with type II diabetes mellitus. The clinical picture was associated with a hyperglycemic nonketotic decompensation. We analyze the precipitating factors and their possible prevention.

[Hypokalemic effect of salbutamol administered intravenously in the preoperative period]. / Efecto hipocaliemiante del salbutamol administrado por vía intravenosa en el período preoperatorio.

In 8 healthy patients (ASA I-II) there was analyzed the effect of salbutamol over serum levels of potassium, glucose, insulin, AMPc and GMPc. Also were determined the arterial blood pressure and heart rate. The drug was administered intravenously, as bronchodilator, during the preoperative period. There was a significant decrease in kaliemia (p less than 0.001 immediately after receiving the salbutamol infusion and p less than 0.05 at 60 min). Their plasma potassium levels dropped from 4.03 +/- 25 to 3.45 +/- 0.16 mEq.l-1. The plasma levels of glucose and insulin increased with a significance of p less than 0.001 post salbutamol perfusion. There were no changes in the plasmatic AMPc and GMPc. Heart rate increased from 67 +/- 10.8 to 80.5 +/- 13.7 (p less than 0.01) post perfusion, returning afterwards to their basal values. Arterial blood pressure was unmodified.