Ultrasonic evaluation of metoclopramide's effect on gastric motility in emergency trauma patients.

Objective: The present study aimed to use bedside ultrasound to evaluate the effects of metoclopramide on gastric motility in patients being treated for trauma in the emergency department. Methods: Fifty patients underwent an ultrasound immediately after attending the emergency department of Zhang Zhou Hospital due to trauma. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: a metoclopramide group (group M, n = 25) and a normal saline group (group S, n = 25). The cross-sectional area (CSA) of the gastric antrum was measured at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min (T = time). The gastric emptying rate (GER, GER=-AareaTn/AareaTn-30-1×100), GER/min (GER divided by the corresponding interval time), gastric content properties, Perlas grade at different time points, T120 gastric volume (GV), and GV per unit of body weight (GV/W) were evaluated. The risk of vomiting, reflux/aspiration, and type of anesthetic treatment were also evaluated. Results: The differences between the two groups in the CSA of the gastric antrum at each time point were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The CSAs of the gastric antrum in group M were lower than those in group S, and the greatest difference between the two groups occurred at T30 (p < 0.001). The differences between the two groups in GER and GER/min were also statistically significant (p < 0.001); those differences in group M were higher than those in group S, and the greatest differences between the two groups occurred at T30 (p < 0.001). There were no obvious change trends in the properties of the gastric contents and the Perlas grades in either group, and the differences between the two groups were not statistically significant (p = 0.97). The differences between the two groups in the GV and GV/W at T120 were statistically significant (p < 0.001), as was the risk of reflux and aspiration at T120 (p < 0.001). Conclusion: When metoclopramide was used in satiated emergency trauma patients, it accelerated gastric emptying within 30 min and reduced the risk of accidental reflux. However, a normal gastric emptying level was not achieved, which can be attributed to the delaying effect of trauma on gastric emptying.

The median effective volume of ultrasound-guided thoracic paravertebral nerve block with 0.3% ropivacaine in radical thoracoscopic surgery for lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound-guided needle placement has revolutionized the thoracic paravertebral block technique and can be applied in thoracoscopic surgery. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the median effective volume (EV50) of an ultrasound-guided single shot of 0.3% ropivacaine used as a thoracic paravertebral nerve block for the radical thoracoscopic resection of lung cancer. METHODS: A total of 27 patients who received a single shot of ultrasound-guided thoracic paravertebral nerve block and underwent radical thoracoscopic resection of lung cancer were enrolled in this study between February 10 and August 13, 2018. All patients were rated as ASA grades I or II. Using ultrasound as a guide, the block needle was gradually pushed through the lateral costotransverse ligaments to the thoracic paravertebral space by the in-plane technique. After confirming the absence of blood or cerebrospinal fluid, 1-2 ml of 0.3% ropivacaine hydrochloride was injected to confirm that the position of the needle was appropriate, and a pre-determined volume of 0.3% ropivacaine hydrochloride was then administered to the patients. Sensory testing by pinprick was performed every 5 minutes for 30 minutes following the thoracic paravertebral block injection to identify the time segments during which the loss of sensation to the pinprick and its blocking effect occurred. RESULTS: All patients completed the study and 14 (51.8%) had a successful block. CONCLUSION: The EV50 of 0.3% ropivacaine was 18.46 ml (95% CI 17.09-19.95 ml) and the EV95 was 20.89 ml.

A Comparison of Puncture and Continuous Pump Analgesia With Two Different Approaches to Thoracic Paravertebral Block for Thoracic Surgery.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to compare the success rate of thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) and the effect of postoperative analgesia between two approaches. METHODS: A total of 34 patients with American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) physical status score II-III, undergoing an optional thoracoscopic surgery, were randomly assigned to a parasagittal approach group (group P, n = 17) and a transverse intercostal approach group (group T, n = 17). The catheterization time, success rate of the puncture and catheterization, block plane and effect at the surgical site were compared between two groups. The mean arterial pressure and heart rate were recorded, as well as the cold tactile block plane and numeric rating scale (NRS) at 0.5, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h after surgery. The study was registered at http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=9624 (Registration number: ChiCTR2100054642). RESULTS: The catheterization time in group P was significantly longer than that in group T (P < 0.05). The success rate of catheterization in group P was lower than that in group T, but no statistical significance (P = 0.085). There was no significant difference in the success rate of Puncture and blocking effect of the surgical site at 30 min post-injection between two groups (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the cold tactile block plane and NRS scores during coughing between two groups at 0.5, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h postoperatively (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that there is no significant difference in postoperative block level or pain score during coughing for thoracoscopic surgery between ultrasound-guided parasagittal and transverse intercostal approach, but the parasagittal approach takes longer and has a higher failure rate.

A Comparison of Analgesia After a Thoracoscopic Lung Cancer Operation with a Sustained Epidural Block and a Sustained Paravertebral Block: A Randomized Controlled Study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to compare the challenge of puncture and catheterization and the effect of postoperative analgesia of ultrasound-guided continuous thoracic paravertebral block and the continuous epidural analgesia in patients receiving thoracoscopic surgery for lung cancer. METHODS: One-hundred and fifty patients received elective unilateral thoracoscopic surgery for lung cancer and were randomized into three groups; test group 1 (T group), test group 2 (P group), and the control group (E group). Both of the test groups received ultrasound-guided continuous thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) while the control group received continuous epidural analgesia. After the operation, all the patients in the test groups received the same postoperative analgesia; loading dose 0.5 mg kg-1, background dose 0.25 mg kg-1 h-1, patient controlled analgesia (PCA) 0.25 mg kg-1, and a locking time of 60 min, while the patients in the control group received a loading dose of 5 ml, a background dose of 5 ml h-1, and a locking time of 20 min. The outcomes of this study were the success rate of the puncture and catheter placement, the blocked segments, numerical rating scale (NRS) scores at rest and during coughing, and the segments with reduced or lost cold and pinpricking sensation. RESULTS: The success rates of the puncture and catheterization in group T were the highest. Compared with group P, the failure rate of the puncture in group E was lower (p < 0.05), but the success rate of catheterization was higher (p < 0.05). The puncture time in group T was the shortest; there was no difference between group E and group T. The time of catheterization in group P was the longest, this was followed by group T, and was the fastest in group E. The stable time of the block level in group E was shorter than that in groups P and T, but was similar between groups P and T. The block level of all three groups in the 4 h postoperative period was similar (p > 0.05), while the 4 h postoperative levels of groups P and T were reduced significantly (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The continuous analgesia technique of paravertebral space catheterization cannot replace the continuous epidural analgesia in thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery as the latter technique is still considered to be the gold standard. TRIAL REGISTRATION: China Clinical Trial Registration Center identifier ChiCTR1900020973.