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Volatile anesthetics increase intracellular calcium in cerebrocortical and hippocampal neurons

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Plasma concentrations of interleukinsf particularly IL-6, increase after trauma and surgery. We have undertaken this study to see if the choice of anaesthetic directly or indirectly influences cytokine release. Twenty women (ASA l-ll, aged 26-60 yr) undergoing elective hysterectomy for non-malignant disease were allocated randomly to receive either inhalation anaesthesia with isoflurane and nitrous oxide (group 1), or total i.v. anaesthesia with alfentanii and propofol (group 2). Blood samples for measurement of interleukins IL-1β and IL-βand cortisol and prolactin concentrations were obtained at intervals from before induction to 6 h after surgery. IL- 1β concentrations did not change during the study. IL-6 increased significantly in both groups (P < 0.05). The IL-6 increase in group 1 began earlier than in group 2. Median IL-6 concentrations were greater in group 1 (median 62 (range 0-214) pg ml−1 vs 46 (0-220) pgml−1) (P < 0.01). Cortisoi concentrations increased more rapidly and reached greater maximum concentrations in group 1. Prolactin concentrations increased immediately and to the same degree after induction in both groups, but were greater in group 2 after operation. We conclude that anaesthesia with alfentanil and propofol diminished release of IL-6 in response to abdominal surgery compared with isoflurane and that this reduction was an effect of alfentanil. (Br. J. Anaesth. 1994; 72: 280-285)
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We have compared the anaesthetic and analgesic efficacy of levobupivacaine with that of racemic bupivacaine in 66 male patients undergoing ambulatory primary inguinal herniorrhaphy. Patients were allocated randomly in a double-blind manner to local infiltration anaesthesia (0.25% w/v 50 ml) with either racemic bupivacaine (n = 33) or levobupivacaine (n = 33). Scores for intraoperative pain and satisfaction with anaesthesia were recorded, together with perception of postoperative pain and need for supplementary postoperative analgesic medications in the first 48 h after operation. Intraoperative satisfaction with the infiltration anaesthesia was similar, with median scores of 77 (levobupivacaine) and 80 (bupivacaine) (VAS; 100 mm = extremely satisfied). Time averaged postoperative pain scores (48 h) were 8 (levobupivacaine) and 10 (bupivacaine) in the supine position, 13 (levobupivacaine) and 12 (bupivacaine) while rising from the supine position to sitting, and 9 (levobupivacaine) and 13 (bupivacaine) while walking (VAS; 100 mm = worst pain imaginable) (ns). There was no difference in the use of peroral postoperative analgesics between the two groups. We conclude that racemic bupivacaine and its S-enantiomer levobupivacaine had similar efficacy when used as local infiltration anaesthesia in inguinal herniorrhaphy.
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Pain treatment is one of the main concerns of paediatric anaesthesiologists. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the quality of analgesia and stress suppression by morphine when used [epidural (single shot) (EP) or with intravenous (i.v.) for patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) in children]. Forty-four children, aged 5-15 years, and who were undergoing major genitourinary or lower abdominal surgery with a standardized general anaesthesia technique, were included in this study. In the EP group (n=24) 0.1 mg x kg(-1) morphine in 0.2 ml x kg(-1) saline were given epidurally at the L3-4 level and in the PCA group (n=20) 0.1 mg x kg-1 morphine was given i.v. immediately after intubation. Postoperative PCA bolus doses were 0.5 mg for patients weighing less than 20 kg, 1 mg for children weighing 20-30 kg and 1.5 mg for children weighing 30-40 kg. Blood samples were withdrawn following induction and at 1, 8, 12 and 24 h after morphine administration for measurement of blood glucose, insulin, cortisol and morphine levels. Patients were observed for 24 h postoperatively; heart rate, systolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, FACES pain scores, sedation scores and complications were recorded. The PCA group received 0.56 +/- 0.33 mg x kg(-1) x day(-1) morphine. The FACES pain scores, sedation scores, cortisol, blood glucose and insulin levels were similar in both groups. Haemodynamic and respiratory evaluations and cortisol levels were stable but blood glucose and insulin changes at certain time periods were significant (P < 0.05). Serum morphine levels and incidence of vomiting were different between groups (P < 0.05). Serum morphine levels were similar at the first hour. Both techniques provided sufficient pain relief and attenuated the hormonal response without life-threatening complications.
Article
A prospective randomised study was performed to compare postoperative analgesia produced by caudal block with that of local wound infiltration in 54 children following unilateral inguinal herniotomy. There was no statistically significant difference in the analgesia produced by these two methods. The requirement for additional postoperative analgesia and the incidence of side-effects was similar in the two groups.
Article
Recent investigation has demonstrated that the response to stress is mediated by complex interactions between the nervous, endocrine, immune, and hematopoietic systems. Not only is the neuroendocrine system operative but monokines and lymphokines, such as IL-1, IL-6, and TNF, also play important roles. The discovery of these mediators, along with that of macrophage-derived substances that operate at the local wound level, such as platelet-derived, basic fibroblast, transforming, and epidermal growth factors, coupled with advances in molecular biology portends much for the future. The ability to alter the endocrine response with techniques such as epidural anesthesia, the ability to specifically block certain aspects of the response (e.g., with adrenergic and prostaglandin antagonists), and the ability to synthesize potential beneficial mediators with recombinant DNA techniques (e.g., GH) may allow for modulating the response to decrease debility and complications.
Article
We tested the hypothesis that selected hormonal responses to surgery reflect the degree of surgical stress. Plasma norepinephrine, epinephrine, thromboxane B2, cortisol, serum angiotensin converting enzyme, thyroxine, triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, and free triiodothyronine levels were measured preoperatively, and then one hour, 24 hours, and five days postoperatively in three groups of patients. The groups were as follows: group 1, "minimal" stress, eg, inguinal hernia repair (n = 10); group 2, "moderate" stress, eg, cholecystectomy (n = 12); and group 3, "severe" stress, eg, subtotal colectomy (n = 9). Patients in group 1 showed no significant surgery-induced changes in hormonal values. The stress-induced changes in patients in groups 2 and 3 were seen at one and occasionally 24 hours; however, by five days postoperatively, circulating hormone values had returned to preoperative levels. Increases in plasma cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, and decreases in serum angiotensin converting enzyme levels characterized the surgery-induced hormonal changes. Conclusions are as follows: hormonal responses do reflect the degree of surgical stress; the hormonal changes are transient, lasting no longer than 24 hours in patients after uncomplicated surgery; hormonal responses to minimal surgical stress are negligible.
Article
Although promising in experimental studies of post-traumatic pain, the concept of pre-emptive analgesia is still controversial in a clinical setting. Thus, we wanted to compare the clinical efficacy of wound infiltration with local anaesthesia before surgery with wound infiltration after hernioplasty in children. Fifty children aged 2-10 years scheduled for hernioplasty were randomly assigned into two groups. Group 1 (n = 28) was infiltrated before surgery with bupivacaine 2.5mg/ml, 1mg/kg after induction of general anaesthesia. After surgery they were infiltrated with the same volume of 0.9% saline. Group 2 (n = 22) was infiltrated with 0.9% saline before surgery and bupivacaine 2.5 mg/ml, 1mg/kg after surgery. The study was performed double-blindly. In both groups anaesthesia was induced with thiopenthone and maintained with nitrous oxide and halothane, adjusted to keep haemodynamic measurements stable. All children were given paracetamol 15-20 mg/kg rectally when admitted to the recovery ward. Painscore (OPS) and analgesic requirements were registered postoperatively. After 48 h the parents completed a standardised questionnaire and they were interviewed by telephone after one week. The pre-incisional group needed significantly less halothane during the procedure compared with the post-incisional group (P < 0.05). The pre-incisional group also had a tendency towards faster awakening after the end of anaesthesia and a significantly lower OPS-pain score 30 min after the operation (P < 0.03). There were no differences between the two groups regarding need for additional analgesia: meperidine i.v. during the first 5 h postoperatively, and paracetamol thereafter. There were no differences between the groups regarding activity level, appetite and quality of sleep in the first week. In both groups the need for opioid analgesics was low: 54% in the pre-incisional group and 45% in the post-incisional group did not receive any opioid analgesic treatment. The children were virtually fully recovered after the first 24 h. Perioperative infiltration with a local anaesthetic in children undergoing hernioplasty results in a smooth recovery with little need for opioids postoperatively. Apart from a lower anaesthetic requirement and a reduced postoperative pain level after 30 min in the pre-incisional bupivacaine group, there was no difference between infiltration before (pre-emptive) or after surgery.
Article
The optimal method to achieve analgesia after inguinal hernia repair in children is unknown. This study compared the analgesic efficacy, adverse events, and the costs associated with supplementation of local anesthesia (infiltration of the wound) with either intravenous ketorolac or caudal analgesia in children having inguinal hernia repair. With parental consent and institutional review board approval, children aged 2-6 yr having elective, outpatient inguinal hernia repair were studied in this randomized, single-blinded investigation. Anesthesia was induced by inhalation with nitrous oxide and halothane or intravenously with propofol. Anesthesia was maintained with nitrous oxide and halothane. Patients were randomly assigned to receive caudal analgesia (1 ml/kg 0.20% bupivacaine with 1/200,000 epinephrine) or intravenous ketorolac (1 mg/kg) immediately after induction of anesthesia. Both groups received field blocks with 0.25% bupivacaine administered by the surgeon under direct vision during operation. Patients were assessed for 24 h. In-hospital pain was assessed using a behavior-based pain score. Parents assessed pain with a visual linear analog pain scale with anchors of 0 (no pain) and 100 (worst pain imaginable). The authors studied 164 children, with 84 patients in the ketorolac group. The groups had similar demographic data. In-hospital analgesic requirements and pain scores were almost identical in both groups. Pain at home was significantly less in the ketorolac group, with visual linear analog pain scale scores of 10 (0-80) compared with 20 (0-80) (median [range]) for ketorolac versus caudal (P = 0.002 by the Mann-Whitney U test). The ketorolac group also had a lower incidence of vomiting, ambulated more rapidly, and micturated earlier (P < 0.05). The use of intravenous ketorolac to supplement local anesthesia infiltrated by the surgeon during pediatric inguinal hernia repair is superior to supplementation with caudal analgesia.
Article
Postoperative pain relief continues to demand our awareness, and surgeons should be fully aware of the potential physiologic benefits of effective dynamic pain relief regimens and the great potential to improve postoperative outcome if such analgesia is used for rehabilitation. To achieve advantageous effects, accelerated multimodal postoperative recovery programs should be developed as a multidisciplinary effort, with integration of postoperative pain management into a postoperative rehabilitation program. This requires revision of traditional care programs, which should be adjusted according to recent knowledge within surgical pathophysiology. Such efforts must be expected to lead to improved quality of care for patients, with less pain and reduced morbidity leading to cost efficiency.
Article
Unlabelled: Based on findings that the cardiotoxicity infrequently observed with racemic bupivacaine shows enantioselectivity, i.e. it is more pronounced with the R(+)-enantiomer, the S(-)-enantiomer (levobupivacaine) has been developed for clinical use as a long acting local anaesthetic. The majority of in vitro, in vivo and human pharmacodynamic studies of nerve block indicate that levobupivacaine has similar potency to bupivacaine. However, levobupivacaine had a lower risk of cardiovascular and CNS toxicity than bupivacaine in animal studies. In human volunteers, levobupivacaine had less of a negative inotropic effect and, at intravenous doses >75 mg, produced less prolongation of the QTc interval than bupivacaine. Fewer changes indicative of CNS depression on EEG were evident with levobupivacaine. Levobupivacaine is long acting with a dose-dependent duration of anaesthesia. The onset of action is < or = 15 minutes with various anaesthetic techniques. In studies of surgical anaesthesia in adults, levobupivacaine provided sensory block for up to 9 hours after epidural administration of < or = 202.5 mg, 6.5 hours after intrathecal 15 mg, and 17 hours after brachial plexus block with 2 mg/kg. Randomised, double-blind clinical studies established that the anaesthetic and/or analgesic effects of levobupivacaine were largely similar to those of bupivacaine at the same dose. Sensory block tended to be longer with levobupivacaine than bupivacaine, amounting to a difference of 23 to 45 minutes with epidural administration and approximately 2 hours with peripheral nerve block. With epidural administration, levobupivacaine produced less prolonged motor block than sensory block. This differential was not seen with peripheral nerve block. Conditions satisfactory for surgery and good pain management were achieved by use of local infiltration or peribulbar administration of levobupivacaine. Levobupivacaine was generally as effective as bupivacaine for pain management during labour, and was effective for the management of postoperative pain, especially when combined with clonidine, morphine or fentanyl. The tolerability profiles of levobupivacaine and bupivacaine were very similar in clinical trials. No clinically significant ECG abnormalities or serious CNS events occurred with the doses used. The most common adverse event associated with levobupivacaine treatment was hypotension (31%). Conclusions: Levobupivacaine is a long acting local anaesthetic with a clinical profile closely resembling that of bupivacaine. However, current preclinical safety and toxicity data show an advantage for levobupivacaine over bupivacaine. Clinical data comparing levobupivacaine with ropivacaine are needed before the role of the drug can be fully established. Excluding pharmacoeconomic considerations, levobupivacaine is an appropriate choice for use in place of bupivacaine.
Article
We have performed a randomized controlled study in 60 children (ASA 1.8 month to 10 yrs) undergoing lower abdominal and genitourinary surgery, to assess the effects of caudal anaesthesia on plasma cortisol and prolactin concentrations during early postoperative period. After induction of anaesthesia by inhalation or intravenously, thirty children received a standardized general anaesthetic (control group) while the remaining children received caudal anaesthetics with 0.25% bupivacaine in addition to a similar general anaesthetic (caudal group). Blood samples for cortisol and prolactin were taken after induction and 1 hour after surgery. Postoperative analgesia was assessed by modified pain objective scale and side effects were noted. Children in the caudal group had significantly smaller plasma cortisol and prolactin concentrations at 1 hr postoperatively, compared with those in the control group. Plasma cortisol concentration after induction was higher than after one hour of surgery in the caudal group. These results were correlated with pain scores. No serious side effects were recorded. In conclusion, caudal anaesthesia attenuated the postoperative cortisol and prolactin responses to surgery and pain in children.
Article
To assess the use of infiltration with local anaesthetics levobupivacaine and bupivacaine, during inguinal hernia repair. Double-blind, randomised study. Postgraduate medical school, United Kingdom. 69 male patients aged 18 years or older. Wound infiltration with 0.25% levobupivacaine and 0.25% racemic bupivacaine. Area under the curve (AUC) of visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for postoperative pain at rest in the supine position, rising from the supine to the sitting position, and walking, against time for both treatment groups. There were no significant differences between treatment groups for the AUC of VAS scores for postoperative pain, global verbal pain rating or time to first dose of analgesic medication. Levobupivacaine exerts a similar anaesthetic and analgesic effect to racemic bupivacaine when infiltrated both intraoperatively and during the early postoperative period for elective inguinal hernia repair.
Article
To evaluate the effect of a 20- or 60-second instillation period using 0.5% bupivacaine with epinephrine for pain relief after pediatric inguinal herniorrhaphy and hydrocelectomy. In a randomized, double-blind study, 103 children (aged 1 to 12 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists [ASA] physical status I or II) were allocated into 4 groups after induction of anesthesia. Group 1: normal saline 0.25 mL/kg instilled, which remained in the wound for 20 or 60 seconds before wound closure. Group 2: 0.25 mL/kg 0.5% bupivacaine with epinephrine 5 microg/mL instilled, which remained in the wound for 20 seconds. Group 3: the same quantity and dose of drug 2 instilled as group, but remained in the wound for 60 seconds. Group 4: an ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric block performed before operation using 0.5 mL/kg 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine. The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (CHEOPS) and Aldrete-Kroulik recovery scores were used to monitor postoperative pain and recovery status. Analgesic was given when the CHEOPS score was >/= 7 despite other supportive therapy. The number of patients requiring analgesics within 2 hours in group 1 (73.1%) was more than groups 2, 3, and 4 (23.1%, 20.8%, and 16%, respectively, P <.001). The median time to first analgesic in group 1 (50 minutes) was also less than groups 2, 3, and 4 (420, 525, and 425 minutes, respectively, P <.0001). 0.5% Bupivacaine with epinephrine for as short an instillation period as 20 or 60 seconds can provide a good analgesic alternative after herniorrhaphy and hydrocelectomy in pediatric patients. All studied blocks had comparable duration of action.
Article
In this study we compare the postoperative pain relief for inguinal herniotomy in children provided by instillation of bupivacaine into the wound with that provided by a caudal block. Fifty-eight children aged 0-5 years having elective unilateral hernia repair were studied in this prospective, randomized, single-blind study. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained with oxygen, nitrous oxide, sevoflurane and propofol. Patients were randomly assigned to receive caudal analgesia with 1.0 ml.kg-1 body weight (BW) bupivacaine 0.25% or wound instillation with 0.2 ml.kg-1 BW bupivacaine 0.5% at the end of surgery. Pain was assessed over 24 h using a modified 10-point objective pain scale. During the first postoperative hour in the postanaesthesia care unit (PACU), intravenous (i.v.) piritramide (0.05 mg.kg-1) was administered to any child scoring 5 or more points on the pain scale. On the ward, rectal acetaminophen was administered by a staff nurse when considered necessary. Thirty children in the caudal group and 28 children in the wound instillation group were studied. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups regarding need for i.v. opioids, discharge time from the PACU and administration of acetaminophen. No statistically significant differences in postoperative pain score were observed in 16 of a total of 17 postoperative observations. No complications and no adverse effects were observed. Instillation of bupivacaine into a wound provides postoperative pain relief following hernia repair, which is as effective as that provided by a postoperative caudal block.
Article
The purpose of the study is to evaluate both the efficacy of ring block of the penis with levobupivacaine in preventing intraoperative and postoperative pain associated with circumcision in children and the quality of the recovery. Thirty boys aged 3 - 12 years who underwent circumcision under general anaesthesia as day case patients were allocated randomly to receive either a subcutaneous ring block with levobupivacaine or intravenous fentanyl (2 microg/kg) and paracetamol (30 mg/kg) rectally, after induction of anesthesia but before surgery. The efficacy of intraoperative analgesia was estimated using the heart rate and alterations in blood pressure. The quality of the recovery was assessed based on the Aldrete Scoring System (First Value and Time of Maximum Value were recorded). Postoperative pain was estimated using a four degree scale by nurses in the Postanaesthesia Care Unit and over the next 24 hours by the parents. Paracetamol was given depending on the pain score and the time of first dose given was recorded. The quality of postoperative analgesia was based on the children's activity and mobilisation. The ring block group showed intraoperative cardiovascular stability and a faster and better recovery (p < 0.0005) while the postoperative analgesia tended to be longer and more adequate, although that no statistically significant difference was noted (p < 0.1).
Article
Thoracotomy causes severe pain in the postoperative period. The aim was to evaluate effectiveness of two pain treatment methods with morphine on postthoracotomy pain and stress response. Thirty-two children undergoing major thoracotomy for noncardiac thoracic surgery were allocated to receive either single dose of thoracic epidural morphine 0.1 mg x kg(-1) in 0.2 ml x kg(-1) saline (TEP group, n = 16) or morphine infusion at 0.02 mg x kg(-1) h(-1) (INF group, n = 16) following bolus dose of 0.05 mg x kg(-1) postinduction. Pain and sedation scores and incidence of complications were recorded for 24 h and cortisol, blood glucose, insulin and morphine serum levels were evaluated following induction, 1, 8, 12, and 24 h after initial morphine administration. Five patients in TEP and one in INF required rescue morphine. The cortisol, insulin and blood glucose increased during the study and returned to normal levels at 24th hour (P < 0.05), similarly in both groups (P > 0.05). The morphine levels were variable within and between groups (P < 0.05). A common complication was nausea and vomiting with both the techniques (P > 0.05). Single dose TEP morphine offers no advantage over INF for pain treatment for thoracotomy in children and neither technique provided suppression of stress hormones in the first 24 h postoperatively.
Article
Painful interventions may have a serious adverse psychological impact, particularly in young patients. Inguinal hernia repair is the most common surgical outpatient procedure performed on infants and children. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of pre- and postincisional infiltration of the surgical area with ropivacaine on cortisol (C) and prolactin (PRL) release and postoperative pain in children undergoing inguinal hernia repair. Forty-five school-age children, aged 6 to 10 years, undergoing outpatient inguinal hernia repair under general anesthesia were placed randomly into 3 groups. Preincisional wound infiltration of 3 mg/kg ropivacaine was performed in group I patients before surgery. Postincisional wound infiltration was performed in group II patients after hernia repair but before skin closure, and group III patients (controls) did not received any local anesthetic. In the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), objective pain assessments were performed every 5 minutes using a standardized 10-point objective pain scale. Plasma C concentrations increased at the end of the operation in all groups but significantly only in the control group (P <.001). There was no significant difference between the pre- and postincisional groups with regard to pre- and postoperative C alterations (P >.05). Although plasma PRL concentrations increased significantly at the end of the operation in the control group (P <.001), no significant difference was found between pre- and postoperative values in the infiltration groups (P >.05). The pre- and postoperative plasma PRL differences were significant between only groups I and III (P <.001). The findings of the current study suggest that wound infiltration with ropivacaine decreases the stress response to surgery and the postoperative pain.
Article
The purpose of this study was to compare the analgesic quality and duration of ropivacaine 0.2% with the addition of clonidine (1 microg.kg(-1)) with that of ropivacaine 0.2% and the addition of ketamine (0.5 mg.kg(-1)) to that of ropivacaine 0.2% and also compare the postoperative cortisol, insulin and glucose concentrations, sampled after induction and 1 h later following caudal administration in children. According to the randomization, patients in the ropivacaine group (R; n = 25) received ropivacaine 0.2%, 0.75 ml.kg(-1); those in the clonidine group (RC; n = 25) received ropivacaine 0.2% 0.75 ml.kg(-1) plus clonidine 1 microg.kg(-1) and those in the ketamine/ropivacaine group (RK; n = 25) ropivacaine 0.2% 0.75 ml.kg(-1) plus ketamine 0.5 mg.kg(-1) (10 mg.ml(-1) concentration). Drugs were diluted in 0.9% saline (0.75 ml.kg(-1)) and prepared by a staff anesthesiologist not otherwise involved in the study. In all groups, the duration of analgesia, analgesic requirements, sedation and insulin, glucose, cortisol concentrations were recorded and statistically compared. There were no significant differences among the three study groups with respect to age, weight or duration of surgery. Caudal administration of clonidine 1 microg.kg(-1) or ketamine 0.5 mg.kg(-1) induced a longer duration of analgesia (P < 0.05) compared with ropivacaine alone. Insulin levels were increased and cortisol reduced in all groups. Glucose concentration was increased in all groups and statistically significant (P < 0.05). Addition of ketamine and clonidine to ropivacaine 0.2% 0.75 ml.kg(-1), when administered caudally in children, prolongs the duration of postoperative analgesia. The need for subsequent postoperative analgesic is also reduced. Caudal analgesia attenuates or allows partial changes to postoperative cortisol, insulin or blood glucose responses to surgery.
Article
The future of regional anesthesia in children is to continue to use current techniques, but also to search for ways to make them easier to employ. The potential development of safe local anesthetic agents with much longer durations, will serve to facilitate improvements in the techniques and styles of practice. The advances in minimally invasive surgical techniques do not mean that regional techniques will not be necessary, but will result in an adaptation of techniques. Peripheral nerve blockade and local wound infiltration can still be used and in some instances, may be very appropriate.
Article
To maintain a high standard of patient care, it is essential to provide adequate pain management in patients who undergo laparoscopic surgery. We randomly enrolled 74 women who underwent laparoscopic surgery for gynecological benign diseases. Patients in the levobupivacaine group (n=37) were injected with 7 ml of 5 mg/ml levobupivacaine at all incisional areas patients in the control group (n=37) were injected with an equal volume of physiologic saline solution. In the postoperative period the following variables were assessed for each group: decline of hemoglobin concentration, consumption of analgesics, time of ambulation, length of postoperative ileus, length of postoperative hospital stay, and VAS scores at 6, 12, and 24 h after surgery. Mean pain intensity at 6 and 12 h after surgery was significantly lower in the levobupivacaine group than in the control group (p<0.01). Analgesic requirement was significantly lower (p<0.01) in the levobupivacaine group (0.3 phial+/-0.2) than in the control group (2.1 phial+/-1.0). The mean time of ambulation was significantly lower (p<0.05) in the levobupivacaine group (16+/-4) than in the control group (22+/-6). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in mean pain intensity 24 h after surgery, decline of hemoglobin concentration, length of postoperative ileus, or length of postoperative hospital stay. Our results suggest that presurgical infiltration of levobupivacaine in addition to general anesthesia and standard analgesic therapy significantly decreases the intensity of postsurgical pain, especially for the first 12 h after surgery, and reduces analgesic consumption after surgery.
Article
It has been demonstrated that tramadol is an effective analgesic. We aimed to compare postoperative analgesic effects of wound infiltration with tramadol (T) or bupivacaine (B) and intramuscular tramadol (I) after herniotomy in children. In this study, 75 children were randomly assigned to group T, group B and group I. Wound infiltration was performed to the patients in group T (2 mg.kg-1 tramadol in 0.2 ml.kg-1 saline) and group B (0.2 ml.kg-1 0.25% bupivacaine) into the surgical incision. Twenty minutes before the end of the surgery 2 mg.kg-1 tramadol was injected i.m. in group I. Faces pain scale was used for assessing pain severity. Patients with pain score>2 were treated with paracetamol. The frequency of side effects and analgesic use were recorded. Patients were discharged on the next day. No side effects were recorded in any group. The pain scores of the patients at the first, fourth and eighth hours were significantly higher in group B and group I than group T (P<0.05). The pain scores of the patients at the first hour were significantly higher in group I compared with group B (P<0.05). Average time to first analgesic requirement was significantly longer in group T (6.72+/-4.09 h after herniotomy than both group I (4.49+/-3.9 h) and group B (6.04+/-3.7 h) (P<0.05). Wound infiltration with tramadol may be a good choice for postoperative analgesia in children having inguinal herniotomy.
Article
This prospective double-blind study compared the analgesic properties of locally infiltrated levobupivacaine with those of ropivacaine in fleur-de-lys abdominoplasty. A total of 46 patients subjected to fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty under general anesthesia were included. The patients were randomly assigned to receive local infiltration of the peri-incisional and dissected area with the following solutions: group A (placebo group, n = 15) received 100 ml of saline 0.9%, group B (n = 15) received 50 ml of ropivacaine 0.75% in 50 ml of saline 0.9%, and group C (n = 16) received 60 ml of levobupivacaine 0.25% in 40 ml of saline 0.9%. The anesthetic technique was standardized for all the groups. The patients were asked to assess their pain at rest on a visual analog scale (VAS) at 2 h, 4 h, and 24 h postoperatively. Data were analyzed by mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA), simple ANOVA, and repeated measures ANOVA, followed by Tukey's test. Groups B and C did not differ significantly in their VAS scores at 2 h postoperatively, but group C experienced significantly less pain (p < 0.001) than either the control group or the B group at 4 h and 24 h postoperatively. Group B also registered significantly lower VAS scores (p < 0.001) than the placebo group at 4 h postoperatively. It is concluded that for mini abdominoplasty, adequate analgesia is achieved for at least 4 h postoperatively by local tissue infiltration with either ropivacaine or levobupivacaine. However, in terms of intensity and duration of analgesia, levobupivacaine was found to be more effective than ropivacaine in reducing postoperative pain associated with mini abdominoplasty.
Article
The aim of this study was to evaluate our postoperative pain protocol after ambulatory herniorrhaphy and to determine how infiltration with local anaesthetics would add to our management of postoperative pain. Two groups of 60 patients, scheduled for herniorrhaphy, received wound infiltration with 20 ml levobupivacaine 0.5% or saline 0.9%. Postoperatively, the patients regulated their own analgesic consumption and registered VAS scores, use of analgesics and side-effects in a diary for 5 days. The median time to first analgesic, the pain visual analogue scale scores, number of patients using no analgesic and the use of analgesic medication were significantly lower in the levobupivacaine group in the first 24 h, but not thereafter. Most patients used acetaminophen in the first 5 days after surgery and occasionally diclofenac. Only a minority used tramadol. Our multimodal pain protocol achieved reasonable results at rest, but a considerable number of patients experienced moderate to severe pain with movement.
Article
The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of post-incisional wound infiltration with levobupivacaine in preventing the postoperative pain associated with inguinal hernia repair in children. Thirty boys, ASA I - II, aged 2 - 12 yrs., undergoing unilateral inguinal hernioplasty under general anaesthesia as day-case patients were allocated randomly to have postoperative analgesia either with post-incisional wound infiltration with levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/kg or with paracetamol 30 mg/kg administered rectally. Postoperative pain was assessed initially in the Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit and on the ward by an observer and afterwards for the next 24 h by the parents, using the Poker Chip Tool for preschoolers and the Visual Analogue Scale for older children, respectively. Postoperative pain was managed by giving paracetamol. The duration of the postoperative analgesia was estimated based on the time when rescue analgesia was first given. Assessment of the quality of postoperative analgesia was based on the children's behaviour. The wound infiltration group showed an increased duration of postoperative analgesia (p < 0.001) and early mobilisation, while the efficacy of postoperative analgesia tended to be more adequate, although no statistically significant difference was noted.