Electrocautery causes more ischemic peritoneal tissue damage than ultrasonic dissection

Contains fulltext : 96869.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Minimizing peritoneal tissue injury during abdominal surgery has the benefit of reducing postoperative inflammatory response, pain, and adhesion formation. Ultrasonic dissection seems to reduce tissue damage. This study aimed to compare electrocautery and ultrasonic dissection in terms of peritoneal tissue ischemia measured by microdialysis. METHODS: In this study, 18 Wistar rats underwent a median laparotomy and had a peritoneal microdialysis catheter implanted in the left lateral sidewall. The animals were randomly assigned to receive two standard peritoneal incisions parallel to the catheter by either ultrasonic dissection or electrocautery. After the operation, samples of microdialysis dialysate were taken every 2 h until 72 h postoperatively for measurements of pyruvate, lactate, glucose, and glycerol, and ratios were calculated. RESULTS: The mean lactate-pyruvate ratio (LPR), lactate-glucose ratio (LGR), and glycerol concentration were significantly higher in the electrocautery group than in the ultrasonic dissection group until respectively 34, 48, and 48 h after surgery. The mean areas under the curve (AUC) of LPR, LGR, and glycerol concentration also were higher in the electrocautery group than in the ultrasonic dissection group (4,387 vs. 1,639, P=0.011; 59 vs. 21, P=0.008; 7,438 vs. 4,169, P=0.008, respectively). CONCLUSION: Electrosurgery causes more ischemic peritoneal tissue damage than ultrasonic dissection.01 juni 201

Analgesic use among community-dwelling people aged 75 years and older : a population-based interview study

Background: Pain is often underrecognized and undertreated among older people. However, older people may be particularly susceptible to adverse drug reactions linked to prescription and nonprescription analgesics. Objectives: The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of analgesic use among a random sample of community-dwelling people aged =75 years, and to investigate factors associated with daily and as-needed analgesic use. Methods: A random sample of people aged =75 years was drawn from the population register in Kuopio, Finland, in November 2003. Data on prescription and nonprescription analgesic use were elicited during nurse interviews conducted once for each participant in 2004. Self-reported drug utilization data were verified against medical records. The interview included items pertaining to sociodemographic factors, living conditions, social contacts, health behavior, and state of health. Physical function was assessed using the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, and the 10-item Barthel Index. Self-rated mobility was assessed by asking whether respondents could walk 400 meters (yes, yes with difficulty but without help, not without help, or no). Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination. The presence of depressive symptoms was assessed using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. Respondents' self-rated health was determined using a 5-point scale (very poor, poor, moderate, good, or very good). Results: Of the initial random sample of participants (N = 1000), 700 provided consent to participate and were community dwelling. Among the participants, 318 (45.4%) were users of =1 analgesic on a daily or as-needed basis. Only 23.3% of analgesic users took an analgesic on a daily basis. Factors associated with any analgesic use included female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.78 [95°% CI, 1.17–2.71]), living alone (OR, 1.46 [95°% CI, 1.02–2.11]), poor self-rated health (OR, 2.6 [95% CI, 1.22–3.84]), and use of =10 nonanalgesic drugs (OR, 2.21 [95% CI, 1.26–3.87]). Among users of =1 oral analgesic, factors associated with opioid use included moderate (OR, 2.46 [95% CI, 1.175.14]) and poor (OR, 2.57 [95% CI, 1.03–6.42]) self-rated health. Opioid use (OR, 0.19 [95% CI, 0.04–0.86]) and daily analgesic use (OR, 0.16 [95% CI, 0.34-0.74]) were inversely associated with depressive symptoms. Pain in the previous month was reported by 71.4% of analgesic users and 26.4% of nonusers of analgesics. Conclusions: Analgesics were used by ~50% of community-dwelling people aged =75 years. However, age was not significantly associated with increased use of analgesics in multivariate analysis. The majority of analgesic drugs were used on an as-needed rather than a daily basis (76.7% vs 23.3%, respectively). Factors most significantly associated with analgesic use were female sex, living alone, poor self-rated health, and use of =10 nonanalgesic drugs.

A national two year follow up study of extremely low birthweight infants born in 1996–1997

Objective: To study neurodevelopmental outcome in a two year cohort of extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants at 18 months corrected age, to compare the development of the ELBW infant subcohort with that of control children, and to find risk factors associated with unfavourable outcome. Study design: All 211 surviving ELBW infants (birth weight < 1000 g) born in Finland in 1996–1997 were included in a national survey. The ELBW infants (n = 78) who were born and followed in Helsinki University Hospital belonged to a regional subcohort and were compared with a control group of 75 full term infants. A national follow up programme included neurological, speech, vision, and hearing assessments at 18 months of corrected age. Bayley infant scale assessment was performed on the subcohort and their controls at 24 months of age. Risk factors for unfavourable outcome were estimated using logistic and linear regression models. Results: The prevalence of cerebral palsy was 11%, of all motor impairments 24%, of ophthalmic abnormalities 23%, and of speech delay 42%. No impairment was found in 42% of children, and 18% were classified as severely impaired. The prevalence of ophthalmic abnormalities decreased with increasing birth weight and gestational age, but the prevalence of other impairments did not. In the subcohort, a positive correlation was found between the date of birth and Bayley scores. Conclusion: Ophthalmic abnormalities decreased with increasing birth weight and gestational age, but no other outcome differences were found between birthweight groups or in surviving ELBW infants born at 22–26 weeks gestation. The prognosis in the regional subcohort seemed to improve during the short study period, but this needs to be confirmed

Randomised, double blind trial of two loading dose regimens of diamorphine in ventilated newborn infants.

AIMS--To compare the safety and efficacy of two loading doses of diamorphine in 27 ventilated newborn infants in a randomised double blind trial. METHODS--Fifty or 200 mcg/kg were infused intravenously over 30 minutes, followed by a 15 mcg/kg/hour continuous infusion. Serial measurements were made of physiology, behaviour, and stress hormones. RESULTS--Both loading doses produced small but significant falls in blood pressure. The 200 mcg/kg dose produced greater respiratory depression, and two infants deteriorated clinically, requiring resuscitation. Loading reduced respiratory effort in most of the infants, but had little effect on behavioural activity. Stress hormone concentrations were reduced at six hours in both dosage groups; differences between loading doses were not significant. Morphine, morphine-3-glucuronide, and morphine-6-glucuronide were detected in the plasma of all patients. No significant differences in concentrations between loading doses were found. CONCLUSIONS--Diamorphine reduces the stress response in ventilated newborn infants. A high loading dose confers no benefit, and may produce undesirable physiological effects. A 50 mcg/kg loading dose seems to be safe and effective