Handheld ultrasound-assisted versus palpation-guided combined spinal-epidural for labor analgesia: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Preprocedural ultrasound assistance can enhance the efficacy of neuraxial anesthesia in obstetrics. We investigated whether the use of handheld ultrasound can shorten the procedural time of labor combined spinal-epidural (CSE) analgesia compared with conventional landmark-guided methods. Eighty-four women requesting labor analgesia were randomly assigned to either handheld ultrasound-assisted or palpation-guided CSE analgesia. Primary outcome was procedure time of the CSE analgesia. Secondary outcomes included identification time, performance time, number of needle manipulations required for epidural/spinal success, first-attempt success rate, periprocedural pain scores, the incidence of accidental dural puncture, and patient satisfaction. Total procedure time did not significantly differ between the ultrasound and palpation groups (median [IQR], 191.5 [167–224] vs. 204.5 [163–358] s; P = 0.442). However, the performance time was significantly shorter in the ultrasound group (134.5 [115–177] vs. 183 [129–296] s; P = 0.011), although identification time was longer in the ultrasound group (53 [41–72] vs. 30.5 [21–45] s; P < 0.001). The epidural success rate at first insertion attempt was higher in the ultrasound group (85.7% vs. 59.5%, P = 0.014). Preprocedural handheld ultrasound assistance resulted in equivalent total procedure times but reduced performance times and higher first-attempt success rates. Therefore, clinicians may consider this technique for labor CSE analgesia. Trial registration: NCT04759547

Ultrasonography for lumbar neuraxial block

Ultrasonography can be useful to perform a lumbar neuraxial block. It aids in understanding the anatomy of the lumbar spine before the procedure. Pre-procedural ultrasound imaging provides information about the accurate intervertebral level for puncture, optimal needle insertion point, and depth of needle advancement for a successful neuraxial block. The key ultrasonographic views for lumbar neuraxial block include the transverse midline interlaminar and parasagittal oblique views. Ultrasonography can facilitate lumbar neuraxial block in difficult cases, such as the elderly, obese patients, and patients with anatomical abnormality of the lumbar spine. This review elucidates the basics of spinal ultrasonography for lumbar neuraxial block and the current evidence regarding ultrasound-guided neuraxial block in adults

Simulation of microvascular signal changes used on a gadolinium-chelated contrast agent at 3 T MRI in the presence of amyloid-beta plaques

It is important to understand microvascular alterations in the brain of Alzheimer disease (AD) patients which usually has amyloid-beta plaques in an imaging voxel, causing a phase dispersion in an MRI signal. The objective of this study was to simulate the changes of transverse relaxation rates and microvascular indexes with and without the presence of amyloid-beta plaques in an imaging voxel with using a clinically available contrast agent. The Monte Carlo simulations with the finite perturber method were used to calculate microvascular indices of mean vessel diameter (mVD), vessel size index (VSI), mean vessel density (Q), blood volume fraction (BVf), and microvessel-weighted imaging (MvWI) with and without the presence of amyloid-beta plaques in an imaging voxel. The simulation was performed with the conditions of three different magnetic field strengths (1.5 T, 3 T and 7 T), several different echo times for gradient-echo (15, 40, and 60 ms) and spin-echo (20, 80, and 100 ms) images, and two different contrast agents (gadolinium (Gd)-chelated and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION)-based contrast agents). The changes of relaxation rates and microvascular indexes were evaluated with increasing the microvascular vessel sizes and with increasing the amyloid plaque loads. In the microvascular structures without amyloid plaques, Delta R2* and Delta R2 increased as the B-0 field became stronger, the susceptibility difference of the contrast agent became larger, and the echo time was increased. Both mVD and VSI increased with increasing microvessel sizes, but Q decreased with increasing microvessel sizes. In the microvascular structures with amyloid plaques, Delta R2* and Delta R2 were not varied with increasing the vessel radius, but higher in the 3.81% concentration of amyloid plaque than 1.83% of that. BVf and MvWI were increased with increasing the plaque load. The BVf and MvWI indices were sensitive to evaluate the integrity of the microvascular in the AD brain since those values were increased with increasing the plaque load. Therefore, it is worthwhile to evaluate microvascular structure changes in the AD human brain using 3 T MRI with a Gd contrast agent

Predicted Versus Non-Predicted Opioid Administration Using Preoperative Pain Sensitivity in Patients Undergoing Gynecological Surgery: A Randomized-Controlled Trial

Individualized administration of opioids based on preoperative pain sensitivity may improve postoperative pain profiles. This study aimed to examine whether a predicted administration of opioids could reduce opioid-related adverse effects after gynecological surgery. Patients were randomized to the predicted group or control group. Participants received a preoperative sensory test to measure pressure pain thresholds. Patients were treated with a higher or lower (15 or 10 μg/mL) dose of fentanyl via intravenous patient-controlled analgesia. The opioid dose was determined according to pain sensitivity in the predicted group, while it was determined regardless of pain sensitivity in the control group. The primary outcome was the incidence of nausea over the first 48 h postoperative period. Secondary outcomes included postoperative pain scores and opioid requirements. There was no difference in the incidence of nausea (40.0% vs. 52.5% in predicted and control groups, respectively; p = 0.191) and postoperative pain scores (3.3 vs. 3.5 in predicted and control groups, respectively; p = 0.691). However, opioid consumptions were lower in the predicted group compared to the control group (median 406.0 vs. 526.5 μg; p = 0.042). This study showed that offering a predicted dose of opioids according to pain sensitivity did not affect the incidence of nausea and pain scores

Effect of remifentanil on post-operative analgesic consumption in patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty after interscalene brachial plexus block: a randomized controlled trial

Purpose Remifentanil is useful in balanced anesthesia; however, there is concern regarding opioid-induced hyperalgesia. The effect of remifentanil on rebound pain, characterized by hyperalgesia after peripheral nerve block has rarely been studied. This study evaluated whether intraoperative remifentanil infusion may increase postoperative analgesic requirement in patients receiving preoperative interscalene brachial plexus block (IBP). Methods Sixty-eight patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery under general anesthesia were randomly allocated to remifentanil (R) or control (C) group. Preoperative IBP with 0.5% ropivacaine 15 mL was performed in all patients. Intraoperative remifentanil was administered only in the R group. Postoperative pain was controlled using intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) and rescue analgesics. The primary outcome was the dosage of fentanyl-nefopam IV-PCA infused over 24 h postoperatively. The secondary outcomes included the numeric rating scale (NRS) score recorded at 4-h intervals over 24 h, amount of rescue analgesics and total postoperative analgesics used over 24 h, occurrence of intraoperative hypotension, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and delirium. Results The dosage of fentanyl-nefopam IV-PCA was significantly less in C group than R group for postoperative 24 h. Fentanyl 101 [63-158] (median [interquartile range]) mu g was used in the C group, while fentanyl 161 [103-285] mu g was used in the R group (median difference 64 mu g, 95% CI 10-121 mu g, P = 0.02). Nefopam 8.1 [5.0-12.6] mg was used in the C group, while nefopam 12.9 [8.2-22.8] mg was used in the R group (median difference 5.1 mg, 95% CI 0.8-9.7 mg, P = 0.02). The total analgesic consumption: the sum of PCA consumption and administered rescue analgesic dose, converted to morphine milligram equivalents, was higher in the R group than C group (median difference 10.9 mg, 95% CI 3.0-19.0 mg, P = 0.01). The average NRS score, the incidence of PONV and delirium, were similar in both groups. The incidence of intraoperative hypotension was higher in R group than C group (47.1% vs. 20.6%, P = 0.005). Conclusions Remifentanil administration during arthroscopic shoulder surgery in patients undergoing preoperative IBP increased postoperative analgesic consumption.N

Predicted Versus Non-Predicted Opioid Administration Using Preoperative Pain Sensitivity in Patients Undergoing Gynecological Surgery: A Randomized-Controlled Trial

Individualized administration of opioids based on preoperative pain sensitivity may improve postoperative pain profiles. This study aimed to examine whether a predicted administration of opioids could reduce opioid-related adverse effects after gynecological surgery. Patients were randomized to the predicted group or control group. Participants received a preoperative sensory test to measure pressure pain thresholds. Patients were treated with a higher or lower (15 or 10 μg/mL) dose of fentanyl via intravenous patient-controlled analgesia. The opioid dose was determined according to pain sensitivity in the predicted group, while it was determined regardless of pain sensitivity in the control group. The primary outcome was the incidence of nausea over the first 48 h postoperative period. Secondary outcomes included postoperative pain scores and opioid requirements. There was no difference in the incidence of nausea (40.0% vs. 52.5% in predicted and control groups, respectively; p = 0.191) and postoperative pain scores (3.3 vs. 3.5 in predicted and control groups, respectively; p = 0.691). However, opioid consumptions were lower in the predicted group compared to the control group (median 406.0 vs. 526.5 μg; p = 0.042). This study showed that offering a predicted dose of opioids according to pain sensitivity did not affect the incidence of nausea and pain scores

Association of nefopam use with postoperative nausea and vomiting in gynecological patients receiving prophylactic ramosetron: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND:Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common adverse effect of opioid-based intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV PCA). Nefopam has been considered as a good candidate for inclusion in multimodal analgesia because of its opioid sparing effect, but it can be emetic. This study aims to examine whether the use of nefopam combined with fentanyl in IV PCA was associated with the higher incidence of PONV in patients receiving prophylactic ramosetron after gynecological surgery. METHODS:Data from 296 patients who underwent gynecological surgery were retrospectively reviewed. The patients received IV PCA containing either fentanyl 1500 μg and ketorolac 90 mg (Group K) or fentanyl 1500 μg and nefopam 80 mg (Group N). All patients in both groups received 0.3 mg of ramosetron at the end of surgery. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of PONV during the 3-day postoperative period. RESULTS:No difference was observed in the incidence of PONV during the 3-day postoperative period between the two groups. However, the incidence of nausea on postoperative day 2 was significantly higher in Group N (10.3%) than in Group K (2.8%) (P = 0.016). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the use of nefopam was not associated with a higher incidence of PONV (adjusted odds ratio, 1.616; 95% confidence interval, 0.952-2.743, P = 0.076). There were no differences in postoperative pain scores between the two groups. CONCLUSION:The combined use of nefopam with fentanyl in IV PCA was not associated with the higher incidence of PONV compared with the use of ketorolac and fentanyl combination in patients who received ramosetron as PONV prophylactic agent. However, prospective trials are required for a confirmative conclusion

Deep vs. moderate neuromuscular blockade during laparoscopic surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This is a protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis entitled with "deep vs. moderate neuromuscular blockade during laparoscopic surgery".<div>This protocol describes a plan of a systematic review on whether deep neuromuscular blockade during surgery improves the surgical working condition during laparoscopic surgery and decrease postoperative outcomes.</div

Correction: Association of nefopam use with postoperative nausea and vomiting in gynecological patients receiving prophylactic ramosetron: A retrospective study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199930.]

The effect of remote ischemic preconditioning on serum creatinine in patients undergoing partial nephrectomy: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) may develop during partial nephrectomy due to ischemic reperfusion injury induced by renal artery clamping or surgical insult. The effect of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) on reducing the renal injury after partial nephrectomy has not been evaluated in terms of urinary biomarkers. Methods/design We will conduct a randomized controlled trial enrolling the patients who will undergo partial nephrectomy. In the study group, RIPC which consisted of four 5-min cycles of limb ischemia and reperfusion will be conducted after induction of anesthesia. Postoperative serum creatinine values, the incidence of AKI, and urinary biomarkers, including urinary creatinine, microalbumin, β-2 microglobulin, and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, will be compared between groups during the postoperative 2 weeks. Regional oxygen saturation on the skin of the contralateral kidney will be measured to evaluate the association between intraoperative regional oxygen saturation values and renal injury of the operating side. Discussion We expect that our trial may demonstrate the effect of RIPC on mitigating the immediate postoperative renal injury and improving patient outcomes after partial nephrectomy. Moreover, our patients will undergo 99mTc-DTPA radionuclide scintigraphy to calculate glomerular filtration rate 6 and 12 months after surgery. This data should show the long-term effect of RIPC. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03273751. Registered on 6 September 2017