Epinephrine lowers the serum potassium level through an effect on the β2-receptor. It is therefore difficult to evaluate whether depression of the ST level and the T wave on the electrocardiogram, during regional anaesthesia, is caused by a high plasma epinephrine level, a low serum potassium level, or both. For this purpose, we studied the relation between electrocardiogram and the plasma epinephrine and serum potassium concentrations during 20 intra-abdominal operations performed under combined epidural and general anaesthesia and in 18 subjects receiving intercostal nerve blockade. The results show that the hypokalaemic effect of epinephrine was reduced when the plasma epinephrine concentration exceeded 3 nmol L−1. A multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the ST level and the T-wave amplitude were most consistently affected by a low serum potassium level, while a high plasma epinephrine level correlated only to a depression in the T-wave amplitude. During surgery, only serum potassium correlated with these ECG variables.

This randomized double blind study investigates the relative efficacies of controlled analgesia (PCA) regimens in three different patient groups: epidural diamorphine 2.5mg followed by PCA bolus 1mg with a 20-min lockout (Gp1), subcutaneous diamorphine 2.5mg followed by PCA bolus with a 10-min lockout period (Gp2) and epidural diamorphine 2.5mg in 4mL of 0.125% (w/v) bupivacaine followed by a PCA bolus of 1mg diamorphine in 4mL 0.125% (w/v) bupivacaine with a 20-min lockout (Gp3). Patients were evaluated at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and 48 h. Patients in Gp2 consumed significantly more diamorphine than those in Gp1 or Gp3 (P>0.05), but their pain scores were higher only at 1, 2 and 3 h (P>0.05) with respect to Gp3 and at 1 h with respect to Gp1. Fewer side effects (sedation, pruritis and nausea as assessed by antiemetic requirements) occurred in Gp2 compared to Gp1 (P>0.05). Fewer patients in Gp2 required catheterization than in Gp3 (P>0.05). This study indicates that the use of PCA epidural diamorphine, either alone or in combination with bupivacaine, reduces the dose requirement for analgesia but offers little clinical advantage over subcutaneous PCA diamorphine.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is the recommended treatment for fulminant pulmonary failure due to varicella pneumonia. However, in pregnancy fetal viability during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is generally poor resulting in either therapeutic or spontaneous abortion. The present case is to our knowledge the first report on the treatment with nitric oxide to improve oxygenation in a pregnant woman with fulminant pulmonary failure due to varicella pneumonia. Adding 20 parts per million nitric oxide to the inspiratory gas increased arterial oxygen saturation from 75 to 88%, and it could be kept at this level. Due to a vaginal bleeding, an emergency Caesarean section was performed with successful outcome for the fetus. The mother started to improve after delivery and could be weaned from nitric oxide after 5 days. We conclude that inhalation of nitric oxide may be a good alternative to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the treatment of fulminant pulmonary failure due to varicella pneumonia in pregnancy.

The effects of propofol on mean arterial pressure, heart rate and Aδ and C somatosympathetic reflexes, recorded in renal nerves, evoked by repeated individual supramaximal electrical stimuli applied to radial nerves, were observed in anaesthetized, paralysed and artificially ventilated dogs. Propofol was infused at rates from 0.4 to 2.0 mg kg−1min−1. Mean C and Aδ reflexes were abolished at plasma concentrations (mean, SEM) of 24.3 (3.3) and 29.2 (2.6) μg mL−1 (P < 0.05), respectively, when mean arterial pressure and mean heart rate were reduced by approximately 55% (P < 0.01) and 26% (P > 0.05), respectively. Recovery of Aδ and C reflexes occurred at plasma concentrations of 13.1 (2.3) and 9.9 (1.3) μg mL−1 (P > 0.05), respectively. There was a logarithmically linearly related fall in mean arterial pressure by 70% up to a plasma concentration ≈97 μg mL−1 (r2=0.7) with a 28% reduction in heart rate which was uncorrelated with the plasma concentrations (r2=0.12). In conclusion, propofol abolished Aδ and C responses at comparable plasma concentrations and caused a major reduction in both mean arterial pressure and heart rate which is consistent with resetting of the baroreflexes. The reduction in mean arterial pressure was logarithmically, linearly correlated with a progressive increase in plasma concentrations without evidence of a ceiling effect.

Megaoesophagus resulting from achalasia is a rare but serious cause of airway obstruction. The exact aetiology remains unclear. Although 29 cases have previously been reported, the potential need for urgent treatment has not been suf®ciently emphasized. Some forms of treatment with drugs or decompression with a ®ne tube have been advocated but emergency tracheal intubation may become necessary. A 90-year-old lady had a bolus of food lodged in her oesophagus but with no respiratory symptoms.

A 90-year-old lady had a bolus of food lodged in her oesophagus but with no respiratory symptoms. The bolus was removed under anaesthesia. Six weeks later she suffered similar symptoms after eating but developed severe airway obstruction over 10 min. Emergency intubation of the trachea was necessary before removing the food bolus under general anaesthesia. This case demonstrates the urgency with which these patients may need to be treated. The condition can rapidly worsen due to swallowing of air and saliva.

Dexamethasone decreases chemotherapy-induced emesis when added to an antiemetic regimen. This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of granisetron/dexamethasone combination for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). In a prospective, randomized, double-blind manner, 120 patients (83 females), aged 25–65 years, were assigned to receive granisetron 40 μg kg−1 alone or granisetron 40 μg kg−1 plus dexamethasone 8 mg (n=60 of each) intravenously immediately before the induction of anaesthesia. A standardized general anaesthetic procedure and postoperative analgesia were used. A complete response, defined as no PONV and no need for another rescue antiemetic, during 0–3 h after anaesthesia was 83% with granisetron and 98% with granisetron plus dexamethasone, respectively (P=0.008); the corresponding incidence during 3–24 h after anaesthesia was 83% and 98% (P=0.008). No clinically important adverse events were observed in any of the group. In conclusion, prophylactic therapy with granisetron/dexamethasone combination is more effective than granisetron alone for the prevention of PONV after LC.

To compare ease of maintenance and recovery characteristics of sevoflurane and propofol plus fentanyl in day-care anaesthesia, 60 outpatients undergoing elective surgery of up to 3 h duration were randomized to receive sevoflurane or propofol as their primary anaesthetic. Induction was always carried out with propofol, but a fentanyl bolus 5 μg kg−1 was added in the propofol group. Anaesthesia was supplemented with up to 70% N2O. Significantly shorter times to extubation (10.03 min ± 3.2 SD vs. 17.2 ± 7.3; P<0.001) and emergence (10.4 ± 3.1 vs. 16.8 ± 6.4; P<0.001) were observed in the sevoflurane group. Patients treated with sevoflurane felt less confused, showed better performances in the digit symbol substitution test and achieved higher modified Aldrete scores sooner in the post-operative course. Maintenance of anaesthesia with sevoflurane produces faster emergence and recovery than propofol plus fentanyl after anaesthesia of short to intermediate duration.

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common adverse phenomenon following breast surgery. The efficacy of ondansetron and droperidol in preventing post–operative nausea and vomiting in women undergoing breast surgery was compared in this randomized, double–blind, placebo–controlled study. Altogether 207 women were randomly assigned to receive either a single intravenous dose of droperidol (1.25 mg) (n = 69), ondansetron (8 mg) (n = 67) or saline (n = 71) immediately after induction of general anaesthesia with thiopental, fentanyl, atracurium, nitrous oxide in oxygen and isoflurane. Complaints of nausea, vomiting and requests for rescue antiemetics were recorded during a 24-h period postoperatively. During the initial 2 h in the postanaesthesia care unit, the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting was 15%, 6% and 12% in the placebo, droperidol and ondansetron groups, respectively (NS). The incidence of post–operative nausea and vomiting during the first 24 h was 61%, 48% and 45% in the placebo, droperidol and ondansetron treatment groups, respectively (NS). Postoperative analgesic requirements and the length of stay in the post–anaesthesia care unit were equal in all three treatment groups. It is concluded that the intravenous pretreatment with single doses of ondansetron or droperidol did not substantially prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting after breast surgery.