Alcohol (70%) versus alcoholic chlorhexidine solution (0.5%) in skin antisepsis for neuraxial blocks: a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: to compare the use of 0.5% alcoholic chlorhexidine and 70% alcohol in skin antisepsis for neuraxial blocks.

Method: this is a non-inferiority randomized clinical trial, with two parallel arms.

Evidence for myocardial defects under extreme acute normovolemic hemodilution with hydroxyethyl starch and lactated ringer's solution.

Acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) has been proposed to avoid the risks of allogenic transfusion. In reference to its cellular effects, ANH reports in the literature are scarce. Using electron microscopy (EM), we evaluated the effects of ANH on cardiac function and myocardial structure.