0.25% bupivacaine-1% lidocaine vs 0.5% bupivacaine for ultrasound-guided infraclavicular brachial plexus block: a randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: In an effort to shorten onset time, a common practice is to add lidocaine to bupivacaine. In the setting of infraclavicular block, it is unclear what the block characteristics of this practice are compared with bupivacaine alone. We hypothesized that bupivacaine alone increases the duration of motor block, sensory block, and postoperative analgesia while resulting in a slower onset time compared with a bupivacaine and lidocaine mixture.

Relationship Between Endothelial and Angiogenesis Biomarkers Envisage Mortality in a Prospective Cohort of COVID-19 Patients Requiring Respiratory Support.

Purpose: Endothelial damage and angiogenesis are fundamental elements of neovascularisation and fibrosis observed in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Here, we aimed to evaluate whether early endothelial and angiogenic biomarkers detection predicts mortality and major cardiovascular events in patients with COVID-19 requiring respiratory support.

Methods: Changes in serum syndecan-1, thrombomodulin, and angiogenic factor concentrations were analysed during the first 24 h and 10 days after COVID-19 hospitalisation in patients with high-flow nasal oxygen or mechanical ventilation.

Randomized comparison between pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block and suprainguinal fascia iliaca block for total hip arthroplasty.

Background: This randomized trial compared ultrasound-guided pericapsular nerve group block and suprainguinal fascia iliaca block in patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty. We selected the postoperative incidence of quadriceps motor block (defined as paresis or paralysis of knee extension) at 6 hours as the primary outcome. We hypothesized that, compared with suprainguinal fascia iliaca block, pericapsular nerve group block would decrease its occurrence from 70% to 20%.

Lumbar plexus block versus suprainguinal fascia iliaca block for total hip arthroplasty: A single-blinded, randomized trial.

Study Objective: Comparison of ultrasound-guided lumbar plexus block (LPB) and suprainguinal fascia iliaca block (SIFIB) in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Design: Randomized equivalence trial.

Setting: University Hospital.

Randomized comparison between perineural dexamethasone and dexmedetomidine for ultrasound-guided infraclavicular block.

Background: This randomized trial compared perineural dexamethasone (5 mg) and dexmedetomidine (100 µg) for ultrasound-guided infraclavicular brachial plexus block. We hypothesized that both adjuvants would result in similar durations of motor block and therefore designed the study as an equivalence trial (equivalence margin=3.0 hours).

Dural puncture epidural analgesia for labor: a randomized comparison between 25-gauge and 27-gauge pencil point spinal needles.

Background: This double-blind, randomized trial compared dural puncture epidural analgesia (DPEA) for labor using 25-gauge and 27-gauge pencil point spinal needles. We hypothesized that both needle sizes would result in similar onset time (equivalence margin=2.5 min) and therefore designed the study as an equivalence trial.

Randomized comparison between interscalene and costoclavicular blocks for arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

Background: This randomized trial compared ultrasound-guided interscalene block (ISB) and costoclavicular brachial plexus block (CCB) for arthroscopic shoulder surgery. We hypothesized that CCB would provide equivalent analgesia to ISB 30 min after surgery without the risk of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis.

Methods: All 44 patients received an ultrasound-guided block of the intermediate cervical plexus.

Towards a conceptual model for the use of home healthcare medical devices: The multi-parameter monitor case.

In the last decade there has been an increase in the use of medical devices in the home environment. These devices are commonly the same as those used in hospitals by healthcare professionals. The use of these these devices by lay users outside of a clinical environment may become unsafe.

Assessment of Data Fusion Algorithms for Earth Observation Change Detection Processes.

In this work a parametric multi-sensor Bayesian data fusion approach and a Support Vector Machine (SVM) are used for a Change Detection problem. For this purpose two sets of SPOT5-PAN images have been used, which are in turn used for Change Detection Indices (CDIs) calculation. For minimizing radiometric differences, a methodology based on zonal "invariant features" is suggested.