Is the musculocutaneous nerve really in the coracobrachialis muscle when performing an axillary block? An ultrasound study.

Background: In reference textbooks describing axillary block, the ulnar, radial, and median nerves are located in a common sheath surrounding the axillary artery. In contrast, the musculocutaneous nerve is described as lying outside this sheath in the coracobrachialis muscle. In a recent case report of ultrasound-guided axillary block, the musculocutaneous nerve was joined to the median nerve outside this muscle.

The early and delayed analgesic effects of ketamine after total hip arthroplasty: a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind study.

Background: Ketamine has been shown to have a morphine-sparing effect soon after surgery. Nevertheless, whether this effect still exists after being combined with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and acetaminophen, and whether ketamine can decrease chronic pain after nononcologic surgery remain unclear. Thus, we designed a study to assess ketamine's effect on acute and chronic postoperative pain when combined with multimodal analgesia after total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Elastomeric pump reliability in postoperative regional anesthesia: a survey of 430 consecutive devices.

Background: Postoperative analgesia via continuous perineural infusion of local anesthetics compares favorably with systemic analgesia. Elastomeric pumps increase patient satisfaction compared with electronic models. In in vitro investigations, infusions remained within 15% of their designated set rates.

[Prevention of psychedelic side effects associated with low dose continuous intravenous ketamine infusion].

Objective: Continuous low dose infusion of intravenous ketamine for postoperative analgesia was often associated with frightening acute psychodysleptic experiences in our patients. We hypothesized they were due to boluses of ketamine accumulated in the infusion line. We evaluated on two successive groups the impact of perfusion line modifications on psychodysleptic side effects occurrence.

A restrictive use of both autologous donation and recombinant human erythropoietin is an efficient policy for primary total hip or knee arthroplasty.

A limitation of preoperative autologous blood donation (PABD) in nonanemics and the use of recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) in anemics (baseline hematocrit [Hct] < or = 39%) could be an efficient approach of the cost-benefit ratio of transfusion during primary total hip (THA) or knee (TKA) arthroplasties. We evaluated the consequences on transfusion rates and costs of two different applications of a transfusion policy based on personal requirements during primary THA or TKA. This quality assurance observational study compared two prospective successive time periods; each included successive patients treated by the same medical team and standardized care.

The reduction of preoperative autologous blood donation for primary total hip or knee arthroplasty: the effect on subsequent transfusion rates.

Unlabelled: We conducted this quality assurance observational study to examine the effects of a change in policy regarding preoperative autologous blood donation (PABD) and indications for perioperative blood transfusion in patients undergoing primary total hip or knee arthroplasty. Two successive time periods, each including 182 successive patients treated by the same medical team and with standardized anesthesia, were compared. The first study had the following standard transfusion policy: 3 U of PABD collected (n = 119) and liberal autologous transfusion (AT).