Publications by authors named "Christopher Wolla"

The optimal dose of low-dose intrathecal epinephrine in the absence of intrathecal opioids is unknown. Prospective, randomized, double blind clinical trial of patients undergoing lower limb arthroplasties. The primary end point was spinal block duration measured via motor and sensory block duration.

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Article Synopsis
  • Anesthesia for cardiac surgery has shifted towards faster recovery methods that use non-opioid pain relievers and regional anesthesia techniques.
  • A study compared patients who had cardiac surgery with and without specific pain management catheters and analyzed opioid consumption, pain levels, and hospital stay duration.
  • Results showed that while the pain scores and opioid use after surgery were similar, the catheters led to less opioid use during surgery and shorter stays in both the ICU and hospital.
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Introduction: Effective analgesia after total hip arthroplasty must minimize pain and optimize early ambulation. Lumbar plexus blocks (LPBs) provide analgesia but may cause motor weakness. Quadratus lumborum blocks (QLBs) may provide analgesia with preserved motor strength.

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Pregnancy entails significant changes in maternal physiology that are not well-tolerated in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. The profound changes in plasma volume, cardiac output, and systemic vascular resistance can lead to increased strain placed on the right ventricle, leading to right-heart failure and cardiovascular collapse. Given the complex and sometimes opposing physiologic changes, managing these patients can be challenging.

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Objective: Spinal anaesthesia interferes with physiological thermoregulatory responses, potentially leading to peri-operative hypothermia. Spinal morphine can further compound this by a paradoxical clinical presentation leading to poor patient outcome.

Case Report: Following an uneventful caesarean delivery (CD) under spinal anaesthesia with intrathecal morphine for post-operative analgesia, a parturient presented in the recovery room with increasing somnolence, excessive sweating and a sensation of feeling hot.

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Objectives: To assess quantitatively the impact of a novel reconstruction algorithm ("kernel") with beam-hardening correction (BHC) on beam-hardening artefacts of the myocardium at dual-energy CT myocardial perfusion imaging (DE-CTMPI).

Methods: Rest-series of DE-CTMPI examinations from 14 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Six image series were reconstructed for each patient: a) 100 kV, b) 140 kV, and c) linearly blended MIX0.

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Heterotaxy and situs abnormalities describe an abnormal arrangement of visceral organs in the thoracoabdominal cavity across the normal left-right axis of the body. It is associated with a high occurrence of congenital heart and abdominal defects, including anomalous pulmonary venous connections, systemic venous abnormalities, asplenia, and intestinal malrotation. Without proper diagnosis and surgical intervention, the prognosis of patients with heterotaxy syndrome and associated congenital defects is extremely poor.

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Background: Our study aims to evaluate the image quality and feasibility of 128-slice dual-energy CTA (DE-CTA) for supra-aortic arteries using reduced amounts of contrast medium (CM).

Methods: A prospective study was performed in 54 patients receiving CTA of the head and neck with a 128-slice dual-source CT system. Patients were randomized into two groups with a volume of either 40 mL of CM (Group I) or 50 mL of CM (Group II).

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