Publications by authors named "Claire Lavoie"
Objective: To assess whether intrathecal (IT) analgesia facilitates early extubation and provides superior pain control after cardiac surgery compared with patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) or nurse-administered SC injections.
Methods: Sixty-two patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery participated in this prospective, randomized, partly-blinded study. Perioperative care was standardized, and patients were assigned to receive IT morphine (ITM group) followed by PCA, IT placebo (ITP group) followed by PCA, or SC injections of morphine every 4 hours as needed (SC group).