[Comparison of anterior rhinomanometry and impulse oscillometry in nasal provocation with histamine].

Unlabelled: Anterior rhinomanometry (aR) is the standard method for measurement of nasal resistance, but it has some drawbacks because it requires full co-operation of the patient and the results are disturbed by forced ventilation due to stenosis. The patient must generate flow by active ventilation. Resistance results from the flow/pressure ratio.

A double-blind comparison of the abdominal wall relaxation produced by epidural 0.75% ropivacaine and 0.75% bupivacaine in gynecologic surgery.

Background And Objectives: Ropivacaine is a long-acting local anesthetic agent with similar potency to that of bupivacaine when administered for epidural anesthesia. Ropivacaine, however, may be less cardiotoxic than bupivacaine. Epidural bupivacaine and ropivacaine have been shown to be equally effective in providing sensory block for lower extremity surgery, but they have not been compared for their ability to produce abdominal wall relaxation.

Comparison of the efficacy of epidural morphine given by intermittent injection or continuous infusion for the management of postoperative pain.

Background And Objectives: To compare the effectiveness and side effects of epidural morphine sulfate (MSO4), delivered by continual infusion or intermittent bolus.

Methods: Thirty patients undergoing upper abdominal surgery were randomized into two equal groups to receive MSO4 through a thoracic epidural catheter by one of two methods. Group 1 patients received an initial bolus of morphine (0.

Continuous epidural methadone for the management of postoperative pain after lower abdominal surgery.

Background And Objectives: The efficacy of methadone administered by continuous epidural infusion for 24 hours for the management of postoperative pain has been reported. The pharmacokinetic characteristics of methadone predict that significant accumulation would occur if infusions were continued for longer than 24 hours and that this accumulation could result in serum concentrations above the threshold associated with systemic analgesia.

Methods: We tested this hypothesis by measuring serum methadone concentrations, pain scores, and side effects in 18 patients receiving continuous epidural infusions of methadone for the relief of postoperative pain after lower abdominal surgery over 3 days.

A double-blind comparison of 0.5% bupivacaine and 0.75% ropivacaine administered epidurally in humans.

In an attempt to compare equipotent doses of epidurally administered bupivacaine and ropivacaine, 44 healthy patients, aged 18-70 years, undergoing lower extremity orthopedic procedures were studied in a randomized, double-blind manner. Twenty-one patients received a single epidural injection of 20 ml 0.5% bupivacaine at the L23 or L34 interspace and 23 patients received 20 ml 0.