Low predictability of three different noninvasive methods to determine fluid responsiveness in critically ill children.

Objective: To predict fluid responsiveness by noninvasive methods in a pediatric critical care population.

Design: Prospective observational clinical trial.

Setting: PICU in a tertiary care academic hospital.

Auricular acupuncture effectively reduces state anxiety before dental treatment--a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to analyse whether auricular acupuncture, acupuncture at the outer ear, could reduce state anxiety before dental treatment.

Methods: This prospective, randomised patient-blinded study with 182 patients compared anxiety before dental treatment following auricular acupuncture at the relaxation-, tranquillizer- and master cerebral points (auricular acupuncture group) versus acupuncture at sham points (finger-, shoulder- and tonsil points; sham group) and a non-intervention control group. Anxiety was assessed using the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (German version) before auricular acupuncture and 20 min thereafter, immediately before dental treatment.

Inhalational sevoflurane in severe bronchial obstruction unresponsive to multipharmacologic therapy: a case report.

Introduction: Bronchial asthma with respiratory failure is a challenge for the intensivist as mechanical ventilation is often difficult due to bronchoconstriction and air-trapping. We describe a case of severe asthma with respiratory acidosis in a 10-year-old patient unresponsive to multipharmacologic broncholytic therapy. Only the initiation of sevoflurane inhalation resolved severe bronchoconstriction and dynamic hyperinflation, leading to complete recovery.

Withdrawal forces of lumbar spinal catheters: no dependence on body position.

Background: Spinal catheters, because of their smaller diameter, have lower tensile strength than epidural catheters. This study was designed to measure the withdrawal forces needed to remove lumbar spinal catheters and to determine whether patient position affects withdrawal forces.

Methods: Eighty-two patients with a 24-gauge spinal catheter placed midline at the lumbar L3/4 or L4/5 level were randomly assigned to catheter removal either in flexed lateral or sitting position.

Median effective local anesthetic doses of plain bupivacaine and ropivacaine for spinal anesthesia administered via a spinal catheter for brachytherapy of the lower abdomen.

Background And Objectives: Continuous spinal anesthesia via a spinal catheter allows adjusting the duration and extent of anesthesia to surgical needs, maintenance of hemodynamic stability, and good postoperative analgesia. This study was designed to determine the median effective local anesthetic dose of plain ropivacaine and bupivacaine administered intrathecally for interstitial brachytherapy of the lower abdomen using the Dixon up-and-down method.

Methods: Forty patients were randomly allocated to receive either intrathecal bupivacaine 5 mg per mL or ropivacaine 10 mg per mL via a 24-gauge spinal catheter at the L3-4 interspace.