Effect on cognition of galanthamine administered for neuromuscular block reversal in octogenarians undergoing cataract surgery.

Background: The purpose of the study was to determine the possible effect of the cholinesterase inhibitor, galanthamine, on cognition when administered to antagonise neuromuscular blockade after anaesthesia.

Methods: The Wechsler Memory Scale was used to assess cognition before and after cataract surgery, carried out under general anaesthesia, in forty-five octogenarian patients. At the end of the operation, in order to reverse residual neuromuscular blockade, patients were randomly assigned to receive either galanthamine, acting on central and peripheral receptors, or neostigmine--a drug without central activity.

Interpretation of the large red-and-white visual analog scale by children compared with adults.

The red-and-white visual analog scale (VAS) is a modification of the traditional VAS. The purpose of this study was to compare how children of various ages and adults rate their anticipatory pain intensity on the red-and-white VAS. One hundred children were interviewed as part of the anesthesiologist's preoperative visit before elective eye surgery.

Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship of dobutamine and heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output in healthy volunteers.

Background And Objective: Dobutamine causes an increase in cardiac output (CO) by augmenting stroke volume (SV) through enhanced left ventricular contractility and by decreasing systemic vascular resistance. However, in some patients, the dominant mechanism by which dobutamine improves left ventricular performance is an increase in the subject's heart rate (HR). We therefore decided to evaluate the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship of dobutamine plasma concentrations and heart rate, SV and CO in healthy volunteers.

Localization of local anesthetic solution by magnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of local anesthetic solution by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after combined peribulbar and retrobulbar, superomedial retrobulbar, and sub-Tenon's injection in relation to clinical akinesia.

Design: Randomized clinical trial.

Participants: Fifteen patients scheduled for cataract surgery, 5 patients in each group.