Haemodynamic response at double lumen bronchial tube placement - Airtraq vs. MacIntosh laryngoscope, a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Tracheal intubation causes a haemodynamic response that might be harmful for patients. The Airtraq® laryngoscope has been shown to decrease the haemodynamic response to single-lumen tube intubation. We hypothesised that double-lumen bronchial tube placement with the Double-lumen Airtraq® laryngoscope would cause a reduced haemodynamic response and decreased catecholamine release compared with the MacIntosh laryngoscope.

Lidocaine/tetracaine patch (Rapydan) for topical anaesthesia before arterial access: a double-blind, randomized trial.

Background: Arterial catheterization is painful and is associated with patient stress and anxiety. Analgesia is usually provided by subcutaneous injection of local anaesthetic. An alternative is topical anaesthesia, such as Rapydan which is a novel topical anaesthetic patch containing 70 mg each of lidocaine and tetracaine.

Randomized clinical trial comparing double-lumen tube and EZ-Blocker for single-lung ventilation.

Background: In several clinical situations, lung separation and single-lung ventilation (SLV) is essential. In these cases, the double-lumen tube (DLT) is the most widely used device. Bronchial blocker such as Univent or Arndt Blocker serves as an alternative.

Contralateral stroke during carotid endarterectomy due to abnormalities in the circle of Willis.

Approximately 10-20% of patients will not tolerate cross-clamping of the common carotid artery for carotid endarterectomy procedures. The most frequent causes of neurological deficits are either embolization of particulate matter or cerebral hypoperfusion. Insufficient blood flow through primary collaterals of the circle of Willis is the main reason for hypoperfusion that requires immediate shunt placement.

Magnesium moderately decreases remifentanil dosage required for pain management after cardiac surgery.

Background: Magnesium is a calcium and an NMDA-receptor antagonist and can modify important mechanisms of nociception. We evaluated the co-analgesic effect of magnesium in the postoperative setting after on-pump cardiac surgery.

Methods: Forty patients randomly received either magnesium gluconate as an i.