Neurosteroid dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate enhances pain transmission in rat spinal cord dorsal horn.

Background: The neurosteroid dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) activates the sigma-1 receptor, inhibits gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABA) and glycine receptors, and induces hyperalgesic effects. Although its effects have been studied in various tissues of the nervous system, its synaptic mechanisms in nociceptive pathways remain to be elucidated.

Methods: The threshold of mechanical hypersensitivity and spontaneous pain behaviour was assessed using the von Frey test in adult male Wistar rats after intrathecal administration of DHEAS.

[Efficacy of repeated subcostal transversus abdominis plane blocks with 0.2% lidocaine via 18-gauge intravenous catheters for patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurism surgery].

Background: There is an increasing number of patients scheduled for abdominal aortic aneurysm resection in whom epidural anesthesia cannot be performed because of concomitant antiplatelet/anticoagulant therapy. Instead of epidural anesthesia for postoperative analgesia in such patients it is possible to use repeated bilateral subcostal transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks.

Methods: Four patients receiving antiplatelet/anticoagulant therapy for abdominal aortic aneurysm resection under general anesthesia were studied.