Women's acute anxiety variations before and after epidural anesthesia for childbirth.

Objective: This study assessed changes in anxiety during different phases of childbirth in a sample of women demanding epidural anesthesia.

Design: Prospective, longitudinal case series.

Sample: A total of 133 women who demanded epidural anesthesia for childbirth answered the questionnaires.

Sugammadex, a neuromuscular blockade reversal agent, causes neuronal apoptosis in primary cultures.

Sugammadex, a γ-cyclodextrin that encapsulates selectively steroidal neuromuscular blocking agents, such as rocuronium or vecuronium, has changed the face of clinical neuromuscular pharmacology. Sugammadex allows a rapid reversal of muscle paralysis. Sugammadex appears to be safe and well tolerated.

Antioxidants and gabapentin prevent heat hypersensitivity in a neuropathic pain model.

Background: The involvement of voltage-dependent calcium channels and reactive oxygen species in the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain might justify the preventative administration of antioxidant enzymes, at low doses, in combination with gabapentin (GaP) to maximize its analgesic effect in an experimental model of neuropathic pain in rats.

Methods: This work investigated the analgesic effects of these drugs, alone or in combination, by intraperitoneal administration for three consecutive days before (Series I) or after (Series II) a peripheral neuropathy induced by left sciatic nerve ligation. A prospective randomized study was conducted using 96 Wistar rats (50 males and 46 females).

Electromyographic thresholds after thoracic screw stimulation depend on the distance of the screw from the spinal cord and not on pedicle cortex integrity.

Background Context: Present studies concerning the safety and reliability of neurophysiological monitoring during thoracic pedicle screw placement remain inconclusive, and therefore, universally validated threshold levels that confirm osseous breakage of the instrumented pedicles have not been properly established.

Purpose: The objective of this work was to analyze whether electromyographic (EMG) thresholds, after stimulation of the thoracic pedicle screw, depend on the distance between the neural structures and the screws. The modifier effect of different interposed tissues between a breached pedicle and neural structures was also investigated.

Metabolic muscle damage and oxidative stress markers in an America's Cup yachting crew.

Activities of enzymes involved in muscle damage [creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)] and levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) as a marker of oxidative stress were monitored in the plasma of 27 members of an America's Cup yachting crew. The preventive benefits of allopurinol on muscle damage were also tested. In racing period A, the crew was divided into two groups according to their tasks on board.

Ultrasound guidance for lateral midfemoral sciatic nerve block: a prospective, comparative, randomized study.

Block of the sciatic nerve at the midfemoral level is usually performed using nerve stimulation techniques. We investigated the efficacy of ultrasound, combined with nerve stimulation, to locate and block the sciatic nerve at the lateral midfemoral level compared to nerve stimulation alone. Sixty-one patients scheduled for foot and ankle surgery were enrolled in this prospective, randomized study.

A comparison of lateral popliteal versus lateral midfemoral sciatic nerve blockade using ropivacaine 0.5%.

Background And Objectives: The midfemoral approach to the sciatic nerve (MF) is a new technique that has been used for postoperative analgesia after knee surgery. The aim of the present study was to compare efficacy, performance time, and patient acceptance of the midfemoral approach to that of the lateral approach at the level of the popliteal fossa (popliteal block [PB]).

Methods: Sixty-three patients were enrolled in this prospective, randomized study.