Comparison of transversus abdominis plane blocks with liposomal bupivacaine versus ropivacaine in open total abdominal hysterectomy.

Regional anesthesia is frequently employed in efforts to improve postoperative analgesia and reduce opioid requirements following abdominal surgery. The purpose of the current analysis was to determine if there was a difference in postoperative pain and opioid consumption between patients who underwent open total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) and received ultrasound-guided bilateral transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks using either liposomal bupivacaine or ropivacaine. A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted of 215 patients from November 2018 through March 2020 who underwent an open TAH and received bilateral TAP blocks with either liposomal bupivacaine or ropivacaine.

Airway Pressure Release Ventilation: A Review of the Evidence, Theoretical Benefits, and Alternative Titration Strategies.

Objective: To review the theoretical benefits of airway pressure release ventilation (APRV), summarize the evidence for its use in clinical practice, and discuss different titration strategies.

Data Source: Published randomized controlled trials in humans, observational human studies, animal studies, review articles, ventilator textbooks, and editorials.

Data Summary: Airway pressure release ventilation optimizes alveolar recruitment, reduces airway pressures, allows for spontaneous breathing, and offers many hemodynamic benefits.

The stability of solid dispersions of felodipine in polyvinylpyrrolidone characterized by nanothermal analysis.

Nanothermal analysis (NTA) supported by atomic force microscopy imaging has been used to study the changes that occur at the surfaces of solid dispersions of the drug felodipine and the water soluble polymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) on exposure to standard pharmaceutical environmental stress conditions. Exposure to relative humidities above 75% (at 40 °C) was sufficient to achieve phase separation of the drug and polymer into areas which displayed a glass transition temperature consistent with pure drug and polymer over a period of a few days. Higher values of humidity at 25 °C (e.

High loading efficiency and sustained release of siRNA encapsulated in PLGA nanoparticles: quality by design optimization and characterization.

Poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide acid) (PLGA) is an attractive polymer for delivery of biopharmaceuticals owing to its biocompatibility, biodegradability and outstanding controlled release characteristics. The purpose of this study was to understand and define optimal parameters for preparation of small interfering RNA (siRNA)-loaded PLGA nanoparticles by the double emulsion solvent evaporation method and characterize their properties. The experiments were performed according to a 2(5-1) fractional factorial design based on five independent variables: The volume ratio between the inner water phase and the oil phase, the PLGA concentration, the sonication time, the siRNA load and the amount of acetylated bovine serum albumin (Ac-BSA) in the inner water phase added to stabilize the primary emulsion.

Nanoscale thermal analysis of pharmaceutical solid dispersions.

Formation of a solid solution of a drug in a water-soluble polymer is one of the primary techniques used to improve the dissolution rate and thus bioavailability of a poorly water-soluble drug. Understanding and detecting the state of the drug inside such a polymer matrix is critically important since issues such as drug stability, safety and efficacy can be greatly affected. In this study, two model formulations were prepared containing low and high levels of drug content.

Direct observation of single particle electrostatic charging by atomic force microscopy.

Purpose: To show that atomic force microscopy (AFM) can be used to directly study the electrostatic charging and dissipation of single pharmaceutical particles.

Materials And Methods: Particles of lactose attached to AFM cantilevers were charged on a glass surface at a relative humidity (RH) of 0.1%.

Single particle friction on blister packaging materials used in dry powder inhalers.

Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) the adhesion and sliding friction behaviour of single lactose particles attached directly to AFM cantilevers has been studied. Measurements were made on the two sides of a blister packaging material used in dry powder inhalers (DPI). Although no significant differences in adhesion were observed, clear differences in particle friction were evident, where one side offers consistently greater friction across the range of loads studied here.

A nanoscale study of particle friction in a pharmaceutical system.

Studies of single particle interactions in dry powder inhaler (DPI) formulations using atomic force microscopy (AFM) have recently grown in popularity. Currently, these experiments are all based on measuring particle adhesion forces. We broaden this approach by presenting a novel AFM friction study of single particles in a pharmaceutical system, to examine forces acting parallel to a surface.

Towards screening of inhalation formulations: measuring interactions with atomic force microscopy.

This review charts the progress of atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate particle interactions relevant to the performance of inhalers. AFM provides a unique opportunity to examine and quantify single particle behaviour of powdered drugs and excipients in a variety of environmental conditions. An introduction to AFM and particle interactions is given.