Acupuncture on Yintang point decreases preoperative anxiety.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ear-press needle acupuncture on Yintang point for preoperative anxiety.

Design: This was a prospective, randomized, single-blind, controlled study.

Settings/location: The study setting was the Department of Anesthesiology in Ankara Training and Research Hospital of Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey.

Passiflora incarnata Linneaus as an anxiolytic before spinal anesthesia.

Purpose: Patients who undergo regional anesthesia experience anxiety in the preoperative period. Passiflora incarnata Linneaus is a plant that has traditionally been used as an anxiolytic and sedative. We aimed to investigate the effect of preoperative oral administration of Passiflora incarnata Linneaus on anxiety, psychomotor functions, sedation, and hemodynamics in patients undergoing spinal anesthesia.

Spinal anesthesia for transurethral resection operations: levobupivacaine with or without fentanyl.

Background: The objective ofthe present study was double fold; to compare the characteristics of spinal blocks produced by 0.5% levobupivacaine with and without fentanyl in transurethral resection and to test the hypothesis that, fentanyl added to levobupivacaine, may be used as an alternative to pure levobupivacaine solution, in spinal anesthesia.

Methods: Forty males, aged >60 years, ASA I-III patients scheduled for elective transurethral resection were included in a prospective, randomized, double-blinded study.

Left-molar approach for direct laryngoscopy: is it easy?

Purpose: For direct laryngoscopy, we compared midline and left-molar approaches with respect to ease of intubation, using a Macintosh blade. We investigated the relationship between failure of the left-molar approach and preoperative risk factors for difficult intubation.

Methods: With local ethics committee approval, 200 consecutive adult, nonpregnant patients were included in the study.