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.

Intravenous paracetamol improves the quality of postoperative analgesia but does not decrease narcotic requirements.

Paracetamol, a centrally acting inhibitor of cyclooxygenase, has less gastrointestinal and platelet-inhibiting side effects and is clinically better tolerated than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Therefore, it will be ideally suited for postoperative pain relief. In this prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, we evaluated the analgesic efficacy, opioid-sparing effect and effects on opioid-related adverse effects of intravenous (IV) paracetamol in combination with IV morphine after lumbar laminectomy and discectomy.