Sciatic nerve block with 0.5% levobupivacaine, 0.75% levobupivacaine or 0.75% ropivacaine: a double-blind, randomized comparison.

Background And Objective: This prospective, randomized, double-blind study was conducted to evaluate the onset time and duration of sciatic nerve block produced with 0.5% levobupivacaine, 0.75% levobupivacaine and 0.

Intraoperative epidural anesthesia and postoperative analgesia with levobupivacaine for major orthopedic surgery: a double-blind, randomized comparison of racemic bupivacaine and ropivacaine.

Study Objective: To compare the onset time and duration of epidural anesthesia, and the quality of postoperative analgesia produced by levobupivacaine, racemic bupivacaine, and ropivacaine.

Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blinded study.

Setting: Inpatient anesthesia at a University Hospital.

Wash-in and wash-out curves of sevoflurane and isoflurane in morbidly obese patients.

Background: The aim of this prospective, randomized study is to compare sevoflurane and isoflurane pharmacokinetics in morbidly obese patients.

Methods: With Ethical Committee approval and written informed consent, 14 obese patients (BMI >35 kg/m2), ASA physical status II, undergoing laparoscopic, silicone-adjustable gastric banding were randomly allocated to receive either sevoflurane (n=7) or isoflurane (n=7) as main anesthetic agents. General anesthesia was induced with 1 mg x kg-1 fentanyl, 6 mg x kg-1 sodium thiopental, and 1 mg x kg-1 succinylcholine followed by 0.

Clinical properties of levobupivacaine or racemic bupivacaine for sciatic nerve block.

Study Objective: To compare the intraoperative and postoperative clinical properties of the sciatic nerve block performed with either 0.5% bupivacaine or 0.5% levobupivacaine for orthopedic foot procedures.

A double-blinded, randomized comparison of either 0.5% levobupivacaine or 0.5% ropivacaine for sciatic nerve block.

Unlabelled: To compare intraoperative and postoperative clinical properties of levobupivacaine and ropivacaine for sciatic nerve block, 50 ASA physical status I and II patients undergoing hallux valgus repair received a femoral nerve block with 15 mL of 2% mepivacaine. They were then randomly allocated in a double-blinded fashion to receive a sciatic nerve block with either 0.5% levobupivacaine (n = 25) or 0.

[Levobupivacaine for peripheral blocks of the lower limb: a clinical comparison with bupivacaine and ropivacaine].

Background: The aim of this study was the comparison of clinical profile of sciatic nerve block performed with either 0,5% levobupivacaine, 0,5% bupivacaine, or 0,5% ropivacaine.

Methods: With ethical committee approval and written informed consent 45 ASA physical status I-II patients, undergoing elective hallux valgus repair received intravenous premedication with midazolam (0,05 mg/kg) followed by femoral nerve block with 15 ml of 2% mepivacaine. Then patients were randomly allocated to receive a sciatic nerve block with 20 ml of either 0,5% levobupivacaine (n=15), 0,5% bupivacaine (n=15), or 0,5% ropivacaine (n=15).

Ropivacaine.

Background: Ropivacaine is a relatively new long-acting local anesthetic. It is a pure S(-) isomer, with a high pKa and low lipid solubility. Because of its physical and chemical properties, ropivacaine produces a marked differential in sensory and motor blockades, with a toxic potential lower than other long-acting anesthetic solutions.

Implementing sevoflurane anesthesia with small doses opioid for upper abdominal surgery. Postoperative respiratory function after either remifentanil or fentanyl.

Background: The aim of this prospective, randomized study was to compare the effects on intraoperative cardiovascular homeostasis, recovery profile and postoperative oxygen saturation after sevoflurane anesthesia with small doses of either remifentanil or fentanyl in combination with postoperative epidural analgesia.

Methods: With Ethical Committee approval and written patient consent, 30 ASA physical status I-II patients scheduled for elective upper abdominal surgery were randomly allocated to receive sevoflurane general anesthesia implemented with small doses of either remifentanil (n = 15) or fentanyl (n = 15), followed by postoperative epidural analgesia. Remifentanil group patients received a 1 mg kg-1 bolus infused during a 60 sec period followed by a 0.

Unexplained habitual abortion is associated with a reduced endometrial release of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in the luteal phase of the cycle.

Although the mechanisms causing recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) remain frequently speculative, recent evidence indicates that a specific uterine immune-endocrine network plays a pivotal role in the continuation of pregnancy. We have recently demonstrated that an adhesion molecule of the immune system, named intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, is markedly expressed at both protein and mRNA levels in endometrial stromal cells and is able to mediate their interaction with lymphoid cells. Moreover, we have shown that the soluble form of ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) can be released by the endometrium in a hormone-dependent manner.

Dynamic aspects of endometriosis in a mouse model through analysis of implantation and progression.

The aim of this study was to use normal immunocompetent mice to set up a model for endometriosis which allowed to study the dynamic aspects involved in initiation and progression of the disease. Thirty mice were surgically transplanted with autologous endometrium and at 3 weeks showed evidence of endometriosis. Diagnosis of endometriotic lesions was histologically confirmed.

Expression of GnRH receptor gene in human ectopic endometrial cells and inhibition of their proliferation by leuprolide acetate.

The present study was conducted to investigate whether GnRH-receptor (GnRH-R) gene is expressed in endometriosis ovarian implants and whether a GnRH-analogue (GnRH-a) may exert an effect on endometriosis cell proliferation in vitro. The presence of GnRH-R transcripts in ovarian endometriosis cells was assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and further confirmed by Southern blot analysis. GnRH-R mRNA was detected in all the 13 samples examined.

Endometrial release of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 and endometriosis: relationship to the extent of the disease.

Objective: To relate endometrial release of the soluble form of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 with extent of endometriosis.

Methods: Samples of endometrium were collected from 23 women with endometriosis. Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 was quantified in conditioned medium from 48-hour endometrial stromal cell cultures with use of a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.