[Usefulness of Epidrum for teaching identification of the epidural space].

Background: Epidrum (ED) is a device to facilitate the epidural anesthesia procedure. Using ED, we can visually confirm the needle's penetration into the epidural space by collapse of the diaphragm. We investigated the usefulness of ED for teaching identification of the epidural space.

[Effects of postoperative continuous epidural analgesia after laparoscopy-assisted colectomy].

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of continuous epidural analgesia on the postoperative pain and the early recovery after laparoscopy-assisted colectomy (LAC).

Methods: A total of 50 patients undergoing elective LAC were investigated for postoperative pain score and other variables retrospectively.

Results: Thirty patients who had received epidural analgesia (E group) showed significantly lower pain scores for 2 and 24 hours after surgery, compared with twenty patients who had received analgesics intramuscularly or transrectally (C group).

[The effects of postoperative continuous epidural analgesia after laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy].

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of continuous epidural analgesia on the postoperative pain and the early recovery after laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG).

Methods: A total of 66 patients undergoing elective LAG were investigated for postoperative pain score and other variables retrospectively.

Results: Forty-four patients who had received epidural analgesia (E group) showed significantly lower pain scores for 2, 12 and 48 hours after surgery, compared with 22 patients who had received analgesics intramuscularly or transrectally (C group).

[A case of acute myocardial infarction during laparoscopic rectal amputation].

An 80-year-old man with chronic bronchitis and hypertension was admitted with rectal cancer and cholecystolithiasis. Under general and epidural anesthesia, laparoscopic cholecysytectomy was performed with slightly elevated EtCO2. He underwent head-down tilt for laparoscopic rectectal amputation.

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor agonists and antagonists partially affect the duration of ketamine anesthesia in the rat.

The effects of intracerebroventricular injection of excitatory amino acids which act on the N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor complex on the duration of loss of righting reflex (DLRR) induced by intravenous injection to ketamine (20 mg/kg) were investigated in rats. Ketamine-induced DLRR was 10.3 min, but NMDA receptor agonistsD-alanine (200 μg) or NMDA (0.