Background and objective Variability in blink duration was examined to see whether it was sensitive to sevoflurane sedation at 0.05 and 0.1 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC).

Methods Blinks were measured with an infrared transducer in eight subjects. Sedation was scored using a visual analogue scale (VAS).

Results At baseline, 0.05 and 0.1 MAC sevoflurane, respectively, the overall median value of blink duration and its interquartile range were 95 (80–110) ms, 198 (163–245) ms and 210 (130–980) ms. The median percentage of blinks exceeding 500 ms was 0% (0–0.7%), 33.3% (25.5–34.7%) and 25% (15.7–63.3%) respectively. Values during 0.05 and 0.1 MAC sevoflurane were significantly different from baseline (P < 0.035) but not from each other. Baseline visual analogue scales showed large intersubject variability. Compared with baseline, VAS scores were higher at 0.05 MAC (P < 0.035) but not at 0.1 MAC. After discontinuing sevoflurane, median blink duration returned to baseline with a recovery half-life of 2.6 min (R2 = 0.95).

Conclusion Blink duration is a sensitive measure of sevoflurane sedation even at 0.05 MAC.

Occipital nerve block is usually considered to be a very simple and safe regional anaesthetic technique. We describe a case of sudden unconsciousness during a lesser occipital nerve block in a patient with an occipital bone defect. A 63-year-old man complained of headache, which was localized to the right occipital region. A right lesser occipital nerve block with a local anaesthetic was performed for treatment. During the lesser occipital nerve block, the patient suddenly became disturbed and lost consciousness. Two hours after the incident, the patient was fully awake without neurological sequelae. He had previously undergone a microvascular decompression for right trigeminal neuralgia. The patient had a bone defect following craniotomy. We believed that the loss of consciousness during lesser nerve block may be due to a subarachnoid injection. Occipital nerve block is relatively contraindicated in the presence of a bone defect.

Von Hippel-Lindau disease is a rare autosomal dominant disease with incomplete penetrance and variable expression and is characterized by diffuse haemangioblastomas of the central nervous system and viscera. The majority of the central nervous system lesions are located in the cerebellum. This report describes the successful management with epidural anaesthesia of a woman with a term gestation, von Hippel-Lindau disease and cerebellar haemangioblastoma.

Background and objective This open, multicentre study compared the efficacy and safety of remifentanil with fentanyl during balanced anaesthesia with 0.8% isoflurane (end-tidal concentration) for major abdominal and gynaecological surgery, and the efficacy and safety of remifentanil for pain management in the immediate postoperative period.

Methods Two-hundred and eighty-six patients were randomized to receive remifentanil 1 μg kg−1 followed by 0.2 μg kg−1 min−1 (n = 98), remifentanil 2 μg kg−1 followed by 0.4 μg kg−1 min−1 (n = 91) or fentanyl 3 μg kg−1 (n = 97) at induction. Thereafter, the study opioids and isoflurane were titrated to effect during the operation.

Results Compared with fentanyl, remifentanil 2 μg kg−1 followed by 0.4 μg kg −1 min−1 reduced the incidence of response to tracheal intubation (30% vs. 13%, P < 0.01), skin incision (33% vs. 4%, P < 0.001) and skin closure (11% vs. 3%, P< 0.05), respectively. Patients receiving remifentanil 1 μg kg−1 followed by 0.2 μg kg −1 min−1 had fewer responses to skin incision than the fentanyl group (12% vs. 33%, P< 0.001), but the incidences of response to tracheal intubation and skin closure were similar. Significantly fewer patients in both remifentanil groups had ≥ 1 responses to surgical stress intraoperatively compared with fentanyl (68% and 48% vs. 87%, P < 0.003). The mean isoflurane concentrations required were less in both remifentanil groups compared with the fentanyl group (0.1%, P = 0.05). In remifentanil-treated patients, continuation of the infusion at 0.1 μg kg−1 min−1 with titration increments of ± 0.025 μg kg−1 min−1 was effective for the management of immediate postoperative pain prior to transfer to morphine analgesia. However, a high proportion of patients experienced at least moderate pain whilst the titration took place.

Conclusions Anaesthesia combining isoflurane with a continuous infusion of remifentanil was significantly more effective than fentanyl at blunting responses to surgical stimuli. Significantly fewer patients responded to tracheal intubation with remifentanil at 0.4 μg kg−1min−1, supporting the use of a higher initial infusion rate before intubation. Both remifentanil and fentanyl were well-tolerated, with reported adverse events typical of μ-opioid agonists.

Background and objective The use of tension-free tape in the vagina is a relatively new surgical procedure for the treatment of urinary incontinence. Traditionally, the procedure is carried out using local anaesthesia and sedation. We aimed to assess the quality of anaesthesia obtained during insertion of tension-free vaginal tape using local anaesthetic infiltration and intravenous conscious sedation.

Methods Twenty-four patients were studied using intravenous midazolam, fentanyl and infiltration with 0.5% prilocaine and epinephrine. Visual analogue scores before operation were used to assess anxiety. The digit symbol substitution test was used before and after surgery to assess psychomotor recovery, and amnesia for the procedure was assessed by means of picture recall. A nurse, anaesthetist and surgeon independently assessed quality of anaesthesia based on vocalization, facial expression, movement and co-operation with incontinence testing.

Results The nurse, anaesthetist and surgeon reported good or excellent conditions in 18, 14 and 22 cases, respectively. There was no significant psychomotor impairment using the digit symbol substitution test, with mean (standard deviation) preoperative and postoperative scores of 22 (8) and 21 (7) correctly matched symbol digit pairs. There was a significant correlation between preoperative anxiety and intraoperative fentanyl requirement (r=0.48, P < 0.05).

Conclusion Satisfactory anaesthetic conditions can be achieved for the insertion of tension-free vaginal tape using local anaesthesia with sedation.

Background and objective The main objective of this study was to assess mortality and morbidity after thoracic surgery in a medical centre, without resident chest surgeons and anaesthesiologists, and to determine specific risk factors.

Methods A prospective cohort study using a local database which includes patients’ clinical characteristics, results of preoperative investigations, surgical and anaesthesia data and all postoperative complications was undertaken. Two hundred and seventy-three consecutive patients undergoing thoracic surgery from 1992 to 1999 were studied. The referral chest medical centre was without resident thoracic surgeons or anaesthesiologists; postoperative care was led by local chest physicians according to standardized protocols and in close collaboration with university-based surgeons and anaesthesiologists.

Results The majority of patients had lung cancer (71%) and underwent resection of at least one lobe (62%). Thirty-day mortality rate was 2.2% and one or more complications occurred in 74 patients (27%). Three patients had to be transferred to a university hospital for further treatment. Univariate predictors of complications included age (> 70 years), history of smoking, body mass index, as well as the extent and duration of surgery. After multiple logistic regression analysis, smoking (current or past), prolonged surgery (>120 min) and major lung resection (pneumonectomy or bilobectomy) remained the only independent risk factors.

Conclusions Overall perioperative mortality and morbidity rates did not exceed those reported from large teaching hospitals. In selected patients, thoracic surgery can be safely performed in a specialized chest medical centre without on-site surgeons and anaesthesiologists.

Background and objective Female patients undergoing gynaecological procedures, especially laparoscopically, are at high risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting. No available antiemetic is entirely effective. This double-blinded randomized trial examines the efficacy and safety of tropisetron and metoclopramide in combination and compares the results with metoclopramide alone in laparoscopic gynaecological surgery.

Methods One hundred and twenty female patients scheduled for minor gynaecological laparoscopy, aged 27–43 years, were randomly allocated to receive pretreatment with metoclopramide 10 mg intravenously (n = 57) or tropisetron 5 mg with metoclopramide 5 mg (n = 63).

Results Fewer patients in the combined treatment group experienced postoperative nausea and vomiting (14% vs. 37%, P = 0.008) or needed rescue antiemetic treatment (3% vs. 16%, P = 0.038). No significant adverse events were observed.

Conclusions The combination of the antiemetics was superior, which is probably explained by the fact that the two drugs have different sites of action, thus preventing emesis by blocking different pathways.

A 6-months pregnant woman suffering from severe tetanus was successfully treated with intrathecal baclofen. She delivered a premature but healthy neo-nate, and was safely discharged home 40 days after the onset of symptoms of tetanus. Specific aspects of intrathecal baclofen therapy in the pregnant woman are discussed.

Neuromuscular blocking agents are used as adjuvants in day case anaesthesia to facilitate tracheal intubation and/or surgery. Although the majority of day case procedures are performed without the use of neuromuscular blocking agents, there are procedures, such as laparoscopic surgery, microsurgery, open eye surgery, some ear, nose and throat procedures and some paediatric procedures, which may require neuromuscular blockade. The characteristics of an ideal neuromuscular blocking agent for day case surgery are a short onset, a short clinical duration and a short recovery time, with or without reversal. It should also lack histamine release, provide haemodynamic stability, and be competitively priced. This paper reviews the neuromuscular blocking agents currently available and used, such as succinylcholine and mivacurium, low doses of an intermediate-acting neuromuscular block, such as rocuronium and the recently introduced rapacuronium. Their advantages and disadvantages are described and discussed, with special reference to the needs of day case surgery. Rapacuronium offers certain benefits compared with the currently available neuromuscular blocking agents for day care anaesthesia.

Perioperative myocardial infarction or ischaemia is a potential consequence of cardiac surgery and elevated free fatty acids can increase the severity of myocardial ischaemic damage. We investigated perioperative changes in serum free fatty acids, and other serum lipids, as a consequence of using propofol infusions for cardiac surgery during cardiopulmonary bypass. Twenty-five patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting were allocated to two groups. One group of 12 patients was given a continuous infusion of propofol and the other group of nine patients received intermittent boluses of midazolam as a hypnotic agent. Serum lipid concentrations were measured at four periods perioperatively. Changes in free fatty acid concentrations were similar between the two groups. Lipid concentrations related to triglyceride in the propofol group decreased on one occasion but subsequently returned to control value. On the other hand, such values in the midazolam group remained lower than control values. Propofol is not a contraindication as an anaesthetic for cardiac surgery in respect of concern regarding the effects of free fatty acids.

We present the anaesthetic management of a patient for stenting of a thoracic aortic aneurysm at the site of an aortic coarctation. The specific challenges to the anaesthetist for this case are outlined. These include the specific problems of placing the graft, the obvious risk of aortic rupture and the unfamiliar environment of the separate radiological theatre. The advantages and disadvantages to the anaesthetist of the treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms with stents are briefly discussed.

We report a patient who suffered negative pressure pulmonary oedema because of tracheal obstruction after cryotherapy to granulation tissue in the trachea. The pathophysiology and clinical course of negative pressure pulmonary oedema is described. Though there are reports of negative pressure pulmonary oedema after airway obstruction, to our knowledge this is the first case reported after cryotherapy.

Mitochondrial myopathies are rare complex multisystem disorders, which can present several potential anaesthetic problems. A 49-year-old man with mitochondrial myopathy was anaesthetized successfully for cataract extraction using propofol and alfentanil infusions. Vecuronium sensitivity was apparent, with a prolonged duration of action, despite dosage reduction

Background and objective Pressure-controlled inverse ratio ventilation was compared with controlled mechanical ventilation in patients after cardiac surgery.

Methods Ten patients were ventilated after sternal closure using a Siemens Servo 900C ventilator to a target end–tidal PCO2 of 4.0 kPa. They were randomized to receive controlled mechanical ventilation or pressure–controlled inverse ratio ventilation. CO2-based data were recorded on a laptop personal computer, which together with arterial PCO2 permitted measurement of the respiratory dead space. Once measurements were complete the ventilator was switched to the other mode and new measurements taken. Results PaCO2 and VCO2 were virtually the same in both modes. Peak airway pressure (17.2±2.7 vs. 20.8±2.5 cmH2O, P < 0.01) and minute ventilation (4.9±1.1 vs. 5.3±1.1 cmH2O, P < 0.01) were less during pressure–controlled inverse ratio ventilation. Physiological dead space fraction (0.39±0.06 vs. 0.51±0.05, P <0.001), airway dead space (56±15 vs. 81±15 mL, P <0.001) and alveolar dead space fraction (0.25±0.07 vs. 0.31±0.09, P<0.01) were all less during pressure–controlled inverse ratio ventilation. There were no differences in heart rate or mean arterial pressure.

Conclusions The prolonged inspiratory period and pressure–controlled flowpattern of pressure–controlled inverse ratio ventilation reduce the alveolar and airway dead spaces, and give lower peak airway pressures, compared with conventional ventilation, in cardiac surgical patients.

Background and aim We evaluated the effect of the injection technique on the onset time and efficacy of interscalene brachial plexus anaesthesia.

Methods With Ethical Committee approval and written consent, 30 patients undergoing elective shoulder acromioplasty or capsuloplasty were randomly allocated to receive interscalene brachial plexus block with 20 mL of ropivacaine 0.75% by using either a single injection (Single group, n = 15) or multiple injection (Multiple group, n = 15). Nerve blocks were placed with the aid of a nerve stimulator using short bevelled, Teflon® coated needles. The stimulation frequency was set at 2 Hz and the intensity of stimulating current, initially set at 1 mA, was gradually decreased to ≤0.5 mA after each muscular twitch was observed. In the Single group, the anaesthetic solution was slowly injected after the first muscular twitch had been observed. In the Multiple group, 6mL were injected at shoulder abduction, 6mL were njected at arm flexion, and 6ml_ at the extension of the arm.

Results Placing the block required 5min (4–8 min) in the Multiple group and 3 min (1–10 min) in the Single group (P=0.001); however, total preoperative time (from skin disinfection to complete loss of pinprick sensation from C4 to C7 with inability to elevate the limb from the operating table) was shorter in the Multiple group (15 min; range 10–28 min) than in the Single group (23 min; range 14–60 min) (P=0.03). Additional intravenous fentanyl supplementation was required in two patients of the Multiple group (13%) and eight patients of the Single group (53%) (P=0.05).

Conclusion We conclude that using a multiple injection technique shortened the preparation time and improved the quality of interscalene brachial plexus anaesthesia performed with small volumes of ropivacaine 0.75%.

Background and aim This study determines whether epidural fentanyl given before incision decreases the requirements for opioid analgesia postoperatively, compared with the same dose of epidural fentanyl given after the surgery.

Methods Forty patients scheduled to undergo elective abdominal surgery were randomly allocated between two groups according to the time of administered of fentanyl. None of the patients in either group received premedica-tion. Prior to induction of general anaesthesia an epidural catheter was inserted at the L2–3 interspace and flushed with 0.9% NaCI. Patients then received 100μg fentanyl in 10mL 0.9% NaCI through this catheter either 15min before awaking at the end of the operation (group I), or else the same dose given at an estimated time of 15 min before the start of surgery (group II). Postoperative analgesia consisted of patient-controlled intravenous fentanyl. The amount of fentanyl used by the patients was noted at 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h after surgery. Pain scores and sedation scores were assessed at 0, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h postoperatively.

Results The consumption of fentanyl was similar in both groups in all studied periods postoperatively. The mean pain score was lower for patients in group I than group II immediately after operation. There were no statistically significant differences between the mean pain scores of groups at 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h after operation. Mean sedation scores were similar in both groups at all times postoperatively.

Conclusion This study showed that the dose of fentanyl administered epidurally prior to surgical incision did not produce any clinically useful pre-emptive analgesic effect.