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Frances Chung

Publications and source records attributed to Frances Chung.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Patient-controlled transdermal fentanyl hydrochloride vs intravenous morphine pump for postoperative pain: a randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT: Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with morphine is commonly used to provide acute postoperative pain control after major surgery. The fentanyl hydrochloride patient-controlled transdermal system eliminates the need for venous access and complicated programming of pumps. OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of an investigational patient-controlled iontophoretic transdermal system using fentanyl hydrochloride compared with a standard intravenous morphine patient-controlled pump. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Prospective randomized controlled parallel-group trial conducted between September 2000 and March 2001 at 33 North American hospitals, enrolling 636 adult patients who had just undergone major surgery. INTERVENTIONS: In surgical recovery rooms, patients were randomly assigned to intravenous morphine (1-mg bolus every 5 minutes; maximum of 10 mg/h) by a patient-controlled analgesia pump (n = 320) or iontophoretic fentanyl hydrochloride (40- microg infusion over 10 minutes) by a patient-controlled transdermal system (n = 316). Supplemental analgesia (morphine or fentanyl intravenous boluses) was administered as needed before and for the first 3 hours after activation of the PCA treatments. Patients then used the PCA treatments without additional analgesics for up to 72 hours. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary efficacy variable was patient global assessment of the method of pain control during the first 24 hours. Additional efficacy measures were the proportion of patients discontinuing the study because of inadequate analgesia for any reason, patient-reported pain intensity scores on a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS), and patient global assessments at 48 and 72 hours. Adverse effects were also recorded. RESULTS: Ratings of good or excellent after 24 hours of treatment for the method of pain control were given by 73.7% of patients (233/316) who used transdermal fentanyl PCA and 76.9% of patients (246/320) who used intravenous morphine PCA; treatment difference was -3.2% (95% confidence interval, -9.9% to 3.5%; P =.36). Early patient discontinuations (25.9% fentanyl vs 25.0% morphine; P =.78) and last pain intensity scores (32.7 fentanyl vs 31.1 morphine on the VAS; P =.45) were not different between the 2 treatments. With continued treatment for up to 48 or 72 hours, more than 80% of patient assessments in each treatment group were good or excellent. The incidence of opioid-related adverse events was similar between the groups. CONCLUSION: An investigational PCA transdermal system using iontophoresis to deliver fentanyl provided postsurgical pain control equivalent to that of a standard intravenous morphine regimen delivered by a PCA pump.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed2004

Ambulatory surgery adult patient selection criteria - a survey of Canadian anesthesiologists.

PURPOSE: An increasing number of patients with complex medical problems are now considered suitable for ambulatory surgery. The purpose of this study was to identify the current clinical practice of ambulatory surgical patient selection. METHODS: A standardized questionnaire specifying 30 clinical conditions was sent to all practicing anesthesiologists who are members of the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society. Recipients were asked to indicate if they would provide ambulatory anesthesia (yes/no answers) for an adult patient with each of those isolated conditions. A 75% agreement was considered a majority opinion. RESULTS: One thousand three hundred thirty-seven questionnaires were sent and 774 replies were received (57.8%). Over 75% of anesthesiologists were willing to include in their selection criteria American Society of Anesthesiologists' (ASA) physical status III, patients with low-grade angina pectoris (AP) and congestive heart failure (CHF), prior myocardial infarction, asymptomatic valvular disease, sleep apnea without use of narcotics, morbid obesity (MO) without co-morbidities, insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and malignant hyperthermia (MH) susceptible patients. Over 75% of responders found ASA IV patients, high grade AP and CHF, sleep apnea with postoperative narcotics, MO with co-morbidities and no patient escort to be unsuitable for ambulatory anesthesia. CONCLUSION: Our survey demonstrated that medical conditions with extreme grades of severity (mild or severe) are associated with majority opinion to proceed or not to proceed with ambulatory surgery. Issues with over 75% agreement reflect the common practice. Similar surveys may form a part of patient selection guidelines development in the future.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Controlled-release codeine is equivalent to acetaminophen plus codeine for post-cholecystectomy analgesia.

PURPOSE: Following ambulatory surgery, long-acting analgesics may provide advantages over short-acting analgesics. This study compared controlled-release codeine (CC) and acetaminophen plus codeine (A/C; 300 mg/30 mg) for pain control in the 48-hr period following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: Eligible patients were randomized to CC or A/C in a double-blind, double-dummy parallel group study. Unrelieved pain in hospital was treated with fentanyl i.v. bolus. Pain [100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS)] was assessed before the first dose of medication; at 0.5, one, two, three, and four hours post-dose; at discharge; and three times a day for 48 hr. Adverse events were recorded and measures of patient satisfaction were assessed at the end of the study. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were enrolled in the study; 42 patients in each group. There were no statistically significant differences between CC and A/C treatment. Mean VAS baseline pain was similar in both groups (P = 0.49) and there was no significant difference in the time to onset of analgesia (P = 0.17). At 0.5 hr, the mean VAS pain score was significantly reduced from baseline in both groups (P = 0.0001). The VAS pain scores at discharge were reduced 59% and 56% from baseline, respectively (P = 0.61). There was no difference between treatments in the incidence of adverse events and patients reported similar levels of satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Controlled-release codeine provides an equivalent onset of analgesia, reduction in postoperative pain, and level of patient satisfaction, to acetaminophen plus codeine, over 48 hr following cholecystectomy, with the advantage of less frequent dosing.

Acetaminophen↗
PubMed2004

Pain management in ambulatory surgery.

Successful ambulatory surgery is dependent on analgesia that is effective, has minimal adverse effects, and can be safely managed by the patient at home after discharge. A number of studies have identified that the provision of effective postoperative analgesia is inadequate for a significant proportion of patients. The following discussion details the current available analgesic options for ambulatory surgery patients and the rationale for their use. Preemptive analgesia should be given to all patients unless there are specific contraindications. Consideration should be given to the use of long-acting oral COX-2 selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and long-acting oral opioids to treat postoperative pain. A standardized multimodal postdischarge analgesic regimen tailored to the patient's expected postoperative pain levels should be prescribed. Patient follow-up by telephone questionnaire will confirm those surgical procedures that result in mild or moderate-to-severe postoperative pain and the effectiveness of treatment plans.

Ambulatory Surgical Procedures↗
PubMed2004

Dose-response relationship between opioid use and adverse effects after ambulatory surgery.

This health outcomes analysis based on data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial determined dose-response relationship between opioid use and related symptoms. All patients received intravenous fentanyl on demand for pain predischarge, and oral acetaminophen 500 mg/hydrocodone 5 mg every 4-6 hours as needed postdischarge for up to 7 days postsurgery. Patients completed an opioid-related Symptom Distress Scale (SDS) questionnaire every 24 hours postdischarge for 7 days, which assessed 12 opioid-related symptoms by 3 ordinal measures: frequency, severity, and bothersomeness. Clinically meaningful events (CMEs) were defined based on the responses to this questionnaire. Opioid use was converted to morphine equivalent dose (MED). The dose-response relationship between composite SDS scores and MED on Day 1, on Days 0 and 1, and on Days 1-4, was assessed. SDS scores for all 12 symptoms within the 3 dimensions were significantly associated with MED on Day 1 (F-value=1.56; P=0.04), as well as cumulative MED used on Days 0 and 1 (F-value=1.85; P<0.01). Patients with a specific CME used a higher MED than those without a CME on Day 1 (P<0.001). Between Days 1 and 4, patients with a higher number of patient-CME-days used a significantly higher MED. Regression analyses suggested that once the MED reached a threshold, approximately every 4 mg increase in MED was related to 1 additional patient-CME-day (P<0.01). A dose-response relationship empirically exists between MED and directly assessed opioid-related CMEs after ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Once daily MED reaches a threshold, every 3-4 mg increase will be associated with 1 additional clinically meaningful opioid-related symptom, or 1 additional patient-day with an opioid-related CME.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Combined topical and intracameral anesthesia in penetrating keratoplasty.

BACKGROUND: The standard of care for penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) is either retrobulbar or peribulbar anesthesia combined with seventh cranial nerve akinesia or general anesthesia. These methods are known to be associated with rare but potentially serious adverse ocular and systemic events. PURPOSE: To determine the safety and efficacy of combined topical and intracameral anesthesia in addition to intravenous sedation for repeat penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). SETTING: Tertiary-care university hospital. METHODS: In this prospective study, combined topical tetracaine 0.5% and 0.2 cc intracameral 1% lidocaine along with i.v. sedation with midazolam and fentanyl were used for patients undergoing repeat PKP in 15 eyes of 15 selected patients. The indication for surgery was failed corneal graft. Verbal pain scale (VPS, 0-3) was recorded preoperatively, intraoperatively at 3 time-points (after trephination, after placing 8 interrupted sutures, and after placing the running suture), and postoperatively (1 hour postoperatively, overnight pain, and 1 day postoperatively). Patient and surgeon satisfaction were assessed postoperatively using a scale (1-5). After surgery patients were asked for their preferences comparing the current use of topical anesthesia compared with retrobulbar anesthesia used for their initial PKP. RESULTS: The mean intraoperative VPS score was 0.51 +/- 0.32 (range 0-1.33), and the mean postoperative VPS score was 0.47 +/- 0.50 (range 0-1.67). There were no serious intraoperative or postoperative complications. All patients reported high mean satisfaction score of 4.67 +/- 0.49 (range 4-5). The mean satisfaction score reported by the surgeon was 4.47 +/- 0.63 (range 3-5). All patients but 1 (93.3%) preferred combined topical over retrobulbar anesthesia, which they had in their previous surgery. CONCLUSIONS: We found combined topical and intracameral anesthesia to be safe and effective in our selected group of patients undergoing repeat PKP, and it may provide a satisfactory alternative anesthetic modality for patients in whom general, retrobulbar, or peribulbar anesthesia may be contraindicated.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Pain management following discharge after ambulatory same-day surgery.

AIM AND BACKGROUND: Same-day surgeries are becoming routine for many surgical procedures. However, the degree to which patients need help with pain management at home following laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), shoulder, or hand ambulatory day surgery has received minimal examination. This study examined pain and related interference, analgesic use and adverse events, complications and resources utilized, and adequacy of postdischarge information at four time periods. METHODS: Data were collected from 180 patients by telephone interviews at 24, 48 and 72 hours, and 7 days after discharge. Patients (n = 78 hand, 48 shoulder, 54 LC surgery) were on average 41 years old. RESULTS: For all patients, worst 24-hour pain was reported as moderate to severe at all time periods. Using repeated measures anova demonstrated that shoulder patients had significantly more pain and overall pain-related interference, particularly in sleep and work, from 24 hours to day 7 than did hand or LC patients. The main analgesic taken was acetaminophen (paracetamol) with codeine 30 mg; 50% took no analgesia from 72 hours. About 20% experienced analgesic adverse events within 72 hours, mainly constipation and nausea. Only </=6% used non-pharmacological strategies. Bleeding (4%) and sore throat (11%) at 24-48 hours were identified as complications; six patients (4%) called their physician. Most patients received no information about analgesic use with inadequate pain relief and/or adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the considerable pain reported across all time periods, analgesic use and other interventions were minimal. Adverse events, which were problematic for some, may explain why patients stopped analgesics despite pain. These data support further research on more effective pain interventions and related education for day-surgery patients after discharge.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Are patients comfortable consenting to clinical anesthesia research trials on the day of surgery?

UNLABELLED: Consent for clinical anesthesia research trials is often sought on the day of surgery when patients are most anxious and have little privacy or time for reflection. We conducted a retrospective survey of patients' perceptions and concerns regarding consent for clinical anesthesia trials on the day of surgery. Questionnaires were mailed to 175 patients who had participated in 1 of 6 negligible- or minimal-risk clinical anesthesia trials within the preceding year. Seventy-six patients responded (43%). Most patients (80%) reported that they understood the purpose of their trial, did not feel obligated (61%) or pressured (67%) to participate, and were satisfied (mean visual analog scale: 71 mm) with the recruitment and consent process on the day of surgery. Few patients (7%) believed that their well-being was put at risk because of their participation in the trial. IMPLICATIONS: This retrospective survey suggests that patient recruitment and consent for negligible- or minimal-risk clinical anesthesia research trials is appropriate when performed on the day of surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

General anesthesia does not impair simulator driving skills in volunteers in the immediate recovery period - a pilot study.

PURPOSE: The current recommendations to refrain from driving for 24 hr after general anesthesia (GA) lack evidence. Our objective was to measure impairment of driving performance at various time intervals after anesthesia using driving impairment at different blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) as a gold standard for comparison. METHODS: Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. A cross-over design, within subject comparison was used. Twelve volunteers were randomized to three treatments: GA, alcohol, and no drug. Psychomotor recovery was assessed by Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and Trieger Dot Test (TDT). On the anesthetic day, GA was induced with propofol 2.5 mg x kg(-1) and fentanyl l micro g x kg(-1) and maintained with N(2)O-O(2) 50:50 and approximately one minimum alveolar concentration of desflurane by spontaneous ventilation for 30 min. Driving simulator test runs occurred at two, three, four, and 24 hr postanesthesia. On the alcohol treatment day, a vodka and orange juice beverage was administered to reach the legal limit for BAC in the province of Ontario, Canada (BAC 0.08%). On the control day, no drug was given. Driving simulator test runs corresponded to the same time of day as the postanesthetic test runs. Two-way analysis of variance for dependent samples (ANOVA) was performed using the SAS program. P values of less than 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in postanesthetic driving skills at two, three, and four hours postanesthesia, and the corresponding control sessions. There was no significant difference among the three sessions with respect to pen and paper tests of psychomotor performance. Performance during the alcohol session differed significantly from that during the control and postanesthetic sessions. CONCLUSION: Certain driving skills return by two hours after one half hour of GA of propofol, desflurane, and fentanyl in a group of young volunteers.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Elimination of routine testing in patients undergoing cataract surgery allows substantial savings in laboratory costs. A brief report.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the possible cost savings when routine preoperative testing is discontinued in ambulatory cataract surgery patients. METHODS: A policy was introduced at our hospital to stop routine testing in ambulatory cataract patients. Consecutive patients' medical records were analyzed in a four-month period pre- and a four-month period post-discontinuation of routine laboratory tests. Ambulatory cataract surgery is performed under topical (and sometimes retrobulbar block) anesthesia with iv sedation. Co-morbidities, perioperative events, frequency and cost of tests ordered were compared for the two groups. Average costs per patient pre- and post-discontinuation of routine tests, and total possible cost savings were calculated. RESULTS: One thousand two hundred and thirty-one patients were studied; 636 had routine laboratory tests and 595 had no routine laboratory tests. The ratios of gender, co-morbidities and perioperative events were similar in the two groups. There was a significant reduction in the number of tests ordered after the new policy was introduced, from 5.8 tests per patient to 0.4 tests per patient. The cost of tests per patient was reduced from Can $39.67 to $4.01. CONCLUSION: In ambulatory cataract surgery, over 90% savings in laboratory costs is possible after elimination of routine tests.

Ambulatory Surgical Procedures↗
PubMed2003

Successful implementation of perioperative beta-blockade utilizing a multidisciplinary approach.

PURPOSE: To describe how we implemented a protocol for perioperative beta-blockade in patients with or at risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing major non-cardiac surgery and to present our results. METHODS: After institutional approval, from May 1999 to April 2001, patients with surgical and medical indications (CAD as indicated by previous myocardial infarction, typical angina or atypical angina with a positive stress test or at least two risk factors for CAD: age 65 yr, hypertension, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes mellitus) for perioperative beta-blockade were identified preoperatively by anesthesiology and referred to the General Internal Medicine Service (MED). MED initiated patients on outpatient beta-blockers. The intraoperative anesthetic management was left to the discretion of the anesthesiologist. In the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), patients received iv metoprolol according to hemodynamic criteria. Postoperatively, patients were followed by MED for adverse cardiac events. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients received perioperative beta-blockade. Preoperatively, 60% were started on metoprolol, 39% on atenolol and 1% on propranolol. In PACU, 42%, 9% and 38% of patients were given iv metoprolol 0, 5 and 10 mg respectively. One patient was given glycopyrrolate in the PACU for bradycardia and none received vasoactive or inotropic agents. Three patients (4.3%) had postoperative cardiac events. CONCLUSIONS: With close collaboration between anesthesiologists, internists, PACU nurses and family physicians, a strategy for perioperative beta-blockade was implemented successfully in patients with cardiac risks. Beta-blockade was associated with few side effects and morbidities.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed2003

Remifentanil with morphine transitional analgesia shortens neurological recovery compared to fentanyl for supratentorial craniotomy.

PURPOSE: To compare the recovery profiles, efficacy and safety of remifentanil and morphine for transitional analgesia with fentanyl in patients undergoing elective craniotomy for supratentorial mass lesions. METHODS: Ninety-one patients were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, multicentre study. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental and remifentanil (1.0 micro g x kg(-1) bolus and a 1 micro g x kg(-1) x min(-1) infusion) or fentanyl (1 micro g x kg(-1) bolus and a 1.0 micro g x kg(-1) x min(-1) infusion). The opioid infusion continued until the level of anesthesia was deemed appropriate for intubation. Anesthesia was maintained with N(2)O/O(2), isoflurane 0.5 MAC and remifentanil 0.2 micro g x kg(-1) x min(-1) or fentanyl 0.04 micro g x kg(-1) x min(-1). At bone flap replacement, either morphine 0.08 mg x kg(-1) (remifentanil group) or saline (fentanyl group) was given. RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure was greater in those receiving fentanyl during induction (145.6 +/-17.5 mmHg vs 128.8 +/-18.3 mmHg; P = 0.006) and intubation (126.9 +/-17.1 vs 110.9 +/-16.5 mmHg; P < 0.001). Median time to tracheal extubation was similar but less variable in the remifentanil group (remifentanil = 8 min: range = 2-44 min; fentanyl = 8 min: range = 1-732 min). The fentanyl patients required a longer time to achieve the first normal neurological score (fentanyl = 38.0 min; remifentanil = 26.0 min; P = 0.035). Both the anesthesiologists and the recovery room nurses rated remifentanil better with respect to level of consciousness. Analgesics were required earlier in patients receiving remifentanil; median time 0.5 vs 1.08 hr, P < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: Remifentanil is a suitable alternative to fentanyl in supratentorial craniotomy. Time to preoperative neurological recovery is faster and morphine provides some transitional analgesia without compromising the quality of recovery.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Pain, nausea, vomiting and ocular complications delay discharge following ambulatory microdiscectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Nowadays, microsurgical discectomy is being performed as an outpatient procedure. A retrospective chart review was done to document factors that delayed discharge or led to unanticipated admission. METHODS: After Institutional Review Board approval, the hospital medical records of 106 patients who underwent microsurgical discectomy on an ambulatory basis were reviewed. All patients were operated upon by a single surgeon at the Toronto Western Hospital. Perioperative data were collected on specifically designed data sheets. All anesthetic and surgical factors that affected discharge were noted. RESULTS: Of the 106 patients reviewed, only six required unanticipated admission. Two patients were admitted due to nausea and vomiting, one due to severe pain, one due to urinary retention and two were surgical causes (dural tear). Eight patients had delayed discharge. Anesthesia causes were severe nausea, severe pain, low oxygen saturation, sore throat and dry eyes. Two patients had surgical causes. The incidence of postoperative nausea was 61% and postoperative vomiting was 9.4%. Eighty patients (75.4%) complained of pain in the postanesthesia care unit. Of these, 33.9% had visual analogue pain scale scores more than 6. CONCLUSION: Ambulatory lumbar microdiscectomy can be carried out as an ambulatory procedure with an acceptably low unanticipated admission rate (5.7%). The percentage of patients with severe nausea (16%) and pain (33.9%) is high. Adequate perioperative pain management and effective control of nausea and vomiting may further improve the patients' experience after anesthesia for ambulatory microdiscectomy.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Postoperative recovery and discharge.

Ambulatory surgery provides quality care that is cost-effective. The use of innovative surgical and anesthetic techniques will allow larger numbers of patients to take advantage of the benefits of undergoing an elective operation on an ambulatory basis. Anesthesiologists will be faced with more complex surgery, which will require careful selection and assessment of patients to ensure continuity of the excellent safety record of ambulatory anesthesia. Minor adverse events, such as pain and PONV, are still common. The occurrence of these minor adverse advents is now the major area of quality assessment and an area where improvement could be targeted. Fast tracking facilitates earlier discharge, but we must ensure this has benefit to the patient as speedy discharge may mask the true incidence of adverse minor symptoms. This can lead to patient dissatisfaction and a poor impression of ambulatory surgery.

Ambulatory Surgical Procedures↗
PubMed2003

Prospective study on incidence and functional impact of transient neurologic symptoms associated with 1% versus 5% hyperbaric lidocaine in short urologic procedures.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to compare the incidence, onset, duration and pain scores of transient neurologic symptoms (TNS) with 1% versus 5% hyperbaric lidocaine in spinal anesthesia for short urological procedures in a large prospective study. This study would also evaluate patient satisfaction, and impact of TNS on functional recovery to assess the clinical significance of TNS. METHODS: This was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial. Four hundred fifty-three patients undergoing short transurethral procedures were randomized to receive 1% or 5% hyperbaric lidocaine. Eighty milligrams of 1% or 5% hyperbaric lidocaine was administered. During the first 3 days after surgery, the presence of TNS, its intensity and duration, and patient functional level were recorded. An intention-to-treat analysis was used. RESULTS: There was no difference in the incidence of TNS (21% vs. 18%) between 1% versus 5% lidocaine. Patients with TNS had significantly higher pain scores (5.3 +/- 3 vs. 2.3 +/- 3) than patients without TNS during the first 24 h. This difference in pain scores persisted until 72 h postoperatively. There was a significant difference in the daily activities functional scores (2.2 +/- 1 vs. 1.4 +/- 0.8) of TNS non-TNS patients during the first 24 h postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in the incidence of TNS between the 1% versus 5% spinal lidocaine groups. Pain scores were higher in patients with TNS than those who did not have TNS. During the first 48 h postop, a small proportion of patients who had TNS experienced functional impairment of walking, sitting, and sleeping.

Acetaminophen↗