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Biomedical subjects

H Kehlet

Publications and source records attributed to H Kehlet.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

Differential analgesic effects of low-dose epidural morphine and morphine-bupivacaine at rest and during mobilization after major abdominal surgery.

In a double-blind, randomized study, epidural infusions of low-dose morphine (0.2 mg/h) combined with low-dose bupivacaine (10 mg/h) were compared with epidural infusions of low-dose morphine (0.2 mg/h) alone for postoperative analgesia at rest and during mobilization and cough in 24 patients after elective major abdominal surgery. All patients in addition received systemic piroxicam (20 mg daily). No significant differences were observed between the groups at any assessment of pain at rest (P greater than 0.05), whereas pain in the morphine/bupivacaine group was significantly reduced during mobilization from the supine into the sitting position 12 and 30 h after surgical incision and during cough 8, 12, and 30 h after surgical incision (P less than 0.05). We conclude, that low-dose epidural bupivacaine potentiates postoperative low-dose epidural morphine analgesia during mobilization and cough. Evaluation of postoperative analgesic regimens should include assessment of pain during various activities as different analgesics may have differential effects on pain at rest and during mobilization.

Abdomen↗

Systemic piroxicam as an adjunct to combined epidural bupivacaine and morphine for postoperative pain relief--a double-blind study.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we assessed the value of adding rectal piroxicam to a low-dose epidural regimen for postoperative pain relief. Forty-four patients scheduled for major upper abdominal surgery during combined thoracic epidural (bupivacaine + morphine) and general anesthesia were studied. Postoperative analgesia was achieved by using epidural bupivacaine (10 mg/h) plus morphine (0.2 mg/h) for 72 h. In addition, the patients randomly received a placebo or rectal piroxicam (40 mg 12 h before surgery, 20 mg with premedication, and 20 mg every 24 h for 72 h). Pain was evaluated every 4 h at rest, during coughing on demand, and during mobilization. The sensory level of analgesia was evaluated by pinprick. We found no significant difference between piroxicam and placebo with regard to postoperative pain scores or need for supplementary analgesics. Thus, we were unable to demonstrate enhanced analgesia by adding piroxicam to an otherwise very effective low-dose epidural bupivacaine and morphine treatment after upper abdominal surgery.

Abdomen↗

Epidural clonidine enhances postoperative analgesia from a combined low-dose epidural bupivacaine and morphine regimen.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the value of adding clonidine to a low-dose epidural regimen for postoperative pain treatment was assessed. Twenty-four patients scheduled for hysterectomy during combined thoracic epidural (bupivacaine and morphine) and general anesthesia were studied. Postoperative analgesia consisted of epidural bupivacaine (5 mg/h) and morphine (0.1 mg/h) for 12 h. In addition, the patients randomly received clonidine (75 micrograms), followed by an infusion of 18.75 micrograms/h or saline solution (placebo) epidurally. Pain was evaluated at rest, during cough, and during mobilization every hour. Sensory level of analgesia was evaluated by pinprick. We found no significant difference in pain scores at rest between the clonidine and placebo groups but an enhanced analgesic effect by clonidine during cough and mobilization (P less than 0.05). Arterial blood pressure decreased significantly during clonidine infusion and remained lower than in the control group throughout the study. We conclude that a continuous low-dose epidural clonidine infusion enhances analgesia from a combined low-dose epidural bupivacaine and morphine regimen after hysterectomy; however, the concomitant decrease in arterial blood pressure during epidural clonidine deserves further study before such a regimen can be recommended.

Adult↗

Are perioperative nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ulcerogenic in the short term?

It is well documented that long term treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increases the risk of peptic ulcer and that gastroduodenal mucosal erosions can be demonstrated in volunteers within 1 week of treatment initiation. However, long term studies in nonsurgical patients have not documented gastroduodenal complications within the first week of treatment. Cumulative data from controlled studies of perioperative (> or = 48 hours and < or = 7 days) treatment with NSAIDs do not suggest an increased risk of gastroduodenal complications (such as bleeding/perforation) within this time frame. We conclude that the otherwise well documented gastrointestinal side effects of prolonged treatment with NSAIDs should not hinder short term NSAID treatment for improved analgesia after surgery.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗

Hormonal and neural blockade prevents the postoperative increase in amino acid clearance and urea synthesis.

The combined effect of continuous blockade of glucagon and cortisol by somatostatin and etomidate and thoracic epidural analgesia on hepatic conversion of amino nitrogen was studied in eight patients who underwent elective cholecystectomy on day 1 after operation and was compared with 16 patients who underwent operation without blockade. Surgery increased the plasma clearance of total alpha-amino nitrogen from 5.2 +/- 0.3 to 6.6 +/- 0.3 ml/sec (mean +/- sem; p less than 0.05). This increase was due to increased elimination by the liver, because the hepatic effectiveness for amino nitrogen conversion measured by the functional hepatic nitrogen clearance increased from 9 +/- 2 to 16 +/- 4 ml/sec (p less than 0.05). In contrast, during the combined neural and hormonal blockade, surgery decreased the plasma clearance of amino nitrogen from 5.3 +/- 0.3 to 3.9 +/- 0.3 ml/sec (p less than 0.05), and the blockade prevented the postoperative increase in functional hepatic nitrogen clearance. The results suggest that glucagon, cortisol, and afferent neural reflexes are mediators of the hepatic contribution to catabolism after operation.

3-Hydroxybutyric Acid↗

Influence of local anaesthesia and local hypothermia on leucocyte, temperature, and transferrin response to surgery.

Leucocyte counts, rectal temperature, P-cortisol, P-glucose, P-transferrin, P-orosomucoid, P-IgM and hematocrit were investigated in 24 men undergoing inguinal herniotomy. The patients were randomised to epidural analgesia (n = 8), local infiltration anaesthesia (n = 8) or local infiltration anaesthesia plus local wound hypothermia with ice bags (n = 8). The rectal temperature rose (p less than 0.01) in patients randomised to epidural analgesia but not in the other groups. However, blood granulocyte and acute phase protein changes were similar in all groups. The neural blockade was sufficient in all patients as judged by lack of increase in P-cortisol and P-glucose. Thus, local infiltration anaesthesia and wound hypothermia could not prevent the inflammatory response to small clean surgery.

Adult↗

Ranitidine improves postoperative suppression of antibody response to preoperative vaccination.

The effect of the histamine-2 receptor antagonist ranitidine (100 mg intravenously every 12 hours for 72 hours) on postoperative serum antibody responses to preoperative immunization with six limit of flocculation tetanus toxoid and six limit of flocculation diphtheria toxoid was assessed in a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study in 26 patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. The preoperative antitetanus antibody level was less than 0.1 IU/ml in all patients, and they were inoculated with both antigens 48 hours before surgery. Serum samples for analysis of antitetanus toxoid and antidiphtheria toxoid were drawn before skin incision and on postoperative days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28. Ranitidine significantly increased the postoperative antibody response to tetanus toxoid, (p less than 0.01) and insignificantly increased that to diphtheria toxoid vaccination (p less than 0.2) compared with placebo.

Adult↗

[Minicholecystectomy].

Mini-cholecystomectomy was performed in 24 unselected patients with symptomatic gallbladder stones with pain control by intra- and postoperative epidural analgesia. Twenty three patients were discharged on the second postoperative day, while one patient who required re-laparotomy for haemostasis had recovered completely on the third day postoperatively. Median pain score (VAS) was 0 at rest, during coughing and mobilisation. Pulmonary function was not influenced significantly and postoperative fatigue normalized after 48 hours. These preliminary, uncontrolled observations suggest that mini-cholecystectomy is advantageous compared to conventional cholecystectomy, and may represent an alternative to laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Adult↗

[Percutaneous cholecystolithotripsy].

Thirty-two high-risk patients with severe complicating conditions and gall bladder symptoms requiring treatment, including acute cholecystitis in 28 of the patients, were treated with percutaneous cholecystolithotripsy (PTCL). This intervention was carried out under general, regional or local anaesthesia and resulted in fragmentation and removal of the stones in 90% of the patients. Cholecystectomy proved necessary in three patients on account of perforation in two and formation of "steinstrasse" in the cystic duct in one. No other complications of puncture or lithotripsy occurred and the postlithotripsy drainage time was, on the average, ten days. It is concluded that the PTCL technique is a realistic therapeutic offer to high-risk patients with gall bladder stones requiring treatment and in whom laparoscopic cholecystectomy or mini-cholecystectomy are not considered suitable.

Aged↗

[Endoscopic percutaneous transhepatic cholelithotripsy in the treatment of complicated stones in the deep biliary tracts].

The results of endoscopic percutaneous transhepatic cholelithotripsy in seven patients with stones in the deep biliary passages which could not be treated by endoscopic papillotomy (EST) or extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) are presented. A new dilator technique combined with mechanical or laser-lithotripsy was employed. All of the patients were relieved of the stones after uncomplicated course. It is concluded that endoscopic percutaneous cholelithotripsy which can be carried out under local anaesthesia, should be offered to patients with stones in the deep biliary passages which are not accessible to conventional treatment with EST or ESWL.

Aged↗

[Late postoperative hypoxemia].

Arterial hypoxaemia may be observed several days after an uncomplicated major surgical operation and may be of constant or episodic nature. Late postoperative constant hypoxaemia is mainly due to reduced pulmonary volume on account of reduced diaphragmatic function. The cause of late postoperative episodic hypoxaemia is probably opioid-induced alterations in regulation of respiration and alterations in sleep on account of pain and stress which cause intermittent hypoventilation and central and/or obstructive apnoea. The clinical significance of late postoperative hypoxaemia is not yet fully elucidated. The data available suggest, however, that it may be a contributory factor in the development of cardiac, cerebral and wound complications. The pathogenesis should, therefore, be elucidated and rational therapeutic principles against late postoperative hypoxaemia should receive higher priority.

Humans↗

[Pelvic floor reconstruction with a Prolene net in enterocele].

Nine women, all of whom were multiparae with large symptom-producing enteroceles and all of whom had been submitted to operation by other methods without permanent effect, were submitted to total pelvic floor reconstruction with non-absorbable mesh. No complications of this intervention were observed and the discomfort due to enterocele disappeared in all of the patients during the follow-up period which averaged 11 months (range 1-24 months). The method is recommended in the treatment of large enteroceles where other forms of surgical treatment have failed.

Aged↗

[Extracorporeal shockwave crushing of gallstones. Preliminary report].

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) was used for treatment of symptomatic x-ray negative stones in 23 patients. The number of ESWL sessions per patient was 1.8 (range 1-4). In 18 patients (78%), adequate fragmentation was seen comparable to results obtained elsewhere. Oral bile acid therapy was used after ESWL in the 18 patients mentioned and the mean follow-up period was five months (range 3-8 months). Four patients had by now passed all stones while 12 patients still had remaining stone fragments and one patient a gallstone. After ESWL, one patient was and one patient a gallstone. After ESWL, one patient was referred for cholecystectomy at his own request. Of the remaining five patients, cholecystectomy was performed in two and was scheduled for in three. Complications after ESWL were seen in two patients who developed acute pancreatitis. Thus, our preliminary experience shows that ESWL resulted in fragmentation and passing of gallbladder stones, but not without complications. Like the gallstone groups in Lyon, Montreal and Munich we are convinced that ESWL should be performed in accordance with prospectively designed protocols in order to establish optimal planning of indications and strategies for future treatment.

Adult↗

[Percutaneous cholecystostomy and laser lithotripsy].

A case of acute cholecystitis in a high risk patient was treated in the acute phase with cholecystostomy guided by ultrasound and with introduction of a pig-tail catheter for drainage. Later, percutaneous laser lithotripsy was undertaken via a flexible choledochoscope. The recent percutaneous therapeutic principles and the possibilities in biliary calculous disease are reviewed.

Acute Disease↗