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Biomedical subjects

J M Neal

Publications and source records attributed to J M Neal.

49 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Procaine compared with lidocaine for incidence of transient neurologic symptoms.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Transient neurologic symptoms (TNS) have been reported to occur after 16% to 40% of ambulatory lidocaine spinal anesthetics. Patient discomfort and the possibility of underlying lidocaine neurotoxicity have prompted a search for alternative local anesthetic agents. We compared the incidence of TNS with procaine or lidocaine spinal anesthesia in a 2:1 dose ratio. METHODS: Seventy outpatients undergoing knee arthroscopy were blindly randomized to receive either 100 mg hyperbaric procaine or 50 mg hyperbaric lidocaine. An interview by a blinded investigator established the presence or absence of TNS, defined as pain in the buttocks or lower extremities beginning within 24 hours of surgery. Onset of sensory and motor block, patient discomfort, supplemental anesthetics, and side effects were recorded by the unblinded managing anesthesia team. Anesthetic adequacy was determined from these data by a single blinded investigator. Hospital discharge time was recorded from the patient record. Groups were compared using appropriate statistics with a P < .05 considered significant. RESULTS: TNS occurred in 6% of procaine patients versus 31% of lidocaine patients (P = .007). Sensory block with procaine and lidocaine was similar, while motor block was decreased with procaine (P < .05). A trend toward a higher rate of block inadequacy (17% v 3%, P = .11) and intraoperative nausea (17% v 3%, P = .11) occurred with procaine. Average hospital discharge time with procaine was increased by 29 minutes (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of TNS was substantially lower with procaine than with lidocaine. However, procaine resulted in a lower overall quality of anesthesia and a prolonged average discharge time. If the shortfalls of procaine as studied can be overcome, it may provide a suitable alternative to lidocaine for outpatient spinal anesthesia to minimize the risk of TNS.

Ambulatory Surgical Procedures↗
PubMedDate not supplied

2-Chloroprocaine and bupivacaine are unreliable indicators of intravascular injection in the premedicated patient.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Epinephrine-containing test doses for detection of intravascular injection during epidural anesthesia may be unreliable or hazardous in beta-blocked, elderly, or pregnant patients. Subtoxic injections of lidocaine have been used as an alternative marker of intravascular injection in unpremedicated patients. We studied two groups of premedicated patients and unpremedicated subjects to evaluate the reliability of the local anesthetics bupivacaine (B) and 2-chloroprocaine (2-CP) as test dose injections. METHODS: Thirty ASA I and II subjects received blinded randomized injections of 2-CP, B, or normal saline via a peripheral vein. RESULTS: In group I, 10 healthy unpremedicated volunteers universally recognized injection of 90 mg 2-CP or 25 mg B, but did not reliably detect the injection of 60 mg 2-CP. In group II, 20 patients premedicated with 1 microg/kg fentanyl and 30 microg/kg midazolam could not reliably detect similar injections. Sixteen responded to the injection of 90 mg 2-CP, while 13 detected the 25 mg B test dose. A blinded observer rated only 12 of the subjective reports as conclusive of detection of intravascular injection after each drug. There were no false-positive reports in any group. CONCLUSIONS: While 90 mg 2-CP or 25 mg B may be reliable alternatives to epinephrine test doses in unpremedicated subjects, they are unreliable indicators of intravascular injection in the premedicated patient.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hospital discharge after ambulatory knee arthroscopy: A comparison of epidural 2-chloroprocaine versus lidocaine.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This prospective, randomized, double-blind study compares the efficacy of epidural 2-chloroprocaine and lidocaine for attaining hospital discharge criteria after ambulatory knee arthroscopy. We hypothesized that 2-chloroprocaine would facilitate earlier discharge than lidocaine. METHODS: American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I and II patients were randomized to receive equipotent doses of epidural 3% 2-chloroprocaine or 1.5% lidocaine, both without epinephrine. Time to block resolution and discharge were compared between groups, along with the need for epidural reinjection, surgical times, and postoperative back pain. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients completed the study, 13 in the 2-chloroprocaine group and 14 in the lidocaine group. The 2-chloroprocaine group was ready for discharge significantly earlier than the lidocaine group (130 +/- 17 min [range, 105 to 160] v 191 +/- 32 min [range 144 to 251]; P <.0001, 90% power). The lidocaine group required more epidural reinjections. Anesthesia-related side effects were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Epidural 3% 2-chloroprocaine without epinephrine is an advantageous choice for ambulatory knee arthroscopy. It enables readiness for discharge an hour sooner than 1.5% lidocaine, requires fewer reinjection interventions, and may reduce delayed discharge secondary to prolonged time to void. This clinical study shows the superiority of epidural 3% 2-chloroprocaine over 1.5% lidocaine for expediting hospital discharge after ambulatory surgery.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Recurrent acute primary hyperparathyroidism in an adult male patient.

OBJECTIVE: To report the occurrence of recurrent acute primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT), a rare disorder that occurs in only 1 to 2% of patients with primary HPT. METHODS: We describe a patient who had two separate episodes of acute primary HPT and discuss the appropriate treatment of parathyroid crisis. RESULTS: In 1990, primary HPT developed in a 41-year-old man, who underwent surgical removal of a parathyroid adenoma. He remained normocalcemic until 1995, when acute primary HPT developed after lithium therapy was initiated because of depression. Calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels declined after lithium therapy was discontinued, but they remained slightly above the normal range. Nine months later, he was rehospitalized with acute primary HPT. After stabilization, a second parathyroid adenoma was successfully resected, and calcium and PTH levels subsequently remained normal. In this disorder, levels of PTH are increased up to 20 times normal, and the clinical manifestations are similar to parathyroid carcinoma. Treatment involves rehydration, antiresorptive agents, and parathyroidectomy. Our patient initially was thought to have lithium-induced primary HPT, which can occur in up to 10% of patients on long-term lithium therapy. The mechanism is unknown but may be an alteration of the calcium-PTH "set-point." CONCLUSION: Patients with asymptomatic primary HPT should have close follow-up because of the risk of development of acute primary HPT. Patients at risk, such as those with immobilization or severe illness, should be identified. Drugs known to interfere with calcium metabolism (for example, lithium) should be avoided in patients with primary HPT.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Euthyroid pretibial myxedema.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of biopsy-proven pretibial myxedema in a man with normal thyroid function. METHODS: We present the pertinent clinical and laboratory data for the current case and review previously published information on pretibial myxedema. RESULTS: Our patient, a 53-year-old man, had the characteristic lesions of pretibial myxedema on the anterolateral aspects of his calves. Laboratory tests showed normal thyroid function. The thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin value was above normal. No exophthalmos or goiter was present. This uncommon dermopathy is typically associated with Graves' disease, accompanied by clinical hyperthyroidism, ophthalmopathy, and goiter. CONCLUSION: The pathogenesis of pretibial myxedema remains elusive. It is presumed to be an autoimmune phenomenon attributable to the presence of serum thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin, although immunofluorescence studies have failed to demonstrate a direct role for such an immunoglobulin. Only two other cases of biopsy-proven pretibial myxedema in a euthyroid patient were found in the literature.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Successful pregnancy in a woman with acromegaly treated with octreotide.

OBJECTIVE: To report a successful pregnancy in a 43-year-old woman with acromegaly and treatment during pregnancy with the somatostatin analogue octreotide, to review the physiologic aspects of acromegaly during pregnancy, and to discuss treatment options. METHODS: A case report is presented, and the current literature is reviewed. RESULTS: In a 40-year-old woman with acromegaly and secondary amenorrhea, menstrual periods resumed after treatment with octreotide. At age 43 years, she became pregnant and decided to continue octreotide therapy because of the relatively large size of the tumor and severe headaches when use of the medication was discontinued. Growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I levels remained normal throughout pregnancy, and a normal full-term infant was born. Several months after delivery, severe cholecystitis developed, and the patient underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. CONCLUSIONS: This case report describes the oldest documented woman with acromegaly who has completed a pregnancy and only the second patient treated with octreotide for the entire pregnancy. During a normal pregnancy, placental growth hormone suppresses pituitary growth hormone secretion; in patients with acromegaly, pituitary growth hormone secretion remains autonomous. Treatment of acromegaly with octreotide, bromocriptine, irradiation, or surgical intervention may restore menses and fertility to women of reproductive age. Bromocriptine has been used throughout pregnancy without teratogenic effects in many patients. Octreotide has been used during the first trimester of pregnancy in seven other women with acromegaly (throughout pregnancy in one of those patients) and for the entire pregnancy in one woman with a thyrotropin-secreting pituitary tumor; no adverse effects were noted. Lanreotide was also used in one patient briefly during the first trimester without adverse consequences. Although the outcomes of the current and previous pregnancies have been favorable, insufficient data are available to recommend the routine use of octreotide in all pregnant women with acromegaly.

Acromegaly↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The regional anesthesia "learning curve". What is the minimum number of epidural and spinal blocks to reach consistency?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Wide variability exists in the amount of regional anesthesia practice to which residents are exposed during training. The number of attempts at various blocks before a trainee becomes proficient at performing these regional anesthetic techniques is not known. This study addresses the question: What is the minimum number of blocks a resident must perform to reach consistency during training in these techniques? METHODS: Every regional anesthetic technique attempted by all beginning CA-1 anesthesiology residents (n = 7) during their first 6 months of training (July 1993 to December 1993) were recorded on a daily basis. Nonregional anesthetic techniques attempted were recorded for comparison. The objective measures used to define the degree of success were obtaining cerebrospinal fluid during attempted spinal anesthesia, subsequent anesthetic block during epidural placement, and detection of end-tidal carbon dioxide for endotracheal intubation. RESULTS: An average of 77 +/- 9 epidural anesthetics, 44 +/- 6 spinal anesthetics, and 86 +/- 13 endotracheal intubations were attempted during the 6 months of training. The learning curves for each technique are of similar shape. Residents show significant (P < .05) improvement over baseline after 20 spinal and 25 epidural anesthetics, but a 90% success rate is not reached and maintained until 45 spinal and 60 epidural anesthetics are performed. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 20-25 procedures each are necessary before improvement in the techniques of spinal and epidural anesthesia is demonstrated by residents in training. If a 90% success rate is desired, 45 and 60 attempts at spinal and epidural anesthesia, respectively, may be necessary.

Anesthesia, Conduction↗