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Biomedical subjects

L Broadman

Publications and source records attributed to L Broadman.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

A comparison between bupivacaine instillation versus ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve block for postoperative analgesia following inguinal herniorrhaphy in children.

This study compared the postoperative pain relief provided by simple instillation of bupivacaine into a hernia wound with that provided by ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric (IG/IH) nerve block. Sixty children undergoing inguinal hernia repair under general anesthesia were randomized to receive 0.25 ml/kg of 0.25% bupivacaine for either IG/IH nerve block or up to 0.5 ml/kg of the same solution for instillation nerve blocks. In the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), a trained blinded observer evaluated the patient's level of postoperative pain using a standardized 10-point objective pain scale. Fentanyl 1-2 micrograms/kg was administered intravenously to any child scoring 6 or more points on the pain scale. The difference in pain scores among the two groups were compared. The two groups were not significantly different in age, duration of surgery, or anesthesia. There was no significant difference between patients who received the two treatment modalities in their pain scores, analgesic requirements in the PACU, recovery times, and discharge times. These results demonstrate that the simple instillation of local anesthetics into a wound provides postoperative pain relief following hernia repair, which is as effective as that provided by intraoperative IG/IH nerve block.

Anesthesia, Local

Partial splenic ablation in preparation for renal transplantation in children.

Patients with end-stage renal disease who develop hypersplenism, patients with mild neutropenia, and those patients whose WBC fails to increase in response to cortisol administration will develop significant neutropenia following transplantation with routine doses of azathioprine. This "intolerance" of azathioprine mandates a reduction in the dose of azathioprine often resulting in allograft rejection. Splenectomy will prevent azathioprine-induced neutropenia, but the hazards of splenectomy in these immunosuppressed patients have led to attempts to salvage at least part of the spleen. Partial splenic ablation by embolization has been utilized in adults prior to transplantation to prevent azathioprine-induced neutropenia while preserving the spleen's protective mechanisms against infection. Eight children in our series of transplant candidates required a reduction of splenic function to prevent azathioprine induced neutropenia. One child had a functioning renal allograft but had recurrent neutropenia limiting the azathioprine dose. Partial splenic embolization was attempted in four children and was initially successful in two. Both patients later developed recurrent neutropenia and needed partial splenectomy. The two patients in whom partial splenic embolization was unsuccessful and five further patients in whom embolization was not attempted also underwent partial splenectomy. Approximately 75% to 80% of the spleen was resected. Six children have since undergone renal transplantation and one child had a transplant with chronic rejection at the time of partial splenectomy. Routine doses of azathioprine have been used in these children with no episodes of neutropenia or sepsis observed. We recommend partial splenectomy in those children requiring renal transplantation who are at risk for development of azathioprine induced neutropenia.

Azathioprine