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Biomedical subjects

Neil A Chambers

Publications and source records attributed to Neil A Chambers.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Tramadol vs morphine during adenotonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnea in children.

BACKGROUND: Optimal analgesia for children undergoing adenotonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is controversial. Tramadol may represent a superior choice over morphine in this group, with a potential to cause less postoperative sedation and respiratory depression. Optimal perioperative analgesia may allow expensive and time-consuming preoperative work-up and postoperative monitoring to be rationalized. METHODS: Sixty-six children were randomized to receive either perioperative tramadol or morphine in this double blinded, prospective, controlled trial. Postoperative sedation, pain, respiratory events, and vomiting were then compared between groups. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the two groups in sedation scores 1 h after arrival in recovery (P = 0.24) or at any other time up to 6 h postoperation. There was also no evidence of a difference between the groups in pain scores up to 6 h postoperation. There were fewer episodes of postoperative desaturation (<94%) in the tramadol group up to 3 h postoperation, with 26% fewer episodes in the tramadol group during the second hour postoperation (P = 0.02). Overall, there was a trend toward fewer desaturation episodes in the tramadol group. CONCLUSIONS: Tramadol may be a suitable drug for children undergoing adenotonsillectomy for OSA. Further work is required to investigate this.

Adenoidectomy↗

Airway management of three cases of congenital cervical teratoma.

Cervical teratomas are rare congenital tumors derived from all three germ cell layers. The vast majority are histologically benign, but the significant size they may attain can potentiate life-threatening upper airway obstruction. All cases require the specialist airway skills of the pediatric anesthetist. This may be planned, in the case of antenatally diagnosed lesions, when the pediatric anesthetist is part of a multidisciplinary team involved in an EX utero Intrapartum Treatment (EXIT) or Operation On Placental Support (OOPS) procedure, or when a neonate is undergoing elective excision in the early neonatal period as definitive treatment. Alternatively the anesthetist may be called upon urgently to secure a compromised airway immediately postpartum when no antenatal diagnosis has been made. Furthermore, after elective surgical excision, airway compromise is possible, which may again require anesthetic intervention. The aim of this study is to report the authors' experience in managing the airway in three cases of congenital cervical teratoma in the study institution over the last 24 months. These cases highlight the possible airway scenarios that may confront the anesthetist in the immediate postpartum, elective surgery and postoperative stages and the variety of techniques that may be employed in order to overcome the potential difficulties encountered.

Adult↗

Anesthesia in a child with newly diagnosed Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

We report the initial resuscitation and subsequent management of a child with newly diagnosed Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), which presented as an out of hospital cardiac arrest. HCM is an autosomal dominant condition that is uncommonly encountered in the pediatric setting and is an important cause of sudden death. Here, we describe the safe use of an anesthetic technique for insertion of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator that ensured strict hemodynamic stability and modest bradycardia.

Anesthesia↗

Can Bispectral Index aid laryngeal mask placement in children?

BACKGROUND: Laryngeal mask airway (LMA) placement requires an adequate depth of anesthesia to prevent patient movement and adverse airway responses. Patient movement, coughing, stridor or laryngospasm at LMA placement may result in transient hypoxia, injury to the patient and prolong time spent in the anesthetic room. The Bispectral Index Score (BIS) is a relatively new tool that has not yet established its place in routine clinical pediatric anesthesia practice. One potential use may be to predict an adequate depth of anesthesia for successful intraoperative interventions such as LMA placement in children. METHODS: A total of 116 children aged between 1 and 16 years due to have an LMA placed under general anesthesia were enrolled into this prospective, blinded observational study. Complication or success of LMA placement was then analyzed in relation to the BIS value at the time of placement. Other clinical variables were also considered. RESULTS: The difference in BIS values in children with complicated compared with successful LMA placement was small and BIS therefore appears not to be a reliable predictor for either. Inexperience of the anesthetist and a history of recent upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) may be better indicators for complications. CONCLUSIONS: Bispectral Index Score appears, from this study, not to be a useful tool to help predict complications of LMA placement or to help reduce airway complications during LMA placement. Other markers may be more useful predictors of adverse airway events.

Adolescent↗