Aim of this study was to compare the analgesic effect of tramadol and a combination of tramadol-lidocaine with that produced by lidocaine administration in the epidural space in buffalo calves. In a prospective randomized crossover study, ten male buffalo calves were used to compare the epidural analgesic effect of tramadol (1 mg/kg) and tramadol-lidocaine combination (0.5 mg/kg and 0.11 mg/kg, resp.) with that produced by 2% lidocaine (0.22 mg/kg). Loss of sensation was examined by pin-prick test. Onset time, duration, and degree of analgesia and ataxia were recorded after each treatment. Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature, and haematobiochemical parameters were recorded after all treatments. Time to onset and duration of analgesia, respectively, were as follows: tramadol 11 ± 2 min and 208 ± 15 min; tramadol-lidocaine 6 ± 2 min and 168 ± 9 min; lidocaine 4 ± 1 min and 67 ± 13 min. Onset time and duration were significantly longer with tramadol than the other treatments. Duration was significantly longer with tramadol-lidocaine than lidocaine. Ataxia was mildly observed in tramadol-lidocaine and was moderate in lidocaine. HR, RR, and rectal temperature did not differ significantly from baseline after any treatment. Haematobiochemical parameters returned to basal levels by 24 h after all treatments. This combination might be clinically useful to provide analgesia in buffalo for long-duration surgical procedures.

No abstract

Buffalo calves; epidural analgesia; lidocaine; neostigmine The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of epidural injection of lidocaine alone and lidocaine plus neostigmine for perineal analgesia in buffalo. Caudal epidural analgesia was performed in ten water buffalo calves at the sacrococcygeal extradural space. It was produced in all calves by 2% lidocaine alone (LA) (0.22 mg/kg) and with 2 weeks intervals, repeated by a combination of lidocaineneostigmine (LN) (0.22 mg/kg and 10 µg/kg respectively). Analgesia was tested using deep pin prick stimuli. The time of onset and duration of analgesia, ataxia, heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and rectal temperature (RT) were compared among the two treatments. These parameters were determined before drug administration (baseline 0), at 10 minute intervals thereafter. haemato-biochemical parameters such as haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV%), total leukocyte count (TLC), total erythrocytes count (TEC), alanine aminotrans-ferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and blood glucose were determined. Both treatments resulted in complete analgesia of the tail, perineum, and the upper parts of the hind limbs. The onset of analgesia was faster, but not significant in LN group compared with LA group. The duration of epidural analgesia was significantly longer in LN group than in the LA group. Both treatments produced mild or moderate motor block. There was no significant alteration in HR, RR, and RT in both treatments. The haematological parameters decreased in all the groups. The biochemical parameters like ALT, ALP, BUN and glucose increased in all the animals. All haemato-biochemical parameters return to baseline levels at 24h. No adverse effects were observed in any of the buffaloe calves. In conclusion, the combination of LN produced analgesia of longer duration than LA. This combination would appear to be recommended for single-dose epidural administration in buffalo calves undergoing long surgical procedures in the perineal region.

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Over a 6-month period 89 patients with epileptic seizures were systematically examined by EEGs and CT. Forty-two percent of all cases showed pathological findings in CT compared to 89% with abnormal EEGs. CT is very useful in identifying organic lesions in the epileptic patient. CT identified 11 cases of supratentorial tumour which were correctly localized by EEG. In patients with seizures after trauma or encephalitis the EEG abnormalities were more than could be detected by CT. The EEG and CT findings in cerebrovascular disorders, alcoholism and other diseases are discussed. A remarkable result is the relatively high percentage of hydrocephalus (23%) in the group of cryptogenic epilepsy. Positive EEG findings as to epilepsy could be seen in 62% of the cases.