Spinal morphine-but not TAP block-improved analgesia after Caesarean section. The addition of TAP block with bupivacaine 2 mg kg(-1) to spinal morphine did not further improve analgesia.

During mechanical ventilation, lung recruitment attenuates injury caused by high VT, improves oxygenation, and may optimize pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). We hypothesized that ventilation without recruitment would induce injury in otherwise healthy lungs. Anesthetized rats were ventilated with conventional mechanical ventilation (VT 8 ml/kg; respiratory frequency 40 per minute) and 21% inspired oxygen, with or without a recruitment strategy consisting of recruitment maneuvers plus positive end-expiratory pressure, in the presence or absence of a laparotomy. Additional experiments examined the impact of atelectasis on right ventricular function using echocardiography, as well as functional residual capacity and PVR. Lack of recruitment resulted in reduced overall survival (59% nonrecruited vs. 100% recruited, p < 0.05), increased microvascular leak, greater impairment of oxygenation and lung compliance, increased PVR, and elevated plasma lactate. Echocardiography demonstrated that right ventricular dysfunction occurred in the absence of recruitment. Finally, samples from nonrecruited lungs demonstrated ultrastructural evidence of microvascular endothelial disruption. Although such effects clearly do not occur with comparable magnitude in the clinical context, the current data suggest novel mechanisms (microvascular leak, right ventricular dysfunction) whereby derecruitment may contribute to development of lung injury and adverse systemic outcome.

I.V. administration of CSL 30 ml kg(-1) to healthy women undergoing day-case gynaecological laparoscopy reduced the incidence of vomiting, nausea and anti-emetic use when compared with CSL 10 ml kg(-1).

Misidentification of the CTM in female patients is common and its localization is less precise in those who are obese. This has implications for the likely success of invasive airway access via the CTM.

P Pu ur rp po os se e: : To examine the effects of iv compound sodium lactate (CSL) with and without caloric supplementation with dextrose on nausea, vomiting and pain following general anesthesia for laparoscopy.

Inadequate airway management may be fatal. There are recommendations for airway difficulties, but the evidence favoring any specific strategy is limited. This study suggests that, in the lateral position, a laryngeal mask airway more rapidly and reliably establishes airway control than attempts at endotracheal intubation. It further suggests that placing a patient with an inadequate airway into the lateral position will hinder, not help, airway management.

BackgroundThe cricothyroid membrane (CTM) is the recommended site of access to the airway during cricothyrotomy to provide emergency oxygenation. We sought to compare the ability of physicians to correctly identify the CTM in male and female patients.MethodsIn a prospective observational study, anaesthetists were asked to locate the CTM by palpation which was then identified using ultrasound and the distance between the actual and estimated margin of the CTM was measured. Participants assessed the ease of CTM palpation using a visual analog scale. In a second series, the angulation of the posterior junction of the thyroid laminae was measured using ultrasound.Results23 anaesthetists and 44 subjects participated. A total of 36 assessments were carried out in each gender. Incorrect identification of the CTM was more common in females (29/36 vs. 11/36, P < 0.001) and the distance from the CTM in the vertical plane was greater (11.0 [6.5–20.0] vs. 0.0 [0.0–10.0] mm, P < 0.001). In females distance from the CTM correlated positively with neck circumference (P = 0.005) and BMI (P = 0.00005) and negatively with subject height (P = 0.01). Posterior thyroid cartilage angulation was greater in females (118.6 ± 9.4° vs. 95.9 ± 12.9°, P = 0.02) and was lower in patients with correctly identified CTMs (100.0 ± 14.9° vs. 115.6 ± 15.9°, P = 0.02). VRS palpation correlated with decreased posterior thyroid cartilage angulation (P = 0.04).ConclusionsCTM localisation is more difficult in female subjects irrespective of body habitus. It may be prudent to localize this structure by additional means (e.g. ultrasound) in advance of any airway manoeuvres or to modify the cricothyrotomy technique in the event that it is necessary in an emergency.

PORC remains a clinical problem despite use of intermediate-duration neuromuscular blocking drugs and peripheral nerve stimulators. Patients undergoing procedures of short duration may be at risk of inappropriately early tracheal extubation, possibly due to work pressures. The association between suboptimal antagonism of neuromuscular blockade and short procedures needs reinforcement during postgraduate training and departmental quality assurance.