Rationale: Treatment with noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is frequent. Shortage of intensive care unit (ICU) beds led clinicians to deliver NIV also outside ICUs. Data about the use of NIV in COVID-19 is limited. Objectives: To describe the prevalence and clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 treated with NIV outside the ICUs. To investigate the factors associated with NIV failure (need for intubation or death). Methods: In this prospective, single-day observational study, we enrolled adult patients with COVID-19 who were treated with NIV outside the ICU from 31 hospitals in Lombardy, Italy. Results: We collected data on demographic and clinical characteristics, ventilatory management, and patient outcomes. Of 8,753 patients with COVID-19 present in the hospitals on the study day, 909 (10%) were receiving NIV outside the ICU. A majority of patients (778/909; 85%) patients were treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which was delivered by helmet in 617 (68%) patients. NIV failed in 300 patients (37.6%), whereas 498 (62.4%) patients were discharged alive without intubation. Overall mortality was 25%. NIV failure occurred in 152/284 (53%) patients with an arterial oxygen pressure (Pa O 2 )/fraction of inspired oxygen (F i O 2 ) ratio <150 mm Hg. Higher C-reactive protein and lower Pa O 2 /F i O 2 and platelet counts were independently associated with increased risk of NIV failure. Conclusions: The use of NIV outside the ICUs was common in COVID-19, with a predominant use of helmet CPAP, with a rate of success >60% and close to 75% in full-treatment patients. C-reactive protein, Pa O 2 /F i O 2 , and platelet counts were independently associated with increased risk of NIV failure. Clinical trial registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04382235).

To compare unilateral spinal block produced with small doses of hyperbaric ropivacaine with that produced by 2 doses of hyperbaric levobupivacaine, we randomly allocated 91 ASA physical status I-II outpatients undergoing knee arthroscopy to receive unilateral spinal anesthesia with 7.5 mg of hyperbaric ropivacaine 0.5% (group Ropi-7.5, n = 31) or either 7.5 mg (group Levo-7.5, n = 30) or 5 mg (group Levo-5, n = 30) of hyperbaric levobupivacaine 0.5%. Spinal anesthesia was performed at the L3-4 interspace using a 25-gauge Whitacre spinal needle. The lateral decubitus position was maintained for 15 min after injection. Strictly unilateral sensory block was present in 73%, 50%, and 61% of cases in groups Ropi-7.5, Levo-7.5, and Levo-5, respectively, 30 min after injection (P = 0.40), and unilateral motor block was observed in 94%, 93%, and 83% in groups Ropi-7.5, Levo-7.5, and Levo-5, respectively (P = 0.31). One patient of group Ropi-7.5 required general anesthesia to complete surgery, and fentanyl supplementation was required in one patient of group Ropi-7.5 (3%) and one patient of group Levo-5 (3%) (P = 0.42). The median (range) time for spinal block resolution was shorter in group Ropi-7.5 (135 [126-154] min] than in group Levo-7.5 (162 [148-201] min) (P = 0.04); whereas home discharge was shorter in groups Ropi-7.5 (197 [177-218] min) and Levo-5 (197 [187-251] min) as compared with group Levo-7.5 (238 [219-277] min) (P = 0.02 and P = 0.04, respectively). We conclude that 7.5 mg of 0.5% hyperbaric ropivacaine and 5 mg of 0.5% hyperbaric levobupivacaine provide adequate spinal block for outpatient knee arthroscopy, with a faster home discharge as compared with 7.5 mg of 0.5% hyperbaric levobupivacaine.

This prospective, randomized, double-blinded study demonstrated that, when providing combined sciatic-femoral nerve block for hallux valgus repair, the addition of 1 microg/kg clonidine to 0.75% ropivacaine prolongs the duration of postoperative analgesia by 3 h, with only a slight and short-lived increase in the degree of sedation and no hemodynamic adverse effects.

BACKGROUNDPerioperative regional anaesthesia may protect from persistent postsurgical pain (PPSP) and improve outcome after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).OBJECTIVESAim of this study was to evaluate the impact of regional anaesthesia on PPSP and long-term functional outcome after TKA.DESIGNA web-based prospective observational registry.SETTINGFive Italian Private and University Hospitals from 2012 to 2015.PATIENTSUndergoing primary unilateral TKA, aged more than 18 years, informed consent, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classes 1 to 3, no previous knee surgery.INTERVENTION(S)Personal data (age, sex, BMI and ASA class), preoperative pain assessed by numerical rating scale (NRS) score, and risk factors for PPSP were registered preoperatively. Data on anaesthetic and analgesic techniques were collected. Postoperative pain (NRS), analgesic consumption, major complications and patient satisfaction were registered up to the time of discharge. PPSP was assessed by a blinded investigator during a phone call after 1, 3 and 6 months, together with patient satisfaction, quality of life (QOL) and walking ability.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURESExperience of PPSP according to the type of peri-operative analgesia.RESULTSFive hundred sixty-three patients completed the follow-up. At 6 months, 21.6% of patients experienced PPSP, whereas autonomy was improved only in 56.3%; QOL was worsened or unchanged in 30.7% of patients and improved in 69.3%. Patients receiving continuous regional anaesthesia (epidural or peripheral nerve block) showed a lower NRS through the whole peri-operative period up to 1 month compared with both single shot peripheral nerve block and those who did not receive any type of regional anaesthesia. No difference was found between these latter two groups. Differences in PPSP at 3 or 6 months were not significantly affected by the type of anaesthesia or postoperative analgesia. A higher NRS score at 1 month, younger age, history of anxiety or depression, pro-inflammatory status, higher BMI and a lower ASA physical status were associated with a higher incidence of PPSP and worsened QOL at 6 months.CONCLUSIONContinuous regional anaesthesia provides analgesic benefit for up to 1 month after surgery, but did not influence PPSP at 6 months. Better pain control at 1 month was associated with reduced PPSP. Patients with higher expectations from surgery, enhanced basal inflammation and a pessimistic outlook are more prone to develop PPSP.TRIAL REGISTRATIONClinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02147730

We have evaluated the influence of speed of intrathecal injection on lateral distribution of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine. We studied 60 patients undergoing lower limb surgery who were placed in the lateral position with the operative side in the dependent position. After dural puncture (25-gauge Whitacre spinal needle), the needle aperture was turned towards the dependent side and 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine 8 mg was injected randomly at a rate of 0.02 ml s-1 (group slow, n = 30) or 0.25 ml s-1 (group fast, n = 30). Lateral position was maintained for 15 min while a blinded observer recorded loss of pinprick sensation and degree of motor block on both surgical and non-surgical sides. There were no differences between the groups. Forty-five minutes after patients were turned to the supine position, spinal anaesthesia was unilateral in 17 patients in group slow (56%) and in 13 patients in group fast (43%). We conclude that using extremely low speeds for intrathecal injection were not clinically advantageous in obtaining unilateral spinal anaesthesia.

In patients receiving elective outpatient knee arthroscopy, using a combined sciatic-femoral nerve block with 25 ml of mepivacaine 20 mg ml(-1) and a multiple injection technique results in a slightly longer preoperative time but provides similarly effective anaesthesia with no differences in home discharge times as compared to spinal anaesthesia with 8 mg hyperbaric bupivacaine.

This prospective, randomized, blind investigation demonstrated that the use of a stimulating catheter for continuous posterior popliteal sciatic nerve block resulted in shorter onset time of sensory and motor blocks and less local anesthetic consumption and need for rescue pain medication after elective orthopedic foot surgery compared with blind catheter advancement.

Poor acute pain control and inflammation are important risk factors for Persistent Postsurgical Pain (PPSP). The aim of the study is to investigate, in the context of a prospective cohort of patients undergoing hernia repair, potential risk factors for PPSP. Data about BMI, anxious-depressive disorders, neutrophil-tolymphocyte ratio (NLR), proinflammatory medical comorbidities were collected. An analysis for correlation between comorbidities and PPSP was performed in those patients experiencing chronic pain at 3 months after surgery. Tramadol resulted less effective in pain at movement in patients with a proinflammatory status. Preoperative hypertension and NLR > 4 were correlated with PPSP intensity. Regional anesthesia was significantly protective on PPSP when associated with ketorolac. Patients with pain at 1 month were significantly more prone to develop PPSP at 3 months. NSAIDs or weak opioids are equally effective on acute pain and on PPSP development after IHR, but Ketorolac has better profile in patients with inflammatory background or undergoing regional anesthesia. Drug choice should be based on their potential side effects, patient's profile (comorbidities, preoperative inflammation, and hypertension), and type of anesthesia. Close monitoring is necessary to early detect pain conditions more prone to progress to a chronic syndrome.