[Postoperative pain therapy at general nursing stations. An analysis of eight year's experience at an anesthesiological acute pain service]. / Postoperative Schmerztherapie auf Allgemeinen Krankenpflegestationen. Analyse der achtjährigen Tätigkeit eines Anästhesiologischen Akutschmerzdienstes.

Despite major advances in knowledge and development of efficient techniques for pain control, many patients on surgical wards suffer from modest to severe pain following surgery or trauma. Therefore, in the University Hospital of Kiel, Germany, an anaesthesiology-based acute pain service (APS) was started in 1985 to improve this situation. Organization of an APS. The anaesthesiologist in training who manages the recovery unit serves as an APS for surgical wards and is supervised by a consultant. The anaesthesists on call are responsible after regular working hours. The activities of the APS are as follows: 1. Induction of sufficient postoperative analgesia in the recovery unit for all surgical patients. 2. Clinical rounds on all patients receiving epidural analgesia (EA), other forms of regional analgesia, or patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) every morning and throughout the day if necessary. 3. Additional consultations for postoperative pain management for other patients on request. 4. Assessment and documentation of the clinical status of the patient, quality of analgesia, and side effects. 5. Writing orders for further treatment. 6. Continuing consultations and informal education for ward nurses, physiotherapists, and surgical staff; formal medical training for ward nurses in postoperative pain management. Activity of the APS. From 1985 to 1992, 1947 patients on normal wards were treated (EA: 1736, PCA: 183). Epidural analgesia was performed using a standard protocol with bupivacaine 0.175%-0.25% infused continuously with top-ups if needed (mean 240 mg/day, range 75-600 mg; median duration 7 days, range 1-53, Table 1). Demand for further treatment was proved by day-to-day withdrawal. Since the introduction of an APS, complications of EA such as hypotension (1985/1986:5.1%; 1987/1992:0.5%, Table 3) and insufficient analgesia due to dislocation or other technical complications could be reduced significantly (Table 3). Dermal infections were seen in 2.6% of patients, with a significantly higher incidence in patients with arteriosclerotic diseases (4.1%). Epidural opioids were used in only 46 selected cases on surgical wards. Nevertheless, 2 cases of marked respiratory depression occurred. The overall risk of complications during postoperative EA could be reduced from 1:11 cases in the first 2 years to 1:20 in the last 6 years since introducing the APS. For other regional procedures (e.g., interpleural analgesia) no complications were recorded. PCA was performed using a standard protocol with tramadol or piritramide without background infusion (Table 6). The loading dose was titrated in the recovery unit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Radiologic position control of epidural catheters (epidurography). An instrument of quality assurance for regional analgesia]. / Radiologische Lagekontrolle von Epiduralkathetern (Epidurographie). Ein instrument der Qualitätssicherung für die Regionalanalgesie.

Epidural analgesia is a very efficient method of postoperative pain management. Nevertheless, problems such as unilateral analgesia, sensory loss and inadequate pain relief are often difficult to handle. Radiologic evaluation of the position of the catheter and the spread of radiopaque dye (epidurography) is an important advance toward a solution of these problems. METHODS. The findings of 110 consecutive epidurographies from the acute pain service of the Department of Anaesthesiology of the University Hospital of Kiel, Germany, were analysed. Radiograms were obtained following the injection of 2 ml and an additional 8 ml of radiopaque dye (iopamidol) in the anterior-posterior and lateral plane. In addition, typical and instructive examples of epidurographies from the past 8 years are presented. RESULTS. In 99 of 110 patients the epidurography revealed a proper position of the catheter. Seven cases of partial displacement (e.g. paravertebral spread of radiopaque dye) and two cases of complete misplacement were documented. Allergic reactions or other side effects were not observed. The radiologic criteria for a proper epidural position of the catheter are discussed (Fig. 2a). Furthermore, examples of the following malpositions of epidural catheters are presented: intravascular misplacement (Fig. 2b), paravertebral misplacement (Fig. 2c), paravertebral escape of radiopaque dye (Fig. 2e) and correct distribution after the catheter had been withdrawn 2 cm (Fig. 2f), intrathecal misplacement (Fig. 2g), and simultaneous spread of dye in the subarachnoid and epidural space in a patient with preceding dural tap (Fig. 2h). In some cases unexpected reasons for problems in postoperative pain management were revealed by epidurography (e.g. disc prolapse, (Fig. 2d). CONCLUSION. In our view epidurography is a valuable way of improving the quality and safety of postoperative epidural analgesia. It is an important tool for decision-making in the event of clinical problems. The benefits for the patients have to be weighed against the radiation exposure.