The visual analog scale in the immediate postoperative period: intrasubject variability and correlation with a numeric scale.

UNLABELLED: The visual analog scale (VAS) has been used to assess the efficacy of pain management regimens in patients with acute postoperative pain, but its usefulness has not been confirmed in postoperative pain studies. We studied 60 subjects in the immediate postoperative period. The specific data collected were: VAS scores versus an 11-point numeric pain scale; repeatability in VAS scores over a short time interval; and change in VAS scores from one assessment period to the next versus a verbal report of change in pain. The correlation coefficients for VAS scores with the 11-point pain scale were 0.94, 0.91, and 0.95. The repeatability coefficients were 17.6, 23.0, and 13.5 mm. Of the 56 patients who completed all three assessments, only 16 (29%) had repeatability within 5 mm on all three. Some of the changes in VAS scores between assessments were in the direction opposite the verbally reported changes in pain (31%); however, most (92%) were within 20 mm. There was no correlation between the level of sedation, previous pain experience, anxiety, or anticipated pain with consistency in VAS scores. We conclude that any single VAS score in the immediate postoperative period should be considered to have an imprecision of +/- 20 mm. IMPLICATIONS: The visual analog scale was developed for assessing chronic pain but is often used in studies of postoperative pain. This study finds that the visual analog scale correlates well with a verbal 11-point scale but that any individual determination has an imprecision of +/- 20 mm.

Hemodynamic responses in brain dead organ donor patients.

Because we have noticed dramatic hemodynamic responses in brain dead patients undergoing surgery for organ donation, we analyzed the anesthetic records of cadaver organ donors. Ten records contain complete data for heart rate, blood pressure, central venous pressure, and time of incision. Systolic pressure increased by a mean of 31 torr (P less than 0.01), diastolic pressure by 16 torr (P less than 0.02), and heart rate by 23 beats/min (P less than 0.01) in response to surgical stimulation. These results demonstrate the occurrence of significant hemodynamic responses to surgical stimuli in patients who fulfill the criteria of brain death, responses that do not, however, invalidate the current criteria for the diagnosis of brain death.

Hypotension and respiratory distress caused by rapid infusion of mannitol or hypertonic saline.

Following a case of mannitol-induced respiratory and circulatory collapse, the effects of hyperosmolar injections on pulmonary arterial pressure, systemic blood pressure, and cardiac output were studied in dogs. The injection of 20 ml of 10% NaCl into the pulmonary artery increased pulmonary arterial pressure and decreased systemic blood pressure by approximately 50% of control values. Injections of solutions of equal hyperosmolar strength, 50 ml of 25% mannitol or 50 ml of 4% NaCl into the pulmonary artery produced no significant elevation of pulmonary arterial pressure, but were associated with comparable decreases in systemic blood pressure. When allowed to vary, cardiac output increased with injections of all three hyperosmolar solutions, yet was still accompanied by falls in systemic blood pressure as large as when cardiac output was held constant. Vagotomy did not prevent these changes in systemic and pulmonary arterial pressure, nor the increase in cardiac output. After five to 10 injections, the decreases in system blood pressure with any of the solutions and the increases in pulmonary arterial pressure with 10% NaCl disappeared and further injections were without effect. It is concluded that adminstration of mannitol probably does not cause pulmonary edema due to fluid overload, nor does it cause heart failure as evidenced by increases in pulmonary arterial pressure. However, rapid injection may cause a fall in blood pressure and may on occasion be accompanied by bronchospasm, especially in sensitive subjects.