A normal life without muscle dystrophin.

Here we summarize the clinical history of Ringo, a golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD) dog, who had a mild phenotype despite the absence of muscle dystrophin. Ringo died of cardiac arrest at age 11 and therefore displayed a normal lifespan. One of his descendants, Suflair, born April 2006, also displays a mild course. Dystrophin analysis confirmed total absence of muscle dystrophin in both dogs. Muscle utrophin expression did not differ from severely affected GRMD dogs. Finding what protects these special dogs from the dystrophic degeneration process is now a great challenge that may open new avenues for treatment. But most importantly, the demonstration that it is possible to have a functional muscle, in a medium-large animal even in the absence of dystrophin, brings new hope for Duchenne patients.

Transient radicular irritation (TRI) after spinal anaesthesia in day-care surgery.

BACKGROUND: A high incidence of backache with radiating pains to the lower extremities, termed transient radicular irritation (TRI), has been reported following the use of 5% hyperbaric lidocaine. This has been attributed to a neurotoxic reaction. METHODS: A retrospective audit has been carried out in our hospital on the postoperative anaesthetic records of all patients from the 1st of January 1993 to the 1st of September 1996, who received spinal anaesthesia with either hyperbaric lidocaine or hyperbaric bupivacaine for day-care surgery. RESULTS: Backache was reported in 1.9% of patients (6/322) receiving hyperbaric lidocaine and in 2.4% of patients (1/41) receiving hyperbaric bupivacaine. This was not associated with any sensory, motor or sphincter disturbances. One patient complained of backache with bilateral pain referred to the gluteal area (TRI), which was assessed as acute facet joint syndrome. Unilateral accidental block of the femoral nerve was observed in 3 patients, sensory disturbances in the L2/3 dermatome was reported in a further 3 patients at 24 h, following wound infiltration with local anaesthetic during hernia repair. CONCLUSIONS: The low incidence of backache at 24 h and the absence of associated symptoms of neurogenic pain, sensory and motor disturbances, does not support the hypothesis that TRI is a neurotoxic reaction, subsequent to the use of hyperbaric lidocaine.

Grading of severity of postdural puncture headache after 27-gauge Quincke and Whitacre needles.

BACKGROUND: Small-gauge needles are reported to have a low incidence of complications. Pencil-point needles are associated with a lower frequency of postdural puncture headache (PDPH), but a higher failure rate than Quincke needles. METHODS: The incidence of PDPH was investigated in 200 patients under the age of 45, undergoing day-care surgery, after spinal anaesthesia with either 27-gauge Quincke or Whitacre needle. The severity of headache was graded as I (mild), II (moderate) or III (severe) using a grading system based on the visual analogue scale (VAS) associated with a functional rating (FG). RESULTS: The frequency of PDPH following the Whitacre needle was 0% and 5.6% after the Quincke needle (P = 0.05). Two PDPHs were assessed as grade III, and three as grade II. All PDPHs occurred when the Quincke needle bevel was withdrawn perpendicular to the dural fibres following parallel insertion. No PDPH occurred when the bevel was inserted and removed parallel to the dural fibres (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference (P > 0.08) in the incidence of PDPH and postdural puncture-related headaches (PDPR-H) in patients with recurrent headaches or migraine compared to patients with no previous history of headaches. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the 27-gauge Whitacre needle is the 'needle of choice' in patients with normal body stature. The incidence of PDPH following Quincke needles may not only be affected by the direction of the bevel during insertion but also during removal. Statistically, there was no gender variation in PDPH in this study (P = 0.5). A previous history of recurrent headache or migraine does not predispose to PDPH.

Individual predictability of repeated spinal anaesthesia with plain 0.5% bupivacaine.

To evaluate the individual predictability of spinal anaesthesia, 10 patients (3 women and 7 men) scheduled for control cystoscopy were studied twice within 9 months. Lumbar puncture was performed in the midline at the L2/3 interspace with the patient in the sitting position using plain 0.5% bupivacaine at 37 degrees C. A non-parametric Spearman test showed that, on the basis of the first block, the predictability of the cephalad analgesic spread of the second anaesthesia was high up to 60 min after injection. Thereafter the predictability decreased. The predictability of the motor blockade was generally low. Six patients obtained complete motor blockade twice; the remaining four, once.

Hemodynamics and arterial oxygen saturation during preoperative emptying of the stomach.

We studied the hemodynamic response to preoperative emptying of the stomach by means of a gastric tube in 20 non-fasting non-premedicated patients aged 39 (24-54) (median and quartiles) presenting for emergency surgery. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate increased by 24.4% (P less than 0.01), 29.9% (P less than 0.01) and 36% (P less than 0.01), respectively. Arterial oxygen saturation decreased by 2.1% (P less than 0.01). The rate pressure product increased by 68% (P less than 0.01), exceeding 20,000 (mmHg.min-1) [2667 kPa.min-1] in nine patients. The cardiovascular response is of the same magnitude as reported after tracheal intubation without use of analgesics and is likely to cause cardiac ischemia and other adverse effects in patients suffering from coronary artery disease.

Spinal anaesthesia with plain 0.5% bupivacaine at 19 degrees C and 37 degrees C.

Forty-five men aged 50-80 yr undergoing urological surgery under spinal anaesthesia were allocated randomly to three groups. All patients received 0.5% plain bupivacaine 3 ml injected at the L2-3 interspace. The temperature of the solution in group 1 was 19 degrees C, in groups 2 and 3 37 degrees C. In groups 1 and 2 the injection was performed with the patient sitting; in group 3 the patient was in a lateral horizontal position. Spread of block, intensity of motor block and cardiovascular stability were measured. Warming the solution from 19 degrees C to 37 degrees C before spinal injection with the patient in the sitting position did not significantly affect these variables. However, the extent of analgesia was reduced significantly when the 37 degrees C solution was injected with the patient in the lateral horizontal compared with the sitting position.