ITM Group Research Articles

Combination of Intrathecal Morphine and Remifentanil Infusion for Fast-Track Anesthesia in Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

The purpose of this study was to assess the combination of intrathecal morphine and remifentanil infusion with isoflurane in off-pump coronary artery surgery, with a focus on postoperative analgesia and fast-tracking. Prospective, randomized, controlled, blinded clinical study. University hospital. Forty-six patients who underwent elective off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Patients were randomly assigned to receive remifentanil infusion alone (control group, n = 23) or remifentanil infusion plus 10 microg/kg of intrathecal morphine (ITM group, n = 23). Induction and maintenance anesthesia were the same in both groups. Maintenance therapy was remifentanil infusion (0.25-1 microg/kg/min) and 0.5% to 1.5% isoflurane, with adjustments according to hemodynamics. After extubation, intravenous patient-controlled analgesia with morphine (1-mg bolus and 5-minute lockout) was administered, and Wilson sedation scores, visual analog pain scores (scale, 0-100 mm) at rest and during coughing, and cumulative morphine consumption were assessed at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 hours. Examiners were unaware of patients' group identities. Anesthetic recovery parameters and opioid-related, spinal anesthesia-related, and cardiac complications were recorded. There were no differences between the groups' intraoperative hemodynamic or anesthetic recovery findings. Pain scores and morphine consumption were significantly lower in the ITM group at all time points after extubation (p = 0.0001-0.05). Group frequencies of opioid-related and cardiac complications were similar. No patient had central neuroaxial hematoma or post-spinal tap headache. In the setting of isoflurane anesthesia for off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, ITM combined with remifentanil infusion provides better postoperative analgesia than does remifentanil infusion alone, and does not improve or negatively affect fast-tracking.

Combination of low-dose (0.1 mg) intrathecal morphine and patient-controlled intravenous morphine in the management of postoperative pain following abdominal hysterectomy

The aim of this double-blind prospective randomized study was to investigate combination of low-dose (0.1 mg) intrathecal morphine and patient-controlled intravenous morphine in the management of postoperative pain following abdominal hysterectomy. Side-effects, satisfaction and sedation were also evaluated.Fifty patients (ASA I) between 30 and 65 years of age, scheduled for elective abdominal hysterectomy were randomized to receive intrathecal 0.1 mg of morphine sulfate (ITM) or placebo and intravenous morphine (IVM). Both groups received standard general anesthesia. In the ITM group, 0.1 mg morphine was administered intrathecally just before emergence from anesthesia while an equal volume of sterile saline was administered in the IVM group. Thereafter, all patients received IV morphine via a patient controlled analgesia (PCA) pump, set to deliver a bolus of 1 mg with a lock-out of 7 minutes and maximum dose of 20 mg per 4 hours. Hemodynamics, respiration, PCA demands, VAS, sedation scores, total morphine consumption, satisfaction and side effects were recorded for 24 hours after surgery.There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to satisfaction score. Total morphine consumption was lower in the ITM group; VAS scores at the first 8 hours were lower in the ITM group. Sedation scores at 4, 8, and 12th hours were higher in the ITM group. There was no significant difference in terms of adverse effects.In conclusion, intrathecal morphine (0.1 mg) combined with intravenous PCA is a safe and effective method of providing analgesia after hysterectomy as evidenced by lower pain scores and total morphine consumption and improved patient satisfaction.

Intrathecal morphine during thoracotomy, part 1: Effect on intraoperative enflurane requirements

The ability of intrathecal morphine to reduce the anesthetic requirements during thoracotomy was investigated. Twenty-four patients scheduled for thoracic surgery were studied. Anesthesia was induced with thiamylal sodium, 4 mg/kg, fentanyl, 100 μg, and 100 mg of succinylcholine. Prior to skin incision, 12 patients received intrathecal injection of 12 μg/kg of preservative-free morphine sulfate (ITM), while the remaining 12 patients served as controls. The ITM was given undiluted at the L3–4 or L4–5 level. Anesthesia was maintained solely with enflurane, titrated to keep mean arterial pressure within 15% of the preoperative values. Vecuronium was given as required for relaxation. No additional narcotics were administered. Throughout the procedure, end-tidal (ET) enflurane concentration was recorded at 15-minute intervals from the mass spectrometer (Perkin Elmer). The intraoperative mean ET concentration of enflurane was significantly reduced in the ITM group beginning 1 hour after the injection (1.19 ± .45% in the control group versus 0.73 ± 0.08% in the ITM group). The enflurane requirements, expressed as percent end-tidal enflurane/hour, were significantly less in the ITM group for the duration of the procedure (0.8 ± .17 v 1.08 ± .22, respectively). In conclusion, when administered prior to skin incision for post-thoracotomy pain control, intrathecal morphine reduces intraoperative enflurane requirements.

ITM group teaching machine

Although teaching machines are mainly used by students working alone at their own speed, they can be used effectively for some subjects in classroom conditions and the ITM Group Teaching Machine has been developed to cater for this. The material is projected for a group of pupils on to a large screen. The group leader operates, by remote control, the projection of the programme and its step‐by‐step presentation.