The effects of ropivacaine hydrochloride on platelet function: an assessment using the platelet function analyser (PFA-100)

Effects of local anesthetics and contrast agents on musculoskeletal regenerative medicine procedures

In regenerative medicine, cells, tissues and organs are often replaced, engineered or regrown in order to restore their function after they have been damaged or lost. Local anesthetics, corticosteroids and contrast agents are commonly employed for both diagnostic and therapeutic objectives in interventional pain and musculoskeletal treatments for regenerative medicine. There is growing evidence that routine injectables promote catabolism and disease processes. Thus, understanding the effects of these compounds on regenerative medicine injectates and target tissues such as tenocytes, chondrocytes, nucleus pulposus and ligamentous tissue is critical. This review includes the current research on the effects of local anesthetics and contrast agents, as well as their use and recommendations in regenerative medicine operations.

Primary hemostasis in fetal growth restricted neonates studied via PFA-100 in cord blood samples

BACKGROUND

Platelet function of fetal growth restricted (FGR) neonates remains a field of debate. Platelet function analyzer (PFA-100) offers a quantitative in vitro assessment of primary, platelet-related hemostasis. Our aim was to examine platelet function using PFA-100 in FGR neonates and associate our results with perinatal parameters.

METHODS

PFA-100 was applied on 74 FGR neonates, 48 full-term (>37 weeks' gestation) and 26 preterm neonates (<37 weeks). The control group consisted of 118 healthy neonates. Two closure times (CTs) with COL/EPI and COL/ADP cartridges were determined on cord blood samples for each subject. Statistical analysis was performed by SAS 9.4. The statistical significance level was set at 0.05 and all tests were two-tailed.

RESULTS

COL/EPI CTs were prolonged in FGR (median 132 s, IQR 95-181 s) compared with control neonates (median 112.5 s, IQR 93-145 s), p = 0.04. Median COL/EPI CT for term and preterm FGR neonates was 126 s (IQR 90-157 s) and 137 s (IQR 104-203), respectively (p = 0.001), and COL/ADP CT was 70 s (IQR 62-80 s) for term and 75 s (IQR 68-82 s) for preterm FGR neonates (p = 0.08). Among FGR neonates, COL/EPI CT was related with delivery time (with preterm neonates exhibiting prolonged COL/EPI CTs), p = 0.05. No correlation was proved between both CTs and hematological parameters in FGR neonates.

CONCLUSION

FGR neonates showed impaired platelet function via PFA-100, with preterm FGR neonates confronting the greatest risk. Prolonged COL/EPI CTs in FGR neonates seemed to be independent of hematological parameters and could warn for closer evaluation during the first days of their lives.

Ropivacaine: A Novel Local Anaesthetic Drug to Use in Otorhinolaryngology Practice

Ropivacaine is a long-acting amide local anaesthetic agent which has a significant vasoconstrictive property, long duration of action, least central nervous system and cardiac complications due to the pure (S)-enantiomer property by reversible inhibition of sodium ion influx in nerve fibres. By using additives the duration of analgesia may be prolonged. Ropivacaine has been used routinely in our otorhinolaryngology procedures since 2010 (10 years). The present article details the clinical applications of ropivacaine and its current place as a local anaesthetic in otorhinolaryngology practice.

Association of Neuraxial Anesthesia With Postoperative Venous Thromboembolism After Noncardiac Surgery: A Propensity-Matched Analysis of ACS-NSQIP Database

BACKGROUND

Neuraxial anesthesia improves components of the Virchow's triad (hypercoagulability, venous stasis, and endothelial injury) which are key pathogenic contributors to venous thrombosis in surgical patients. However, whether neuraxial anesthesia reduces the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) remain unclear. We therefore tested the primary hypothesis that neuraxial anesthesia reduces the incidence of 30-day VTE in adults recovering from orthopedic surgery. Secondarily, we tested the hypotheses that neuraxial anesthesia reduces 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, and the duration of postoperative hospitalization.

METHODS

Inpatient orthopedic surgeries from American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (2011-2015) in adults lasting more than 1 hour with either neuraxial or general anesthesia were included. Groups were matched 1:1 by propensity score matching for appropriate confounders. Logistic regression model was used to assess the effect of neuraxial anesthesia on 30-day VTE, 30-day mortality, and readmission, while Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to assess its effect on length of stay.

RESULTS

Neuraxial anesthesia decreased odds of 30-day VTE (odds ratio 0.85, 95% confidence interval, 0.78-0.95; P = .002) corresponding to number-needed-to-treat of 500. Although there was no difference in 30-day mortality, neuraxial anesthesia reduced 30-day readmission (odds ratio 0.90, 98.3% confidence interval, 0.85-0.95; P < .001) corresponding to number-needed-to-treat of 250 and had a shortened hospitalization (2.87 vs 3.11; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Neuraxial anesthesia appears to provide only weak VTE prophylaxis, but can be offered as an adjuvant to current thromboprophylaxis in high-risk patients.

Ropivacaine: A review of its pharmacology and clinical use

Ropivacaine is a long-acting amide local anaesthetic agent and first produced as a pure enantiomer. It produces effects similar to other local anaesthetics via reversible inhibition of sodium ion influx in nerve fibres. Ropivacaine is less lipophilic than bupivacaine and is less likely to penetrate large myelinated motor fibres, resulting in a relatively reduced motor blockade. Thus, ropivacaine has a greater degree of motor sensory differentiation, which could be useful when motor blockade is undesirable. The reduced lipophilicity is also associated with decreased potential for central nervous system toxicity and cardiotoxicity. The drug displays linear and dose proportional pharmacokinetics (up to 80 mg administered intravenously). It is metabolised extensively in the liver and excreted in urine. The present article details the clinical applications of ropivacaine and its current place as a local anaesthetic in the group.

Caudal epidural anesthesia administered intraoperatively provides for effective postoperative analgesia after total hip arthroplasty

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To investigate the use of caudal epidural anesthesia for postoperative pain after total hip arthroplasty.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SETTING

University-affiliated hospital.

PATIENTS

32 (4 men and 28 women) patients, aged 49 to 89 years, scheduled for total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis of the hip.

INTERVENTIONS AND MEASUREMENTS

Patients were allocated to three groups: lumbar epidural anesthesia (EA group; n = 16) or caudal epidural anesthesia (CA group; n = 16) groups, which were case-matched according to patient demographics. Nine patients received general anesthesia only (GA group). We evaluated the level of postoperative pain using a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) recorded at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 hours after surgery.

MAIN RESULTS

Total requirement of diclofenac sodium suppositories was significantly larger in the GA group than in the EA or CA groups (444 +/- 302 vs 188 +/- 124 and 145 +/- 130 mg). The number of days requiring analgesics was significantly prolonged in the GA group compared with the EA or CA groups (14 +/- 9 vs 4 +/- 3 and 4 +/- 4 days). These items were similar between the EA group and the CA group. All VAS values for pain, rest, and movement in the postsurgical period over 24 hours were significantly higher in the GA group than in either the EA or CA groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Caudal epidural anesthesia provides effective postoperative analgesia similar to lumbar epidural anesthesia.

Ropivacaine: a review of its use in regional anaesthesia and acute pain management

Ropivacaine (Naropin) is the pure S(-)-enantiomer of propivacaine, and is a long-acting amide local anaesthetic agent, eliciting nerve block via reversible inhibition of sodium ion influx in nerve fibres. Ropivacaine is a well tolerated regional anaesthetic effective for surgical anaesthesia as well as the relief of postoperative and labour pain. The efficacy of ropivacaine is similar to that of bupivacaine and levobupivacaine for peripheral nerve blocks and, although it may be slightly less potent than bupivacaine when administered epidurally or intrathecally, equi-effective doses have been established. Clinically adequate doses of ropivacaine appear to be associated with a lower incidence or grade of motor block than bupivacaine. Thus ropivacaine, with its efficacy, lower propensity for motor block and reduced potential for CNS toxicity and cardiotoxicity, appears to be an important option for regional anaesthesia and for the management of postoperative and labour pain.

Clinical application of the PFA-100

The PFA-100 (platelet function analyzer) is a relatively new tool for the investigation of primary hemostasis. Recent studies have shown its utility as a screening tool for investigating possible von Willebrand disorder (VWD) and various platelet disorders. More recently, the PFA-100 has been shown to be valuable in monitoring desmopressin acetate (DDAVP) therapy in both VWD and platelet disorders. The PFA-100 has also been evaluated in many other studies for its utility in assessing drug effects, for potential monitoring of antiplatelet medication (including aspirin), or for evaluation of overall primary hemostasis in various clinical disorders or during surgical procedures. This article reviews current findings and highlights the benefits and limitations of the clinical utility of the PFA-100. Ultimately, the greatest strengths of the PFA-100 are its simplicity of use and excellent sensitivity to particular hemostatic disturbances such as VWD, platelet disorders, and platelet-affecting medication. However, because it is thus a global test system, this also creates a significant limitation because the PFA-100 is not specific for, nor predictive of, any particular disorder. However, used appropriately, the PFA-100 can be considered a worthwhile addition to any hemostasis laboratory involved in the diagnosis or therapeutic monitoring of bleeding disorders and potentially of antiplatelet medication. This review should be valuable to both hemostasis scientists and clinical specialists.

Update on ropivacaine

Long-acting local anaesthetics are primarily used in the practice of anaesthesia, particularly in regional anaesthesia and analgesia. Ropivacaine is a new long-acting local anaesthetic that has been the focus of interest because of its increased cardiovascular safety compared with bupivacaine. Other advantages of ropivacaine over bupivacaine include a greater sensorimotor differential block and shorter elimination half-life (t(1/2)), with a lower potential for accumulation. The most important attribute of ropivacaine, however, is its increased margin of safety compared with bupivacaine when given in equal doses. Many post-marketing studies have focused on the comparisons of efficacy in blocks and toxicity profiles of bupivacaine versus ropivacaine. Recent animal toxicity studies confirm the results of original studies showing that ropivacaine has less cardiovascular toxicity than bupivacaine with respect to direct myocardial depression, success of resuscitation and arrhythmogenic potential when given in equal doses. Reduced cardiotoxicity may be a distinct characteristic of ropivacaine. A review of current literature suggests that, at clinically relevant doses, ropivacaine provides the lowest potential risk of cardiotoxicity for inadvertent intravascular injection. Studies are currently under way comparing ropivacaine with levobupivacaine, the latest addition to the group of long-acting local anaesthetics.