Effective pain relief with intrapleural analgesia

Article Abstract:

Health professionals do not often use intrapleural catheters for pain relief, yet it can be an effective technique. It involves continuous or patient-managed infusion of a local anaesthetic through a catheter sited in the pleural space. The anesthetic travels to the intercostal nerves and it can block other regions including the lower brachial plexus. Case studies illustrate the successful use of intrapleural analgesia following rib fracture and following open cholecystectomy.

Usage, Catheters

---

Keeping body and soul together

Article Abstract:

An accident victim emphasises the need for psychological care during recovery from spinal injury. A horse-riding accident resulted in paralysis and wheel-chair dependency in 1983. The standard of physical nursing was high but there was little psychological support. Patient and family received no information on the extent of physical damage or the limit of recovery. Group therapy and the use of relaxation in pain relief was not explored. Keeping a diary proved most helpful.

Psychological aspects, Wounds and injuries, Injuries

---

Making sense of the principles of patient-controlled analgesia

Article Abstract:

Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) allows individual control of intravenous pain relief in the immediate post-operative period. It allows predictable, controlled and rapid drug delivery at the time of most need. A lock-out period prevents overdose. PCA facilitates recovery and saves nursing time. However, pumps are expensive, intravenous access may cause complications and not all patients are able or willing to administer the treatment.

Health aspects, Patient compliance

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Geriatric medicine. Acute renutrition by cyclic enteral nutrition in elderly and younger patients
• Abstracts: New B-lactams: new problems for the internist. Literature, humanities, and the internist. Violence in intimate relationships and the practicing internist: new "disease" or new agenda?
• Abstracts: Free radicals: are they a chemical link to disease and aging? Antioxidants: what are they? Can they keep you healthy?
• Abstracts: Prevalence of low birth weight and preterm delivery in relation to the interval between pregnancies among white and black women
• Abstracts: What men will never know and women always did. Your A to Z guide to men

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.