The objective of this review was to systematically assess the effect of thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) vs. systemic analgesia (SA) on the recovery of gastrointestinal (GI) function in patients following GI surgery. We performed a comprehensive literature search to identify randomized controlled trials of adult patients undergoing GI surgery, comparing the effect of two postoperative analgesia regimens. Patients postoperatively receiving local anesthesia-based TEA with or without opioids were compared to patients receiving opioid-based SA. The outcomes considered were times to GI function recovery, GI complications, and specific side effects. Twelve studies with 331 patients in the TEA group and 319 in the SA group were included. Compared to SA, TEA improved the GI recovery after GI procedures by shortening the time to first passage of flatus by 31.3 h, 95% confidence intervals (CIs): -33.2 to -29.4, P < 0.01; and shortening the time to first passage of stool by 24.1 h, 95% CIs: -27.2 to -20.9, P < 0.001. There was no difference between the groups in the incidence of anastomotic leakage and ileus. The occurrence of postoperative hypotension was relatively higher in the TEA group, risk ratio: 7.9, 95% CIs: 2.4 to 26.5, P = 0.001; other side effects (such as pruritus and vomiting) were similar in the two groups. There is evidence that TEA (compared to SA) improves the recovery of GI function after GI procedures without any increased risk of GI complications. To further confirm these effects, larger, better quality randomized controlled trials with standard outcome measurements are needed.

Our study demonstrates that it is possible to reconstruct aortic arch with the new branched stent grafts. The advantage of this device is that it is modular, more adaptable and surgical bypass could be possibly avoided.

BackgroundThe median effective dose (ED 50) of sedative dexmedetomidine adjuvant to peripheral nerve block (PNB) has not yet been verified in elderly patients. This study assessed the ED 50 of intravenous dexmedetomidine for sedation in elderly patients who were undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with PNB.MethodsForty‐two patients aged 65–85 years were included and stratified into two groups according to age: young‐old group (aged 65–74 years) and middle‐old group (aged 75–85 years). After the PNB was performed, a pre‐calculated dose of dexmedetomidine was administered for 10 min. The Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation scale, bispectral index score, blood pressure and heart rate were recorded. ED 50 values of dexmedetomidine for adequate sedation were estimated by the up‐and‐down method of Dixon and probit regression.ResultsThe ED 50 of single‐dose dexmedetomidine adjuvant to PNB was 0.57 μg/kg (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.47–0.65) in the young‐old group and 0.38 μg/kg (95% CI, 0.28–0.46) in the middle‐old group. The ED 50 of dexmedetomidine differed significantly between the two groups (P < 0.001). In addition, no significant adverse hemodynamic or hypoxemic effects were noted.ConclusionWe determined the ED 50 for sedation using intravenous dexmedetomidine adjuvant to PNB in elderly patients. The ED 50 of dexmedetomidine in the middle‐old group decreased by 33% compared with that in the young‐old group with a mean age difference of 11 years between the two groups.

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