Only one-third of the present sample could identify time designated for teaching mandatory pain content. Two-thirds reported 'integrated' content that was not quantifiable or able to be determined, which may suggest it is not a priority at that site. Many expressed a need for pain-related curriculum resources.

A prototype armoured laryngeal mask airway (LMA) was compared with tracheal intubation (ETT) for anaesthesia for adenotonsillectomy. Fifty-five children were randomised into the LMA group and 54 into the ETT group. During insertion of the LMA, peripheral oxyhaemoglobin desaturation (Sp02) < 94% occurred in ten patients (18.2%) and in seven patients (13%) during tracheal intubation (NS

Purpose: To compare the incidence of complications during placement of Arrow (Flex-lqp Plus TM) and Concord/Portex TM epidural catheters in parturients receiving continuous epidural analgesia. Methods: Two hundred parturients requesting continuous epidural analgesia were prospectively and randomly assigned to receive either the Arrow (FlexTip Plus TM) or the Portex epidural catheter. The incidences of paresthesiae, inadvertent venous cannulation and inability to thread the catheter into the epidural space were recorded. Results: A total of 222 attempts at epidural placement occurred in the parturients enrolled. The Arrow catheter displayed a lower incidence of paresthesiae (3/I 12 vs 39/I I0, P < 0.0001) and venous cannulation (01112 vs I I/I I0, P = 0.0007) than did the Portex catheter. The Portex catheter demonstrated a tendency towards increased inability to be advanced into the epidural space (5/I I0 vs 0/I 12, P = 0.057)in comparison to the Arrow catheter. When a Portex catheter would not advance into the epidural space (n --5), an Arrow catheter was threaded successfully in all five cases without the need to reposition the Tuohy needle. Conclusion: Compared with a less flexible catheter, the Arrow decreases the incidence of transient paresthesiae and inadvertent venous cannulation, while improving the ability to thread the catheter into the epidural space. Intravascular injection, transarachnoid migration, and the rare occurrence of epidural haematoma may be further reduced with the use of flexible, soft-tip catheters.