Background and objectivesOxycodone is poorly studied as an adjuvant to central blockades. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the efficacy and safety of oxycodone hydrochloride in epidural blockade among patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA).Patients and methodsIn 11 patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification system II/III, age range: 59–82 years), THA was conducted with an epidural blockade using 15 mL 0.25% bupivacaine (37.5 mg) with 5 mg oxycodone hydrochloride and sedation with propofol infusion at a dose of 3–5 mg/kg/h. After the surgery, patients received ketoprofen at a dose of 100 mg twice daily. In the first 24 hours postoperative period, pain was assessed by numerical rating scale at rest and on movement; adverse effects (AEs) were recorded; and plasma concentrations of oxycodone, noroxycodone, and bupivacaine were measured.ResultsThe administration of epidural oxycodone at a dose of 5 mg in patients undergoing THA provided analgesia for a mean time of 10.3±4.89 h. In one patient, mild pruritus was observed. Oxycodone did not evoke other AEs. Plasma concentrations of oxycodone while preserving analgesia were >2.9 ng/mL. Noroxycodone concentrations in plasma did not guarantee analgesic effect.ConclusionThe administration of epidural oxycodone at a dose of 5 mg prolongs the analgesia period to ~10 hours in patients after THA. Oxycodone may evoke pruritus. A 5 mg dose of oxycodone hydrochloride used in an epidural blockade seems to be a safe drug in patients after THA.

Thoracic injuries are usually caused by penetrating or blunt trauma. The primary method of treatment is surgery. This study describes two cases of male patients with stab wounds of the chest resulting from suicide attempts. The first case involved a 29-year-old patient transported and admitted to the hospital with a knife still in his chest; its blade extended from the jugular notch to the 5th thoracic vertebra but did not damage any important structures. The applied treatment, limited to evacuating the knife, resulted in a satisfactory outcome, and the patient was discharged from the intensive care unit (ICU) in good condition. The second patient reached the hospital on his own. On admission, he did not reveal the real cause of the wound; however, in view of his deteriorating condition, he admitted that the knife penetrated deeply into the mediastinum. In this case, sternotomy was necessary to stop the bleeding of the pulmonary trunk and internal thoracic artery. After completion of treatment, the patient was discharged in good condition. The described management of life-threatening situations conducted by a multidisciplinary team of consultants enabled the choice of optimal treatment methods and resulted in successful outcomes.