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Aim: Pain and anxiety levels in palliative care patients negatively impact their quality of life, highlighting the need for research on non-pharmacological methods. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of music and aromatherapy interventions on pain, anxiety, and stress levels in these patients. Material and Methods: The research was designed as a single-blind, four-group, randomized controlled trial. The sample consisted of 88 patients hospitalized in a palliative care center (receiving palliative care services with terminal or advanced diseases). Patients were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 22, music, aromatherapy, music and aromatherapy, and control group). Patients in the experimental groups received the intervention to which they were assigned for 20 min each day for three consecutive days: music, aromatherapy, or music accompanied by aromatherapy. No intervention was applied to the control group. The patients' levels of pain, anxiety, and stress were assessed before and after the intervention using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the Facial Anxiety Scale (FAS), and the Distress Thermometer. Results: No significant differences were found in the demographic characteristics of the groups (p > 0.05). The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank and Kruskal–Wallis tests indicated statistically significant differences in pre- and post-intervention scores for VAS, FAS, and Distress across all experimental groups on all follow-up days (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Implementing music, aromatherapy, and their combination effectively reduced pain, anxiety, and stress levels in palliative care patients, suggesting these non-pharmacological interventions can improve their quality of life. Trial registration: ClinicalTrails.gov (Registration number: NCT06024954) at 05-SEP-2024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate whether there was a difference in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) findings in patients who were found having hyperalgesia or hypoesthesia according to Quantitative Sensory Tests (QST). Forty participants were included in the study: 20 with neuropathic pain (NP) due to cervical disc pathology (NP group) and 20 healthy volunteers. After obtaining the socio-demographic and clinical data of the participants, the painDETECT questionnaire was administered, followed by QST analysis to show the presence of hypoesthesia and/or hyperalgesia, and fMRI examinations, which included sensory stimulation of both extremities. Sensory threshold tests were found to be higher in the NP group compared with the healthy volunteers, and the heat pain threshold was found to be lower in the tests showing pain thresholds in the intergroup analyses (p < 0.05). The changes described were found in both painful and non-painful limbs. In the hypoesthetic NP group, a lower somatosensory cortex activity was found in non-painful limbs compared with the healthy volunteers (p < 0.05). In the unilateral hyperalgesic NP group, a lower somatosensory cortex activity was found on the painful side, and if the hyperalgesia was widespread, lower blood oxygen-level-dependent activity was also found in the operculum and insular cortex (p < 0.05). The patients with different phenotypes of NP had different activities in the areas related to the processing of pain, and were more prominent in patients with widespread hyperalgesia. Studies with larger numbers of patients are required for a definite statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postoperative pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy is an ongoing problem. To relieve this pain, practitioners have used many anesthetic and analgesic drugs. This study was undertaken to assess the effects of incisional and intraperitoneal administration of ropivacaine on postoperative pain and stress response in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In this prospective, singleblinded, randomized study, 45 patients with ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) scores I and II who were about to undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy were divided into 3 groups. After cholecystectomy, a total of 40 mL of 3.75% ropivacaine was administered preincisionally and intraperitoneally to patients in group 1 (n=14); preincisionally and intraperitoneally to patients in group 2 (n=17); and intraperitoneally and locally at incision sites to patients in group 3 (n=14). Blood levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine were examined preoperatively, 15 min after insufflation, and at the end of the operation. Visual analog pain scale scores and analgesic requirements were used for 24-h postoperative follow-up of pain levels reported by patients. No statistically significant difference was found among the 3 groups with respect to visual analog pain scale scores, total analgesic requirements, and accompanying pain, nausea, and vomiting. The earliest analgesic requirements were seen in group 2 ( P < .005), and less shoulder pain was noted in group 3 ( P < .005). Norepinephrine and epinephrine levels showed no statistically significant differences between the 3 groups. Administration of ropivacaine preoperatively and postoperatively for laparoscopic cholecystectomy has similar effects on postoperative pain and the stress response of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intrathecal opioids provide postoperative analgesia and hemodynamic stability by depressing the neuroendocrine response during the perioperative period. The effects of preoperative intrathecal morphine on perioperative hemodynamics, stress response, and postoperative analgesia were evaluated in patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy with general anesthesia. A total of 24 patients were randomly assigned to the morphine group (n=12) or the control group (n=12). Patients in the morphine group were given intrathecal 5 microg/kg(-1) morphine before surgery. In all patients, general anesthesia was induced with 1 g/kg(-1) remifentanil, 2 mg/kg(-1) propofol, and 0.1 mg/kg(-1) vecuronium and was maintained with 1% to 2% sevoflurane-35% oxygen in N2O and remifentanil infusion. All patients received intravenous morphine patient-controlled analgesia after surgery. Postoperative pain was evaluated by means of a visual analogue scale. Blood samples were taken at 4 time points before and up to 4 hours after the start of surgery for assessment of plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine, and glucose. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and adverse effects were recorded. Intraoperative hemodynamics was similar in both groups, but postoperative HR and MAP values at 4 h, 8 h, 12 h, and 20 h were significantly lower in the morphine group (P<.05). Postoperative VAS scores, total morphine consumption, and plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine, and glucose levels were significantly lower in the morphine group than in the control group (P<.05). Preoperative intrathecal morphine enhanced the quality of postoperative analgesia, decreased morphine consumption, and depressed the systemic stress response in patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy with general anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to compare bipolar electrodissection tonsillectomy with traditional cold dissection tonsillectomy in the pediatric population. Forty children with recurrent tonsillitis and/or obstructive symptoms were included in the study. The study population was randomly divided into two groups, and the two techniques were compared with regard to operative time, intraoperative and postoperative bleeding and postoperative pain. There were 23 children in the bipolar electrodissection tonsillectomy group (mean age, 8.1 years; range, 5–12 years), and 17 children in the cold dissection tonsillectomy group (mean age, 6.7 years; range, 5–12 years). The average operative times were 15.2±8.5 min for bipolar electrodissection tonsillectomy and 29.06±13.5 min for cold dissection tonsillectomy ( P<0.05). The blood loss in bipolar electrodissection tonsillectomy and cold dissection tonsillectomy was 5.0±4.2 ml and 32.1±11.3 ml, respectively ( P<0.05). Postoperative hemorrhage was not observed. Bipolar electrodissection tonsillectomy was less painful the first 30 min postoperatively ( P<0.05). Bipolar electrodissection tonsillectomy in children is a useful technique, with results comparable to traditional cold dissection tonsillectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is characterized by constant burning pain and hyperesthesia in an extremity. Lower extremities are usually affected. Pain is accompanied by swelling, sweating, vasomotor instability and sometimes trophic changes. There may be a history of minor injury or not. Muscle spasms, myoclonus or focal dystonia may occur. Diffuse pain, loss of function and autonomic dysfunction are three main criteria suggested for diagnosis. Symptoms can last a few days to as long as a year. In this report we present a girl with multiple limb involvement of stage I RSD. The sympathetic skin responses were tested during a remission period. She had milder attacks with a recurrence rate of 4 per year in the following three years from onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sedation and analgesia of the critically ill mechanically ventilated patients provided by low dose infusion following again a low dose bolus of midazolam and fentanyl maintained equally adequate, but more optimal levels of sedation and similar attenuation of hemodynamic response to aspiration when compared with propofol, but midazolam prolongs recovery and makes the patient prone to a mild CO retantion because of a slightly more pronounced reduction of respiratory rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]