Analgesia Flashcards
What complications can arise from pain that effects mobility, occurs after abdominal or thoracic surgery and pain leading to a sympathetic response?
Reduced mobility leaves risk to DVT, post op complications
After abdo/thoracic surgery - decreased cough reflex leads to hypoxia, bacterial infections and lung collapse
Increased SNS leads to tachycardia and hypotension which is not ideal in heart failure
What is the basic pain pathway?
Pain picked up by nociceptors
Transduction as an electrical signal
Transmitted along nerve fibres
Into dorsal horn of the spinal cord
Spinothalamic tracts carry impulses to the thalamus
Transmitted to somatosensory cortex in post central gyrus
What is the difference in the fibres that carry sharp and dull pain?
Sharp pain by myelinated A-delta fibres
Dull pain by unmyelinated C fibres
Which area of the brain is pain percieved?
In the post central gyrus - somatosensory cortex
What is Gate theory and how does it explain why rubbing an effected area or having a TENS machine will reduce pain?
Gate theory is that pain transmitters open a gate for onward transmission but A-beta fibres that carry vibration and pressure actually act with an intermediate inhibitory neurone that prevents pain being transmitted
With acute pain what aspects need patient monitoring?
HR BP Level of sedation Nausea and vomiting Leg weakness
Brief overview of WHO pain ladder?
Start with simple - paracetamol, NSAIDs
Advance to simple opioids - codeine, tramadol
Stronger opioids - morphine
What is multimodal analgesia?
Use of drugs with different modes of action to create a synergistic effect on the pain
What 2 classes of drugs can be given preoperatively to reduce pain post operatively?
Anti convulsants like gabapentin and pregabalin
A-2 aginsts like clonidine
In acute pain situations what do you need to ensure is done?
Prescribe analgesia for the next 48-72 hours
6 side effects of opioid administration?
Sedation Respiratory depression Nausea Vomiting Constipation itch
3 main SE of NSAID administration?
Renal impairment
Bleeding
GI complications - bleeding, ulceration, perforation
What is patient controlled analgesia?
An opioid is usually administered via a given set and IV cannula controlled by an electronic pump and patient has a handset
delivers bolus
Lock out period
What 2 drugs are usually given in epidural analgesia?
levobuprivacaine
fentanyl
Clinical manifestations of the sensory, motor and sympathetic block that occurs in an epidural?
Sensory - no hot/cold sensation, urinary retention, pain relief
Motor - reduced motor power, urinary retention
sympathetic block - hypotension
What are some benefits of using epidural analgesia over any other form of analgesia?
Great pain relief Less VTE Less constipation Reduced blood and transfusion rates Reduced stress response
What are some potential side effects of epidurals?
Ineffective or incorrect insertion leaving to inadequate pain relief Infection Hypotension - associated complications Post dural puncture headache Neuro damage Need for urinary catheter
What kind of motor black involvement are ward based epidurals meant to have a limit of?
Should not be a sense block
Patient should be able to raise their heels off the ground
What symptoms would be suggestive of epidural haematoma and what is management?
Onset of severe weakness and back pain
Urgent MRI, immediate referral to on-call anaesthetist
what happens if epidural anaesthesia reaches above the level of T4? Management?
Level T1-T4 controls the heart through cardio-accelerator fibres
block extending here causes profound hypotension
Stop infusion, ABCDE
Contact on-call anaesthetist
Who manages the epidural daily reviews, changes to analgesia, adjustments of epidural catheter position, commencement/recommencement of anticoagulants?
Acute pain team
What 2 blood monitoring is required for an epidural and what do they indicate? management if derangement is present?
Coagulation screen
Falling platelets
Indicative of coagulopathy or sepsis
Need urgent referral to anaesthesia
What is the benefit of using a wound infiltration catheter and how does it work?
Local anaesthetic is infiltrated into the wound via a pump at the end of the surgery to give continuous infusion
What kind of analgesia technique is used for a midline laparotomy when epidural is contraindicated? What nerve roots supply the anterior abdominal wall?
Rectus sheath catheter
Ventral rami of the thoracolumbar spinal nerves T7-L1
What are peripheral nerve blocks with catheter used for?
Post operative analgesia for upper or lower limb procedures
What is the definition of a local anaesthetic drug?
Drugs that depending on their concentration and where they are applied, cause a reversible blockade of peripheral and central neural transmission along autonomic, sensory and motor fibres
what is the physiology of local anaesthetic administration?
Causes blockade of the voltage gated sodium channels
Prevents action potentials
Prevent transmission across neurones to the cerebral cortex
What are 3 positive systemic effects of administratin local anaesthetic?
Prevents post operative hyperalgesia
Prevents inflammation
Prevents hypercoaguability
What is the difference in voltage inside to outside the cell during resting and depolarisation?
Resting = -70mV Depolarisation = +20
How does a stimulated nerve produce an action potential?
Becomes permeable which causes the sodium ions to pass out into the cell
Sodium is positively charged
How does repolarisation of a nerve occur?
Potassium channels open and allow potassium to move out of the cell
Resting potential restored
How is the original distribution of ions restored via the cell membrane?
Na/K pump