The Thai anesthesia incident monitoring study of perioperative allergic reactions: an analysis of 1996 incidents reports.

OBJECTIVES: Analyze the clinical course, management, outcome, and contributing factors of perioperative allergic reactions in the Thai Anesthesia Incident Monitoring Study (Thai AIMS). MATERIAL AND METHOD: A prospective descriptive multicenter study was conducted in 51 hospitals across Thailand Voluntary, anonymous reports of any adverse or undesirable events during the first 24 hours of anesthesia were sent to the Thai AIMS data management unit. Possible perioperative allergic reactions were extracted and examined independently by three peer reviewers. RESULTS: Forty-three reports of possible perioperative allergic reactions from the 2,537 incidents reported to the Thai AIMS (1.6%) were reviewed. There was a female predominance (1.9:1). The most common features were cutaneous manifestations (93%), arterial hypotension (20.1%), and bronchospasm (11.6%) respectively. The severity grades were 69.8% in grade I, 4.7% in grade II, and 25.6% in grade III. The three most suspected causative agents were neuromuscular blocking agents (39.5%, 30.2%-succinylcholine), antibiotics (27.9%), and opioids (18.6%) respectively. All but one responded well to treatment with complete recovery. One patient suffered acute myocardial infarction and had to stay at the hospital for longer than one week. None had further allergic reaction. CONCLUSION: Perioperative allergic reactions accounted for 1.6% of anesthetic adverse events. The most common features were cutaneous manifestations. A quarter of these were life-threatening but responded well to treatment. The most common suspected causative agent was succinylcholine.

Bispectral index in assessment of 3% and 4.5% desflurane in 50% N2O for caesarean section.

BACKGROUND: To prevent awareness and uterine atony among parturients during general anesthesia for caesarean section, volatile anesthetic agents have been limited to 0.5 MAC in 50% N2O. This technique appeared to be inadequate to produce BIS values less than 60 in isoflurane and sevoflurane. OBJECTIVE: To assess BIS value during general anesthesia with 3% and 4.5% desflurane in 50% N2O before delivery. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The parturients were blinded and randomized in opaque envelopes to one of the two study groups. Seventy-two elective caesarean section ASA I - II parturients were induced and intubated with thiopental 4 mg/kg, succinylcholine 1.5 mg/kg and were received either 3% or 4.5% desflurane in 50% N2O to maintain general anesthesia. Both groups received rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg for muscle relaxation. Morphine 0.1 mg/kg and midazolam 0.06 mg/kg were administered after delivery. RESULTS: There were no differences in demographic data in both groups. The incidences of patients with a satisfactory BIS score (< 60) in the 4.5% desflurane group was 81% that was significantly more than 42% in the 3% desflurane group (p < 0.000). Mean BIS values at neonatal delivery were 62 +/- 8 in the 3% desflurane group, versus 49 +/- 12 in the 4.5% desflurane group. Indices of maternal and neonatal outcome were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION: General anesthesia for caesarean section with 4.5% desflurane in 50% N2O maintained BIS < 60 more significantly than 3% of desflurane in 50% N2O without maternal and neonatal adverse effects in healthy paturients.

The Thai Anesthesia Incidents (THAI Study) of anesthetic risk factors related to perioperative death and perioperative cardiovascular complications in intracranial surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlations between anesthetic risk factors and perioperative cardiovascular complications as well as perioperative death within 72 hours. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This case controlled took the data from the Thai Anesthesia Incidents Study (THAI Study), a prospective multi-centered registry of anesthesia in Thailand. The authors included all the patients who received intracranial surgery from 20 hospitals throughout Thailand. The present study was divided into two groups and focused on anesthetic factors that possibly related to perioperative cardiovascular complications or perioperative death. The statistical analysis were Chi Square test and logistic regression model with the statistical significance if p-value < 0.05 demonstrated in Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: From the 7,430 patients, there were 63 patients (0.85%) with perioperative cardiovascular complication. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status 3-5 (OR 5.77, 95% CI 2.33-14.27) and the absence of anesthesiologists (OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.06-4.54) had statistical correlation with the cardiovascular complication. Eighty-four patients (1.13%) who died within 72 hours post operatively were found. The ASA physical status 3-5 (OR 10.14, 95% CI 3.42-30.02), the emergency circumstance (OR 3.55, 95% CI 1.31-9.60), and the absence of endtidal carbondioxide monitor (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.26-4.09) had statistical correlation with the perioperative death. CONCLUSION: Predictors of perioperative cardiovascular complications in intracranial surgical patients were ASA physical status 3-5 and absence of certified board anesthesiologists. Risk factors of perioperative death were ASA physical status 3-5, emergency condition, and absence or no monitoring of capnometer.

The effect of ephedrine on the onset time of rocuronium in Thai patients.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ephedrine on the onset time of rocuronium. The study population was 60 ASA physical status 1 and 2 patients, aged 15-60 years scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia at Ramathibodi Hospital. The patients were randomly assigned into 2 groups. Group I (ephedrine group), ephedrine 70 microg/kg was given 1 minute before induction and group II (control group), saline was given instead of ephedrine and midazolam 7.5 mg was given orally 30-60 minutes before the induction. Anesthesia was induced with fentanyl 1 microg/kg and sodium thiopentone 3-5 mg/kg. The patient was intubated with 0.9 mg/kg of rocuronium. The intubation time (from rocuronium administration to the time of intubation) was predetermined by the Dixon's up and down method (with 5 seconds as a step size) for each patient and started at 60 seconds for the first patient in each group. The intubation time in the ephedrine group (39.41 +/- 4.64 seconds) was significantly different from the control group (59.17 +/- 9.00 seconds); p-value < 0.01. The hemodynamics were similar in both groups. Conclusion: Intravenous ephedrine shortened the onset time of rocuronium with no significant adverse hemodynamic effects. As an alternative to suxamethonium for rapid intubation, the authors recommend the use of ephedrine 70 microg/kg at one minute before induction followed by 0.9 mg/kg of rocuronium intravenously in healthy patients. The intubation could be achieved at 40 seconds after the administration.