Study of efficacy of epidural methylprednisolone acetate and triamcinolone acetate for treatment of low back pain and radiculopathy

Background: Epidural steroids have been proven to be one of the most effective non-operative managements of back pain. The present study entailed evaluation of the efficacy of epidural methylprednisolone acetate and triamcinolone acetate for treatment of low back pain and radiculopathy.Methods: The two groups of 25 participants, formed on the basis of the injectable epidural steroid used {80mg of methylprednisolone acetate (group 1) or 40mg of triamcinolone acetate (group 2)}, were enrolled after following due selection criteria. After detailed history taking, examination and requisite investigations, 15 ml volume of the drug was injected epidurally with the patient lying in lateral position. The patients were followed-up at 3 weeks, 6 weeks and 3 months and pain assessment and percentage of pain relief was noted in comparison with the level of pain before epidural injection. Sleep quality, activity score, days in bed, analgesic requirement, complications and requirement of surgical intervention were all assessed at each follow-up.Results: The mean pain score was significantly less in group 1 after 6 weeks and 3 months period, with 60% in group 1 having “good” pain relief, while 69.56% amongst group 2 participants reported “fair” pain relief. Eighty four percent group 1 participants required 2 injections, while 64% participants in group 2 required 3 injections. There was overall improvement in the activity score, quality of sleep and decrease in bed rest and analgesic requirement.Conclusions: Epidural steroid therapy is highly efficacious and methylprednisolone acetate is more effective than triamcinolone acetate; with negligible complications.

Oral versus intramuscular midazolam for paediatric preanaesthetic medication

Background: The need for effective preanesthetic medication in children is obvious and midazolam has proven to be one reliable choice. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy, acceptability and reliability of the oral and intramuscular routes of administration of midazolam towards paediatric preanesthetic medication at various doses.Methods: Hundred eligible patients in the age group of 1 to 10 years undergoing ambulatory or routine planned, minor or major surgery during study period were allocated to one of the four groups of 25 participants each, formed on the basis of premedication they received. Haemodynamic parameters, level of sedation and anxiety and induction score were noted before premedication and after each 15 minutes interval for next 45 minutes in all the four groups. Postoperative assessment included sleep level, anterograde amnesia, picture recall and occurrence of complications.Results: The sedative and anxiolytic effects were observed to be maximum at 45 minutes after premedication in all the four groups and better sedation, anxiolysis and quality of induction were achieved with higher doses for both oral as well as intramuscular routes. Postoperatively, the sleep level did not increase with higher dose and 64% patients were awake with 0.75 mg/kg oral midazolam. The sleep level was more with higher dose with the Intramuscular route, with 60% patients feeling drowsy with 0.1mg/kg dose. 0.75 mg/kg dose showed better anterograde amnesia (64%) than 0.5 mg/kg (28%), while it was present in 64% participants premedicated with 0.8 mg/kg intramuscular does and 72% in 0.1 mg/kg intramuscular dose.Conclusions: Intramuscular midazolam at 0.1 mg/kg dose seems to be the ideal dose and route for paediatric preanesthetic medication, with oral midazolam at 0.75 mg/kg to be considered an effective and acceptable alternative.

Study to assess the effect of mini-dose Succinylcholine for ease of laryngeal mask airway insertion

Background: Propofol as sole induction agent is often insufficient for the laryngeal mask airway insertion and higher doses are at times required. The present study proposes to assess the effectiveness of 0.25mg/kg mini dose succinylcholine towards facilitation of laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion.Methods: In a single blinded randomized controlled trial, 68 patients posted for elective general and orthopaedic surgery were equally assigned to two groups during LMA insertion: Group S (Study group)- patients received a bolus of succinylcholine 0.25mg/kg diluted in 2 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride. Group C (Control group)-patients received a bolus dose of 2 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride. The number of attempts required and ease of LMA insertion, hemodynamic parameters and adverse responses were noted and compared between the groups.Results: The LMA was inserted in first attempt in 32 (94.11%) patients in group S and in 24 (70.58%) patients in group C. The control group had 67.62% grade 1, 32.38% grade 2 and 0% grade 3, while succinylcholine group had 73.53% grade 1, 26.47% grade 2 and 0% grade 3. Hemodynamic parameters didn’t differ significantly between the two groups at any point, but significant difference was observed between occurrence of fasciculation, head and limb movements, sore throat and coughing.Conclusions: Succinylcholine does seem to help in insertion of the laryngeal mask airway but the results could not gain the level of statistical significance, partly attributed to small sample size.

Bupivacaine 0.5% vs. levobupivacaine 0.5% for epidural anaesthesia for caesarean section: a comparative study

Background: Levobupivacaine has been purported to be as efficacious as Bupivacaine for epidural anaesthesia in recent literature.Methods: With the intent to study the same in caesarean section cases in our set up, we observed various intra- and post-operative variables in two groups (Levobupivacaine and Bupivacaine) of 60 healthy parturients. Sixty parturients for elective caesarean section were allocated randomly to receive epidural block with 10-20 ml of either 0.5% Levobupivacaine with Fentanyl 25µg or 0.5% Bupivacaine with Fentanyl 25µg to reach T6 level.Results: Mean total volume in Bupivacaine group was 15.23ml and in Levobupivacaine group was 12.76 ml. The difference was statistically significant. There was significant difference between the groups in the sensory block. The onset of analgesia was earlier in Levobupivacaine group. Mean time was 6.20 minutes in Bupivacaine group and 4.36 minutes in Levobupivacaine group. The duration of motor block was significantly short in Levobupivacaine group. Mean Time for recovery from motor block in Bupivacaine group was 2.5 hours and in Levobupivacaine group 1.5 hours. Mean time to achieve T6 height was earlier in Levobupivacaine group i.e. 16.46 minutes in Bupivacaine group and 13.26 minutes in Levobupivacaine group. Duration of postoperative analgesia was similar. There was no significant difference in neonatal outcome.Conclusions: Levobupivacaine was found to fare better than Bupivacaine in the studied intra and post-operative parameters and is hence recommended over racemic Bupivacaine for epidural block in patients undergoing elective cesarean section.

Gasping infant for emergency neck exploration, anaesthesiologist’s nightmare.

Children are not small adults. They have certain anatomical & physiological differences as compared to adults. Paediatric patients have limited body reserve and so they deteriorate very fast. Anaesthetising paediatric patient requires good clinical judgment and thorough knowledge of paediatric anatomy and physiology. Anaesthetising an infant who has respiratory distress preoperatively increases risk several folds. Also the cause of respiratory distress is vital and that can have an important anaesthetic implications. Here we report a case of a gasping infant operated for emergency neck exploration under anaesthesia, where the cause of respiratory distress was unknown, making the case further interesting and challenging.