Role Of Dexamethasone In Brachial Plexus Block

Objective: To evaluate the effect of dexamethasone added to (lignocaine) on the onset and duration of axillary brachial plexus block. Material and Methods: A total of 100 patients, who were scheduled for elective hand and forearm surgery under axillary brachial plexus block, were randomly allocated to group A in which patients received 40 ml 1.5% lidocaine with 2 ml of isotonic saline (0.9%) and group B in which patients received 40 ml 1.5% lidocaine with 2 ml of dexamethasone (8 mg). Nerve stimulator with insulated needle for multiple stimulations technique was used to locate the brachial plexus nerves. After the injection onset of action and duration of sensory blockade of brachial plexus were recorded at 5 minutes and 15 minutes interval. Results: Group A showed the onset of action of 21.64 ± 2.30 min and in group B it was 15.42 ± 1.44 min (p< 0.001). Duration of nerve block was 115.08 ± 10.92 min in group Aand 265.42 ± 16.56 min in group B (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The addition of dexamethasone to 1.5% lignocaine solution in axillary brachial plexus block prolongs the duration of sensory blockade significantly.

Role of Laryngeal Spasm in Negative Pressure Pulmonary Oedema.

Negative-pressure pulmonary edema (NPPE) is a clinical entity of anaesthesiologic relevance, peri-operatively caused by obstruction of the conductive airways (upper airway obstruction, UAO) due to laryngospasm in approx. 50% of the cases, its early recognition and treatment by the anaesthesiologist is mandatory. Laryngospasm, a brief closure of the vocal cords is not an uncommon peri-operative occurrence. If recognized and managed appropriately, the effects are transient and reversible. However, in rare cases where recognition and management are delayed, the consequences are associated with a high morbidity including desaturation, awareness, negative pressure pulmonary edema, and mortality.

Sleep and Anaesthesia.

While sleep and anaesthesia are two different states, they have shared characteristics, and clinical and experimental observations in one state can have implications for behaviour in the other. General anaesthesia is a sleep-like state, establishes a foundation for the further functional study of slow waves in the sleep-anaesthesia connection, and directs us to a more refined perspective of the role of gamma activity in consciousness and anaesthetic mechanisms.