Sedative methods used during extraction of wisdom teeth in patients with a high level of dental anxiety

INTRODUCTION: Intravenous sedation is performed to ensure smooth and safe surgery. Dental anxiety is a reaction to an unknown danger. The Spielberger's state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) can be used to simultaneously evaluate the levels of state and trait anxiety. State anxiety is defined as subjective feelings of nervousness. This study assessed the presurgical anxiety using STAI and performed intravenous sedation for patients whose level of state anxiety was > stage IV. Based on our clinical experience, it is believed that higher doses of sedatives are needed to induce the desired levels of sedation in patients with a high level of state anxiety. OBJECTIVES: This study examined whether the sedative consumption of the patient with a high anxiety level increased. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with state anxiety scores of > or =51 were included in Group V, and those with state anxiety scores ranging from 42 to 50 were placed in Group IV. To induce sedation, intravenous access was established, and a bolus dose of 3.0 mg midazolam was administered intravenously. Sedation was maintained by administering a continuous infusion of propofol, which was aimed at achieving an Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation scale of 10-12/20. In this study, midazolam was initially administered when the body movements appeared to occur or the blood pressure increased. This was followed by the administration of higher doses of propofol if low sedation was observed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the patient demographics, duration of sedation, and doses of local anaesthetic agents between Groups IV and V. The midazolam dose and mean propofol dose needed to maintain comparable levels of sedation were significantly higher in Group V than in Group IV. CONCLUSION: In female patients, whose level of preoperative state anxiety is more than Stage V of STAI, a large quantity of sedatives is needed for intravenous sedation.

Nosocomial Infection Management Using Web Site established in the LAN / 日本農村医学会雑誌

Nosocomial infection management is one of the most important subjects in terms of risk management in a hospital. To achieve the nosocomial infection management appropriately, both public relations and information gathering are important. When it comes to publicity, it is desirable that information is offered quickly and efficiently and the personnel are able to access the information easily anytime and wherever they are. As for information gathering, it is also important to collect the information concerning the nosocomial infection promptly, and to tell it quickly to infection management persons including infection control team members. The infection control committee of our hospital has engaged in both publicity and information gathering by using the committee web site established in the LAN of the hospital since January 2004. The web site carries notifications, organization chart, list of committee members, various manuals, guidance of educational activities, infection management, etc. It is also used for questions and answers, and gathering information concerning nosocomial infection. The number of times the web site was accessed was about 200 every month, and was considerable at night and on holidays. This method of using the web site seems to be useful to promote nosocomial infection management.