Scorpion venom component: AGAP exhibits local anaesthetic effects and attenuates nociceptive pain

The incidences of systemic toxicity and other complications associated with existing local anaesthetics can occur at clinical concentration level and vary with the anaesthetic techniques, types of surgery and patient factors. This evidence suggests the need for therapeutic interventions in peripheral and regional anaesthesia. Buthus martensii Karsch (BmK) scorpion venom is a compound that contains mixtures of peptides that have analgesic properties. This study aimed to investigate the local anaesthetic activity of scorpion venom peptide, AGAP (analgesic-antitumor peptide) in mechanical hyperalgesia or acute inflammatory pain. Method: Formalin was injected into the left hind paw after 20 minutes of infiltration of drugs. The time of licking or flinching of the injected hind paw was recorded as indicative of nociceptive or acute inflammatory pain. Paw flinching or quick withdrawal was considered a positive response to pain in the partial sciatic nerve ligation. The paw-withdrawal threshold (PWT) was determined by consecutively increasing and decreasing the magnitude of the stimulus. Results: The results indicated that AGAP exhibited a 67.9% inhibition in licking or flinching time and an 88.1% inhibition in paw withdrawal in mechanical hyperalgesia. The addition of AGAP to lidocaine showed an 89.5% inhibition in paw withdrawal. Conclusion: The data presented in this study suggest that local infiltration of AGAP significantly reduced mechanical hyperalgesia and acute inflammatory pain

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on theatre use at the rahima moosa mother and child hospital

SARS-COV-2, the viral pathogen that resulted in the COVID-19 pandemic, was first identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 31 December 2019. Efforts to curb the spread of this virus, as well as the effects of viral infections and resulting complications thereof, have placed immense strain on healthcare systems throughout the world. In South Africa, a nationwide lockdown was instituted on 27 March 2020 which resulted in the suspension of all elective surgical services. The effect of this suspension of services has not been fully elucidated, but it has been postulated that a significant surgical backlog may have been created due to limited resources and massive pre-existing patient loads. Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive review of theatre records at the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital (RMMCH) for the time period 1 March 2019 to 28 February 2021. Results: A total of 8 176 cases amounting to 9 656 hours and 20 minutes of theatre time occurred from 1 March 2019 to 29 February 2020 (pre-COVID-19). From 1 March 2020 to 28 February 2021 (post-COVID-19), a total of 7 717 cases amounting to 9 148 hours and 2 minutes were conducted. This calculated to a 5.61% reduction in cases and a 5.26% reduction in theatre hours. There was a statistically significant reduction in theatre use both in terms of cases done and hours of theatre time after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced the number of cases completed at the RMMCH. It also led to a significant reduction in total theatre use. Both of these findings were most pronounced in elective gynaecology and paediatric surgery services. There was, however, no statistically significant increase in intensive care unit (ICU) and high care (HC) admissions as well as mortalities for the period studied