Clinical assessment of propofol anaesthesia in short gynecological surgical procedures: a comparative study with thiopentone

75 patients mean age 24.9 SD 8 years of ASA grade 1, were included in the study from patients who were to undergo minor gynaecological procedures. They were divided into two groups : Group A received propofol and group B received thiopentone for induction of anaesthesia. Blood pressure was recorded before induction, 2 minutes after induction and at three minutes intervals thenceforth recordings. Also respiratory rate was recorded by visual observation. The induction dose and time taken, unwanted events and subjective assessment of quality of induction were recorded, as were the presence and duration of apnoea. Maintenance doses and timing, untoward events such as movement, and a subjective assessment of control of depth of anaesthesia were noted by the anaesthetist. The duration of surgery was recorded together with the time from start of induction to the end of surgery [the anaesthetic time]. Recovery time was measured from the time of closure of nitrous oxide to the time the patient took to recognize the time, date and place which meant complete orientation. Any side effect during recovery were noted as well. And any changes of the cardiovascular system and airway and respiratory system stability were noted. Propofol took longer to render patient asleep, gave more incidence of pain on injection and the patient moved In response to surgical stimulation. On the other hand the patients blood pressure was more stable with less changes

Recolonization of anesthetic instruments after regular treatment with potentially pathogenic organisms

Anesthetic instruments are classified as classes B with regard to sterilization status. This means that washing with soap and water or other detergents is sufficient for reuse. A prospective study was conducted over a 6 month period in the operating [rooms] theatres at Princess Basma Teaching Hospital on anesthetic instruments including laryngoscopes, oxygen masks, airways, tracheal tubes and suction catheters. Fifteen different samples were taken randomly at different sites on these instruments after they had been prepared conventionally for use, and these samples were cultured for bacterial contamination [e.g. P. Aeruginosa]. The results showed that potentially pathogenic bacteria were colonizing these instruments. It was concluded that these instruments are important vehicles for transmitting various agents of infection and play an important role in causing nosocomial infections. It is recommended that more effective methods be used for sterilizing these instruments

Comparative study on caudal anaesthesia for patients undergoing elective anorectal surgery

A prospective comparative randomised trial between caudal and general anaesthesia was conducted by two teams of anaesthesiologists on 201 Inpatients out of 366 consecutive anorectal surgeries performed at JUH In 1980 - 1982. The purpose of the study is the patients' acceptability of the technique, on one hand, and the evaluation of the relative patients' safety and difficulties of that method on the other. There were [101] operations under general anaesthesia and [100] operations under caudal anaesthesia. 13% failure rate was observed in caudal group. 4% needed general anaesthesia. 9% were either difficult anatomically or needed more than one trial of needle introduction