Comparison Of Magnesium Sulphate With Dexamethasone As Adjuvant To Local Anaesthetics For Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block

Background:Background and objectives: Brachial plexus block is routinely performed method of regional nerve block. Different adjuvantshave been used to hasten the onset and prolong the duration of peripheral nerve blocks. In this study we compared dexamethasone and magnesium sulphate as an adjuvant to combination of bupivacaine and lignocaine in supraclavicular brachial plexus block with regards to comparison of time required for onset and duration of sensory and motor block, duration of post-operative analgesia and requirement of rescue analgesics in first 24 hours postoperatively. Material And Methods:This prospective, observational, comparative study was performed on 60 patients of ASA class I, II and III in the age group of 18 to 70 years, weighing 40 to 70 kilogram and undergoing lower arm, elbow, forearm and hand surgeriesdivided in to 2 equal groups D and M. Group D received dexamethasone 8mg and group M received magnesium sulphate 500mg along with bupivacaine(0.5%) and lignocaine(2%).Result:Onest of sensory and motor blockade was significantly faster in group D compared to group M (p-0.001, p<0.001 respectively). Duration of sensory and motor blockade and duration of postoperative analgesia was prolonged in group D compared to group M (p-0.008, p-0.034).Conclusion:Addition of dexamethasone or magnesium sulphate as adjuvant in supraclavicular block prolongs postoperative analgesia. Dexamethasone provided quicker onset and longer duration of analgesia with lesser consumption of rescue analgesic in comparison to magnesium sulphate.

Periarticular Infiltration (Bupivacaine, Adrenaline, Magnesium Sulphate And Dexmedetomidine) For Postoperative Analgesia In Total Knee Arthroplasty- A Cases Series Study

Background:Total knee arthroplasty is a major surgery associated with severe pain and delayed rehabilitation. Good quality analgesia with minimum side effects is required for post-operative rehabilitation andinfluences overall outcome of patients.Material And Methods:All patients were given spinal anaesthesia. Intraoperatively, all patients received periarticular infiltration with solution of bupivacaine, adrenaline, dexmedetomidine and magnesium sulphate and normal saline. Post-operatively all patients received intravenous diclofenac sodium 75 mg 12 hourly. Postoperative pain using VAS score, sedation using Ramsay sedation score and hemodynamic parameters were observed.Result:The mean VAS score for pain was <2 during the first 48 hours and provided good analgesia to the patients. During the post-operative period hemodynamic parameters remained comparable to baseline and all patients were co-operative, oriented and tranquil. None of the patient developed any side effects.Conclusion:Local infiltration with bupivacaine, adrenaline, dexmedetomidine and magnesium sulphate can be used along with intravenous diclofenac sodium in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty and is effective, safe and reliable multimodal pain regimen.

Utility of a novel risk score for prediction of ventricular tachycardia and cardiac death in chronic Chagas disease - the SEARCH-RIO study

The SEARCH-RIO study prospectively investigated electrocardiogram (ECG)-derived variables in chronic Chagas disease (CCD) as predictors of cardiac death and new onset ventricular tachycardia (VT). Cardiac arrhythmia is a major cause of death in CCD, and electrical markers may play a significant role in risk stratification. One hundred clinically stable outpatients with CCD were enrolled in this study. They initially underwent a 12-lead resting ECG, signal-averaged ECG, and 24-h ambulatory ECG. Abnormal Q-waves, filtered QRS duration, intraventricular electrical transients (IVET), 24-h standard deviation of normal RR intervals (SDNN), and VT were assessed. Echocardiograms assessed left ventricular ejection fraction. Predictors of cardiac death and new onset VT were identified in a Cox proportional hazard model. During a mean follow-up of 95.3 months, 36 patients had adverse events: 22 new onset VT (mean±SD, 18.4±4‰/year) and 20 deaths (26.4±1.8‰/year). In multivariate analysis, only Q-wave (hazard ratio, HR=6.7; P<0.001), VT (HR=5.3; P<0.001), SDNN<100 ms (HR=4.0; P=0.006), and IVET+ (HR=3.0; P=0.04) were independent predictors of the composite endpoint of cardiac death and new onset VT. A prognostic score was developed by weighting points proportional to beta coefficients and summing-up: Q-wave=2; VT=2; SDNN<100 ms=1; IVET+=1. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis optimized the cutoff value at >1. In 10,000 bootstraps, the C-statistic of this novel score was non-inferior to a previously validated (Rassi) score (0.89±0.03 and 0.80±0.05, respectively; test for non-inferiority: P<0.001). In CCD, surface ECG-derived variables are predictors of cardiac death and new onset VT.