A randomised prospective comparative study of evaluation of dexmedetomidine an adjuvant to ropivacaine for ultrasound guided supraclavicular block

Background:There are clinical evidences for efficacy of dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to local anaesthetic for peripheral nerve block, but very few published study are available on continuation of dexmedetomidine, with ropivacaine for ultrasound guided supraclavicular block. The present study has been designed to elucidate the effect of dexmedetomidine, in combination ropivacaine on various parameters.Methods:During period of 2 year and 3 months 84 patients were enrolled for thisstudy. Patient in Group A were received 15 ml of 0.5% ropivacaine with 100 microgram one ml dexmedetomidine and Group B were received 15ml of 0.5% of ropivacaine with 1 ml of normal saline. Drug solution was prepared by same individual and was not part ofstudy.Results:Both the group were comparable to each other regarding demography profile. The duration of sensory block 644.96±72.4 min in group A and the duration of sensory block in Group B was 731.53±131.54 min with p value0.00354.The duration of motor block was 661.5±29.25 in group A and 559.77±29.25 in Group B with P value 0.0001. Duration of analgesia in Group A was 457.06±34.47 min and it was 345.70±38.032min in Group B.The supplementation of intravenous opioid was required in 3 patients in Group A and 10 patients in group B with P value 0.037. Conclusions: When 100 microgram of dexmedetomidine was added as an adjuvant to ropivacaineis associated with early onset of sensory and motor block, prolongation of sensory and motor block and duration of analgesia in comparison with ropivacaine alone

Auditory functions in anaesthesia residents during exposure to operating room noise.

Twenty anaesthesia residents were exposed to a pre-recorded audio cassette of operating room noise. The noise level during exposure was maintained at 77.32 +/- 1 dB (A), which was the calculated average operating room noise in our institute. Two auditory functions i.e., speech reception threshold and speech discrimination were studied before and during exposure to noise in a pre-fixed order. The right and left ears were tested separately. Speech reception threshold showed a mean increase of 23.75 +/- 6.86 dB (A) for the right ear and 26.25 +/- 6.90 dB(A) for the left ear during exposure to noise, suggesting that speech communication may be possible only by raising the voice. Speech discrimination showed a mean percentage decrease of 23.3 +/- 4.82 per cent for the right ear and 23.5 +/- 3.89 per cent for the left ear implying that there can be a steep decrease in the ability to discriminate spoken words.

Splenic hemangiomatosis with osseous involvement.

A rare case of splenic hemangiomatosis with bone involvement in the upper extremity is presented. The findings on ultrasonography and CT scan abdomen were suggestive of splenic hemangiomatosis. X-ray of left forearm showed findings characteristic of osseous hemangiomatosis, which was subsequently confirmed on histology.