Occupational hazards and health problems among butchers in Uyo, Nigeria

Introduction: Butchers are exposed to various types of hazards in the course of their work, which could lead to health problems of varying severity. The aim of this study was to identify the occupational hazards and health problems of butchers in Uyo and also assess the physical conditions of their slaughter facilities. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 157 butchers in Uyo using a semi-structured questionnaire for data collection. Facility assessment was made using a checklist. Analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20. Level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: The mean age of respondents was 33 ± 9.94 years. Most respondents were males (83.4%). The most commonly reported workplace hazards were knife (93.6%), bones (57.3%), and slippery floor (24.8%). The most common health problems were knife cuts (87.3%), cuts from bones (50.3%), and neck pain (36.9%). Having injuries from live animals and back pain were significantly associated with working with cows (P < 0.05). The most common de-furring method was burning with firewood (61.1%). The slaughter facilities lacked many expected amenities of a standard abattoir. Conclusion: Identified hazards and health problems of butchers were numerous. The slaughter facilities lacked appropriate equipment that promotes workers' health and safety. It is recommended that slaughter facilities be upgraded to meet the standard abattoir practice. Regular training of butchers should be organized by their association to encourage safer practice, including the use of appropriate protective wears. Use of the chemical method of de-furring should also be encouraged to limit exposure to harmful gases

Intraoperative awareness as an example of the influence of cardiac output on anesthetic dosing: case report / Despertar intraoperatorio como ejemplo de la influencia del gasto cardíaco en la dosificación anestésica. Reporte de caso

Abstract A case of intraoperative awareness during ablation of pulmonary veins-one of the most widely used techniques in interventional cardiology-is discussed. An infusion of isoproterenol was administered following the ablation of ectopic foci. A few seconds after the infusion the patient experienced increased heart rate and intraoperative awareness manifested as an abrupt patient movement and bispectral index elevation. This has been described in similar procedures, following the administration of isoproterenol. In our opinion, the isoproterenol infusion caused the increased heart rate and subsequent abrupt rise in cardiac output. As an inversely proportional relationship between the propofol concentrations and cardiac output has been described, we believe that this rise in cardiac output could have favored the decline in the concentrations of propofol, leading to an intraoperative awareness episode.

Resumen Presentamos un caso de despertar intraoperatorio durante la ablación de venas pulmonares, una de las técnicas más empleadas por los cardiólogos intervencionistas. Tras la ablación de focos ectópicos se procede a la infusión de isoproterenol. Segundos después de la infusión se produce un aumento de la frecuencia cardíaca seguido de un despertar intraoperatorio traducido como un movimiento brusco del paciente y un aumento en el índice bi-espectral (BIS). Esto ha sido descrito en procedimientos similares tras la administración de isoproterenol. En nuestra opinión, la infusión de isoproterenol provocó un aumento de la frecuencia cardiaca y secundariamente del gasto cardíaco de forma brusca. Dado que se ha descrito una relación inversamente propocional entre las concentraciones de propofol y el gasto cardíaco, pensamos que este aumento del gasto cardíaco pudo condicionar un descenso de las concentraciones de propofol y esto causar el episodio de despertar intraoperatorio.