Assessment of Airway Parameters for Predicting Difficult Laryngoscopy and Intubation in a Tertiary Center in Western Nepal.

BACKGROUND: The screening tests used for pre-operative evaluation of airway to predict difficult laryngoscopy and intubation have variable diagnostic accuracy. The unanticipated poor laryngeal view is gold standard for defining difficult intubation. We aimed to find out the prevalence of difficult laryngoscopy and intubation, which airway parameter better predicts difficult intubation and whether difficult laryngoscopy is associated with difficult intubation or not. METHODS: This analytic cross sectional study was conducted in 665 ASA I/II adult patients, aged 18-65, without obvious airway pathology undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia. The pre-operative screening tests included mouth opening, modified mallampatti, ratio of height to thyromental distance, sternomentaldistance and upper lip bite test. Cormack-Lehane grade III/ IV was defined as difficult laryngoscopy and potentially difficult intubation. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy and area under curve at 95% confidence interval was calculated for all five screening tests. RESULTS: The prevalence of difficult laryngoscopy and intubation was 6.6% (44 cases). The upper lip bite test because of its highest specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy and area under curve (99.7%; 93.9%; 99.7%; 95.2%; 85.1% respectively) with moderate level of sensitivity (70.5%) was better predictor of difficult intubation than other tests. The difficult laryngoscopy was associated with difficult intubation (p=0.00). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of difficult laryngoscopy and intubation was 6.6%.The upper lip bite test was a better predictor of difficult intubation and there was a significant association of difficult laryngoscopy with difficult intubation.

Cesarean Sections under General Anesthesia at a Tertiary Care Center in Western Nepal: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: General anesthesia is feared to have adverse feto-maternal outcomes compared to neuraxial anesthesia. It is recommended to keep rate of caesarean sections under general anesthesia below 5% and 15% for elective and emergency caesarean sections respectively. This study was conducted to find out the prevalence of caesarean sections under general anesthesia at a tertiary care center in western Nepal. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among caesarean sections conducted at Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal from January 2014 to December 2017. Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Committee with reference number MEMG/IRC/GA/122. All the caesarean sections conducted during this study period were included in the study using whole sampling method. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data. Data for each patient was subsequently entered into an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20. RESULTS: Among 3613 cases, caesarean sections under general anesthesia was observed in 175 (4.84%) in our center over a period of four years at 95% Confidence Interval (4.13-5.55%). The yearly variations ranges from 2.83% to 8.99%. The rate of general anesthesia was found slightly higher in elective 31 (5.82%) as compared to emergency caesarean section 144 (4.67%). CONCLUSIONS: The four year medical records of our institution showed fluctuating trend of caesarian sections under general anesthesia. The rate of general anesthesia for emergency caesarian section was within the recommended rate while it was slightly higher in elective caesarian section.

Prevention of Shivering during Spinal Anesthesia: Comparison between Tramadol, Ketamine and Ondansetron.

INTRODUCTION: Shivering is an unpleasant experience after spinal anesthesia. We conducted this study to evaluate the efficacy of ondansetron, ketamine and tramadol for prevention of shivering. METHODS: In this randomized controlled study, 120 patients aged 18-65 years of American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) physical status I and II undergoing various surgical procedures were included and allocated alternately to one of the 4 groups; Normal saline (Group1), Ondansetron 4mg (Group2), Ketamine 0.25mg/kg (Group3) and Tramadol 0.5mg/kg (Group4). Incidence of shivering, effect on hemodynamics, nausea, vomiting, sedation and emergence reactions were recorded. Data was analyzed using SPSS (The Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 20.0 software. RESULTS: The patients were comparable in terms of demographic variables, baseline temperature, type of surgery, median level of sensory blockade, duration of surgery and anesthesia. Shivering was present in 17 (56.7%), 5 (16.7%), 3 (10%) and 3 (10%) patients respectively in Group 1, 2, 3 and 4 which was statistically significant when compared to Group 1 (P=0.00) The odds of NS and ondansetron, NS and ketamine, NS and tramadol was 6.53, 11.76 and 11.76 respectively which showed that study drugs were effective in preventing shivering. None of the patients were sedated in Group 1 and 2. Mild to moderate sedation was present in Group 3 and 4 (P=0.00). None of the patients had drug related adverse reactions. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic use of ondansetron, low doses of ketamine and tramadol is effective in preventing shivering post spinal anesthesia without untoward effects.