Prevalence and predictive factors of preoperative hypomagnesaemia among adult surgical patients in a large tertiary hospital in Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Magnesium is the second most abundant intracellular cation and a co-factor in several reactions involved in the formation and usage of adenosine triphosphate and nucleic acid synthesis. Magnesium deficiency may be as high as 65 % in patients admitted to a medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Significant and potentially fatal conditions have been attributed to hypomagnesaemia and it has also been associated with poor prognosis and increased mortality in the critically ill. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and identify the predictive factors of preoperative hypomagnesaemia in adult surgical patients who require an emergency laparotomy. METHODS: This was a hospital based prospective study conducted at the Korle-Bu teaching hospital. General surgical patients between the ages of eighteen and seventy years with a preoperative diagnosis which required emergency laparotomy for management were consecutively enrolled into the study. A total of 102 patients were enrolled in the study. Preoperative total serum magnesium and serum potassium were determined. Data was summarised utilising simple descriptive statistics (i.e., proportions, ratios and percentages). The Chi-square test was used to determine significant differences or associations between categorical variables, Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between continuous variables and predictive factors were determined by multiple regression. Analysis was done in SPSS version 16. RESULTS: The mean serum total magnesium and potassium were 0.66 ± 0.20 mmol/L and 3.79 ± 0.65 mmol/L respectively. The prevalence of preoperative hypomagnesaemia was found to be 68.0 %. Multiple logistic regression found only hypokalaemia to be a predictive factor (p-value of 0.001, odd's ratio of 9.21 and a confidence interval of 2.42-35.09). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of preoperative hypomagnesaemia was high (68.0 %) with hypokalaemia the only predictive factor. Hypokalaemic patients requiring emergency laparotomy are nine times more likely to develop hypomagnesaemia as compared to patients who were not hypokalaemic.

Surgically correctable adrenal-dependent hypertension: a report of five cases.

SummaryAlthough endocrine causes of secondary hypertension are relatively uncommon, medical practitioners must maintain a high index of suspicion for them in certain categories of patients. Such patients include young individuals, those with difficult-to-treat hypertension and those presenting with symptoms, clinical signs and/or laboratory parameters well-known to be associated with Cushing's syndrome, Conn's syndrome or phaeochromocytoma.This paper reports on 5 patients identified over a 2-year period with various hormonally-active adrenal adenomas causing hypertension in an environment where, hitherto, the occurrence of these conditions was generally thought to be rare. Aspects of the patients' histories, examination and laboratory findings that drew attention to the possibility of the diagnosis in each case are highlighted, as are the confirmatory investigations and management methods used by a multidisciplinary team of medical practitioners. The clinical outcome with appropriate treatment of adrenal-related hypertension is good and can result in significant cost savings in the long term.

The efficacy of pre-operative erythropoietin therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a single weekly low dose of erythropoietin (EPO), haematenics and antimalarials is effective in increasing the pre-operative haemoglobin of patients coming for potential blood losing surgery. DESIGN: A prospective observational study. SETTING: The Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana. SUBJECTS: Thirty one patients with low haemoglobin scheduled for potential blood losing surgery. RESULTS: A mean weekly dose of EPO administered of 10,840 +/- 640 IU raised the haemoglobin by 2-5g% above baseline levels in 28 (90.3%) of the patients. Twenty five (81%) of the patients had an uneventful normovolaemic haemodilution during their surgery. CONCLUSION: A single weekly dose of 150 ug/kg of EPO, haematenics, chloroquine (anti-malarial) and a high protein diet is efficacious in raising the pre-operative haemoglobin in Ghanaian patients.

Immediate discontinuation of intravenous fluids after common surgical procedures.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous (IV) fluids and nasogastric (MG) intubation can be discarded safely in some abdominal operations, but this practice seems rare in our community. SETTING: A University teaching hospital in Eastern Saudi Arabia. AIMS: To determine the feasibility of the practice in our setting and increase clinicians' awareness of it and encourage its general adoption. METHOD: A prospective verification study in consecutive ASA Classes I and II adult patients scheduled for four commonly performed operations. END POINTS: The practice was considered successful if the patient accepted early oral fluids and did not require re-insertion of IV line. RESULTS: The operations studied were appendicectomy (44), laparoscopic cholecystectomy (35), herniorrhaphy (19) and diagnostic laparoscopy (2). The patients' mean age was 34.1 years (range 14 to 68); 60% were males. The overall success rate was 98%. Thus postoperative IV fluids proved to be unnecessary in these patients; cost savings were achieved and treating teams were freed to focus on other patients who truly required IV fluids. CONCLUSIONS: In our setting also, routine IV fluids are unnecessary and can be discarded safely after appendecectomy, cholecystectomy and herniorrhaphy in adults.

Intubation via LMA in pediatric patients with difficult airways.

PURPOSE: To report two cases of successful tracheal intubation in difficult pediatric airways using a conventional laryngeal mask airway (LMA) with an extended polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tube after laryngeal assessment with a fibreoptic device. CLINICAL FEATURES: Two cases, Dandy-Walker and Pierre Robin syndromes, were scheduled for surgery. They were premedicated with 0.5 mg x kg(-1) promethazine p.o. 90 min before surgery. Both patients arrived in the operating room sedated, with dry mouth, and without evidence of increased intracranial tension or airway obstruction. Inhalational induction with isoflurane 0.5-3% was commenced. Conventional tracheal intubation was impossible in both cases. In each an LMA was inserted to maintain ventilation, anesthesia, and to facilitate intubation. Fibreoptic bronchoscopy was used to assess the larynx, followed by blind intubation via the LMA using extended PVC tracheal tube (TT). Anesthesia was maintained during intubation using Mapleson F anesthesia circuit attached to a connector with fibreoptic bronchoscope adapter. CONCLUSION: This report describes the assessment of the airway with fibreoptic bronchoscopy after LMA insertion facilitated blind tracheal intubation in two children with difficult airways.

The Gulf War: the experience of a department of anesthesiology in the management of Scud missile casualties.

BACKGROUND: The pivotal role of anesthesiologists in the implementation of disaster plans is not widely appreciated. OBJECTIVE: To describe the role of anesthesiologists as managers in the operating room (OR) especially during hospital disaster management. METHODS: On 25 February 1991, King Fahd Hospital of the University in Eastern Saudi Arabia, was alerted, received, triaged, and treated the victims of a Scud missile attack on a United States military barracks which killed 28 and injured more than 100 service personnel. RESULTS: There were 47 males and 15 females admitted to the hospital. Their initial triage categories of injuries were: 1) red, 23; 2) yellow, 27; and 3) green, 7. The flow of patients through the main operating rooms occurred in two peaks: 1) treated within nine hours (60%); and 2) during the next 11 hours (40%). A total 101 units of blood and blood products were consumed. The role of the Chief of Anesthesiology was vital in the dynamics of the situation regarding appropriate deployment of staff and ensuring an orderly throughput of victims in the operating room. He also was required to keep track of resources and supply levels in the operating room, so that he could advise the hospital administration appropriately. CONCLUSION: The successful management of a large multi-casualty incident, which involved use of the operating rooms, depended upon the efficient coordination of clearly defined functions with the Chief of Anesthesiology Service as the team leader.

Epidural morphine plus bupivacaine for relief of post-operative pain following Harrington rod insertion for correction of idiopathic scoliosis.

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of epidural morphine plus bupivacaine for post-operative pain control following Harrington rod insertion. In 22 scoliotic patients, studied prospectively, the epidural catheter was positioned under direct vision, intra-operatively before wound closure. Post-operatively, the patients received 2 mg morphine in 4 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine through the epidural catheter whenever they complained of pain. The pain score was assessed before and after every injection, using the Visual Analogue Pain Scale, and side-effects were monitored. All patients had adequate pain relief following analgesic administration. The mean (+/- SD) pre-injection pain score decreased from 2.5 +/- 0.15 on the first post-operative day to 0.7 +/- 0.2 by the fourth day. The side-effects, including nausea, vomiting and pruritus, were minimal. It is concluded that morphine, in 0.25% bupivacaine administered through an intra-operatively placed epidural catheter, provides a safe and effective post-operative analgesia in patients undergoing Harrington rod insertion for idiopathic scoliosis.

The effect of supplemental oxygen in sedated and unsedated patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

A total of 212 patients undergoing elective upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were prospectively studied. They were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: (I) sedation with no supplemental oxygen; (II) no sedation and no oxygen supplementation; (III) sedation and supplemental oxygen; and (IV) no sedation but supplemental oxygen. Oxygen desaturation occurred in all the groups except group IV and was worsened by sedation. Supplemental oxygen corrected the desaturation in the sedated patients and minimized the associated haemodynamic changes. The duration of the endoscopy procedure was shortest in patients who were sedated and given supplemental oxygen. It can be concluded that during conscious sedation for upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy, supplemental oxygen should be given and continued during the postendoscopy period to prevent oxygen desaturation.

Use of a tourniquet in patients with sickle-cell disease.

Fifteen patients, 13 male and two female, known to be carrying the sickle-cell gene (12 HbSS and 3 HbAS), who were undergoing operations requiring a bloodless field, were included in the study. Of the 12 with HbSS, seven had haemoglobin A1 component of between 11 and 27%, three had fetal haemoglobin ranging from 5.7 to 29% and the remaining two had increased haemoglobin A2 concentrations suggesting a beta non-thalassaemia combination. All had a tourniquet applied to the appropriate limb and were given general anaesthesia with moderate hyperventilation throughout the procedure. The tourniquet inflation time was 61.7 +/- 27.5 min. The mean PaO2 remained above 200 mmHg, mean PaCO2 was less than 37 mmHg, and pH ranged between 7.40 and 7.45. There were no clinically important changes in BP or ECG. All patients made uneventful recoveries and none developed sickle-cell crises. It is suggested that it is safe to use tourniquet in patients with sickle-cell disease provided optimum acid-base status and oxygenation are maintained throughout the procedure.

Evaluation of an intensive care unit in a teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Intensive Care Units (ICU) in general hospitals have become a standard requirement in tertiary care centres. However, the appropriateness of their use is not widely known. We have used the Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System (TISS) to evaluate a multidisciplinary ICU in a teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia. The average occupancy rate was 79%, the nurse: patient ratio was 1:1.4, duration of stay 4.1 +/- 3.5 days, and mortality was 1.4%. The distribution of severity of illness was as follows: Classes I & II, 82%, and Classes III & IV, 18%. The average TISS points were: daily per patient 15.1 +/- 2.7 (range 11.5-21.7), total per day 125.6 +/- 38.2 (range 35-211), and patient points per nurse was 21.1. We conclude that, although less than 20% of patients required unique ICU services, the use of our ICU was appropriate to the current medical and manpower training needs of the community it was designed to serve, but the basis of nurses' complaints of overwork remains to be determined.

Flumazenil reversal of midazolam sedation for dental procedures.

The efficacy of flumazenil in the reversal of midazolam sedation was assessed in double-blind placebo controlled study. Thirty patients undergoing oral surgical procedures were included. Flumazenil administration was followed by immediate rise of the CNS functions scores to almost the baseline awake values. Compared to control group, patients were significantly more oriented and had better comprehension up to 15 minutes, more alert for 30 minutes and had better memory function up to 60 minutes. Peripheral oxygen saturation was significantly higher up to 15 minutes. Flumazenil allows better utilization and higher turn over rate where space and nursing resources are scarce.

Anaesthetic-induced ventricular tachyarrhythmia in Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome.

A four-year-old deaf girl with a history of convulsions developed polymorphous ventricular tachycardia during induction of anaesthesia. The arrhythmia reverted to sinus rhythm spontaneously. Post-anaesthetic ECG showed marked prolongation of the QTc interval (570-690 msec). Deafness and prolonged QTc interval in association with microcytic-hypochromic anaemia confirmed the diagnosis of the Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome. This case report highlights the potentially lethal complication of halothane anaesthesia in patients with long QTc interval syndrome.

Congenital lobar emphysema.

This paper reviews three cases of congenital lobar emphysema from Saudi Arabia, seen over a period of three years. All were boys aged 2.5, 7 and 8 months, and recurrent attacks of chest infection, which started during the early neonatal period, were the main presentation. In all cases, diagnosis was confirmed by chest x-ray. Two of them had a lobectomy and made a good recovery. Operation was refused in the third. The clinicopathological features, diagnosis and management are discussed. An outline of the anaesthetic management is also discussed briefly.

Plasma cholinesterase in pregnancy--effect of enzyme activity on the duration of action of succinylcholine.

The duration of action of succinylcholine, 1 mg/kg and plasma cholinesterase activity were compared in 25 pregnant women undergoing cesarean section and 25 non-pregnant women undergoing elective surgery. Neuromuscular activity was assessed by observation of thumb adduction, following stimulation of the ulnar nerve at the wrist. The duration of action of succinylcholine was significantly longer and enzyme levels significantly lower in the pregnant women. Monitoring of neuromuscular function is recommended when succinylcholine is used in pregnant women.

Epidural ketamine for postoperative analgesia.

Thirty-four patients of ASA physical status I or II scheduled for gall bladder surgery were studied in a comparative prospective trial to evaluate the efficacy of epidural and intramuscular ketamine for postoperative pain relief. They were divided randomly into three groups. Group I (11 patients) received 30 mg intramuscular ketamine. Group II (10 patients) and Group III (13 patients) received 10 and 30 mg ketamine in 10 ml saline respectively, through epidural catheters. Pain was evaluated every two hours for the first 24 hours post-operatively by using a linear analogue pain scale from 0-10. Ketamine was given on the patient's request and whenever the pain score exceeded three. Ketamine produced analgesia in all patients studied. The reduction of pain score after two and four hours in Group I and III was significant when compared to Group II. Seven patients (54 per cent) in Group III did not require further analgesia after the initial injection. However, following 10 mg epidural ketamine or 30 mg IM ketamine, post-operative pain was more frequent. Four patients who received epidural ketamine complained of transient burning pain in the back during injection. No patient developed respiratory depression, psychic disturbance, cardiovascular instability, bladder dysfunction or neurologic deficit. It is concluded that 30 mg epidural ketamine is a safe and effective method for postoperative analgesia.

Atracurium for short surgical procedures: a comparison with succinylcholine.

A comparison was made between atracurium and succinylcholine in 40 patients undergoing short gynaecological procedures of 30 minutes or less. Good intubating conditions were produced in 76.7 +/- 39.3 seconds (mean +/- S.D.) with succinylcholine 1 mg . kg-1 and 198 +/- 84 seconds with atracurium 400 micrograms . kg-1. Muscle relaxation was maintained with the initial dose of atracurium or with repeated boluses of succinylcholine. The mean time of surgery was 17.65 +/- 5.3 minutes in the atracurium group and 15.2 +/- 4.6 minutes in the succinylcholine group. Residual neuromuscular block with atracurium was reversed with neostigmine 0.036 mg . kg-1 and atropine 0.018 mg . kg-1. Recovery of neuromuscular function following reversal, assessed by return of all responses to train-of-four stimulation occurred in 5.05 +/- 4.6 minutes in the atracurium group but half the above doses of neostigmine and atropine were repeated in three patients. We conclude that a single dose of atracurium 400 micrograms . kg-1 is suitable for intubation and maintainance of muscle relaxation for short surgical procedures. However, the onset of action is slow, compared to succinylcholine. Residual neuromuscular block can be antagonised with standard doses of neostigmine, less than 20 minutes after the initial dose of relaxant. Atracurium appears to be a suitable alternative for short procedures where succinylcholine is unsuitable or contraindicated.

Anaesthesia with continuous thiopentone infusion, epidural morphine and relaxant.

Twenty-three patients undergoing surgery below T.6 dermatome were anaesthetized with epidural morphine 20 mg in 15 ml of saline, thiopentone drip 0.04-0.1 mg/kg/min. and pancuronium 0.1 mg/kg. The patients had satisfactory analgesia intra-operatively. Post-operative analgesia lasted for varying periods ranging from 13 hours to 24 hours and above. The cardiovascular system was stable. Post-epidural morphine complications of respiratory depression (three patients), urinary retention (one patient) and pruritus (one patient) were seen and they were managed successfully.