Difficulty in the removal of epidural catheter for labor analgesia.

For labor pain management epidural analgesia is a popular and an effective method. Difficult removal of epidural catheters occasionally occurs, and several maneuvers have been recommended. The purpose of this article is to raise awareness of the problem of retained epidural catheter fragments and identify the potential impact of complications.

Measurement of endotracheal tube cuff pressure: Instrumental versus conventional method.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the conventional practice of endotracheal tube (ETT) cuff inflation and pressure measurement as compared to the instrumental method. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Anaesthesia, King Saud University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (June 2014-July 2014). METHODS: A total of 100 adult patients were observed according to the syringe size used Group-1 (10 ml) and Group-2 (20 ml) for ETT cuff inflation in general anesthesia. Patients with anticipated difficult intubation, risk for aspiration, known anatomical laryngotracheal abnormalities, and emergency cases were excluded. Trachea was intubated with size 8 or 8.5 mm and 7.0 or 7.5 mm ETT in male and female patients respectively. The ETT cuff was inflated with air by one of the anesthesia technician. Cuff pressures were measured using aneroid manometer. ETT cuff pressure of 20-30 cm of water was considered as standard. RESULTS: In 69% of the patients, the cuff pressure measurements were above the standard. Age (P = 0.806), weight (P = 0.527), height (P = 0.850), and gender (P = 1.00) were comparable in both groups. The mean cuff pressure in Group-1 and Group-2 was 32.52 ± 6.39 and 38.90 ± 6.60 cm of water (P = 0.001). The cuff inflation with 20 ml syringe resulted in higher cuff pressure as compared to 10cc syringe 37.73 ± 4.23 versus 40.74 ± 5.01 (86% vs. 52%, P = 0.013). CONCLUSION: The conventional method for ETT cuff inflation and pressure measuring is unreliable. As a routine instrumental cuff pressure, monitoring is suggested.

Subtenon block combined with general anesthesia for vitreoretinal surgery improves postoperative analgesia in adult: a randomized controlled trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of subtenon block (SB) as an adjunct to general anesthesia on intraoperative oculocardiac reflex (OCR), postoperative pain, and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) for vitreoretinal surgery. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, double-blinded clinical trial. SETTING: Operating room, postanesthesia care unit, and ward at a university-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: Eighty patients aged 40 to 65 years of American Society of Anesthesiologists I to II requesting general anesthesia for vitreoretinal surgery. Intervention and Measurements Patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups receiving either SB with mixture of 4 mL of 2% lidocaine and 0.5% bupivacaine (50:50) in group SB or subtenon injection of saline in group C after induction of anesthesia and before surgery in a double-blind manner. The time to first postoperative analgesic dose, incidence of intraoperative OCR, postoperative pain scores, perioperative analgesic requirements, number of patients requiring rescue analgesics during the 24-hour study period, incidence of PONV, and possible complications were recorded. RESULTS: Time to first postoperative analgesia was significantly longer in group SB (P= .002). Pain scores at the first 6 hours postoperatively were significantly lower in group SB (P= .002). Intraoperative and postoperative analgesic requirements were significantly reduced in group SB (P= .015). The incidence of OCR and PONV also significantly decreased in this group (P= .001 and P= .011, respectively). CONCLUSION: Use of SB combined with general anesthesia in patients undergoing vitreoretinal surgery reduces postoperative analgesic requirements and complications such as intraoperative OCR and PONV.

Novel management of methylene blue extravasation: A case report and review of literature.

Methylene blue is a highly irritant drug and has been used intraoperatively. Its accidental extravasation can lead to tissue necrosis. In this report, a unique management is described, and the patient recovered without any morbidity.

Effect of single oral dose of tramadol on gastric secretions pH.

BACKGROUND: Tramadol is an atypical analgesic agent. It has been shown that intramuscular or intravenous injection tramadol is able to inhibit M3 muscarinic receptors. Tramadol is able to mediate smooth muscles contraction and glandular secretions. We have evaluated the effects of single oral dose of tramadol given preoperatively on gastric juices pH in patients electively scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty adult, American Society of Anesthesiologist I and II patients scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy were included in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either placebo (n = 30) or oral tramadol 50 mg (n = 30). General anesthesia was induced using propofol, fentanyl and cisatracurium. After induction of anesthesia 5 ml of gastric fluid was aspirated through orogastric tube. The gastric fluid pH was measured using pH meter. RESULT: There was no significant difference in the pH between the groups. Gastric pH of the placebo and tramadol groups was 1.97 versus 1.98 (P = 0.092) respectively. CONCLUSION: Preoperatively single oral dose of tramadol was unable to elevate the desired level of gastric acid secretions pH (>2.5). This may be due to pharmacokinetic disparity between the analgesic and pH elevating properties of tramadol.

Randomized clinical trial of continuous femoral nerve block combined with sciatic nerve block versus epidural analgesia for unilateral total knee arthroplasty.

Pain control following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is crucial to hasten rehabilitation and decrease morbidity. We evaluated whether there is a difference between epidural infusion and continuous femoral nerve block with respect to postoperative pain control and rehabilitation course. Fifty patients completed the study. There was no statistically significant difference in the pain scores (P=0.33), morphine consumption (P=0.09) mean blood pressure or heart rate (P=0.957, and P=0.716) between groups. The postoperative daily mobilization (P=0.80), knee joint range of motion (P=0.83), and straight leg test (P=0.99) were also similar between both groups. Patients were highly satisfied with their pain management in both groups without statistically significant difference (P=0.98).

Hospital acquired blood stream infection as an adverse outcome for patients admitted to hospital with other principle diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Hospital acquired infections (HAI) have emerged as an important public health problem and are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. They affect both developed and resource-poor countries and constitute a significant burden both for the patient and for the health care system. Specific objectives in this study are assessment of HAI rate among patients admitted with other principle diagnosis, to identifying the causative agents of hospital acquired infections and to identify some possible risk factors associated with each type of infection, both health related and non-health related. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study was done on selected diagnosis groups during year 2010. The infections were found among 250 patients (43.6% males) have been exposed to episodes of infections. Median age of patients was 56. Data were abstracted from the archived patients' files in medical record department using the annually infection control log-book prepared by the infection control department. The Data collected were demographic information about the patients (age and sex), clinical condition (diagnosis and the length of hospital stay) and possible risk factors for infection as smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and exposure to invasive devices or exposure to surgical procedures. RESULTS: Liver diseases 22.8%, cardiac diseases 22.8%, Gastro-Intestinal System diseases 20%, urinary system diseases 13.6%, and endocrinal disorder 13.6% Prostate gland diseases 7.2%. Episodes of infections caused by 9 types of organisms divided into 47.2% for blood stream infection and 52.8% for other types. 66% acquired blood stream infection were exposed to central venous line. CONCLUSION: Most common type of HAIs was blood stream infections. Liver, cardiac diseases and gastro-intestinal diseased patients show more proportion of HAIs while urinary system and prostate disease patients show less proportion of HAIs. Gram negative bacilli were the most common organisms found in our study (60%).

Effect of bispectral index (BIS) monitoring on postoperative recovery and sevoflurane consumption among morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric banding.

UNLABELLED: Early and uneventful postoperative recovery of morbidly obese patients remains a challenge for anesthesiologists. It could be valuable to titrate the administration of inhaled anesthetic, such as sevoflurane, in morbid obese patients, in order to shorten emergence using bispectral index (BIS) monitoring. It would be a great advantage if BIS permitted a more rapid recovery and less consumption in morbidly obese patients with a high cost inhaled agent. The aim of the study is to show whether the titration of sevoflurane based on the BIS monitoring would allow shortening of recovery time in morbidly obese patients and to evaluate whether BIS monitoring would contribute to reduce the amount of sevoflurane administered while providing an adequate anesthesia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty morbidly obese ASA I & II patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric banding (LAGB) procedures were studied. In the first group (15 patients), patients were anesthetized without the use of BIS (non BIS or control group), and sevoflurane being administered according to standard clinical practice (control group). In the second group (15 patients), sevoflurane was titrated to maintain a BIS value between 40 and 60 during surgery, and then 60-70 during 15 min prior to the end of surgery (BIS group). Recovery times were recorded. Time to extubation was also noted, as well as the time to achieve a modified Aldrete score of 9 were evaluated subsequently at 10-min intervals until 3 h after surgery by nurses who had no knowledge of the study. Sevoflurane consumption was calculated using the vaporizer weighing method. RESULTS: Awakening and extubation times were significantly shorter in the BIS group (P < 0.05). In the BIS (vs. non BIS) group, there were no significant differences observed in the time to obtain an Aldrete score of 9. The sevoflurane consumption and cost in the BIS group were lower than in the non BIS group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Bispectral index monitoring during anesthesia for morbidly obese patients provides statistically significant reduction in recovery times. It also has the added advantage in decreasing sevoflurane consumption.