Sphenopalatine Ganglion versus Greater Occipital Nerve Blocks in Treating Post-Dural Puncture Headache after Spinal Anesthesia for Cesarean Section: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite being invasive, with serious complications, epidural blood patch (EBP) is still considered the gold standard therapy for Post Dural Puncture Headache (PDPH). The use of Peripheral nerve blocks for PDPH are studied here. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the efficacy of sphenopalatine ganglion block (SPGB) and greater occipital nerve block (GONB) to relieve PDPH and its associated symptoms. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized comparative single-blind trial. SETTING: A University hospital. METHODS: Patients who received spinal anesthesia for elective cesarean section, and then developed PDPH during hospitalization or within 5 days after dural puncture were enrolled to receive GONB (n = 47) or SPGB (n = 46) for treatment of PDPH. GONB Group: Patients received bilateral GONB using 3 mL mixture of 2 mL lidocaine 2% plus 1 mL dexamethasone 4 mg on each side of occipital region. SPGB Group: Patients received bilateral SPGB using the same mixture in each nostril. Assessments included Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for severity of headache at supine and sitting positions, nausea NRS, neck stiffness, need for EBP, and complications. RESULTS: The supine and sitting headache NRS scores significantly decreased at 30 minutes after blocks and throughout follow-up period in both groups (P < 0.000). Clinically significant drop of NRS to < 4 was reached earlier in GONB group. There was a significant difference between groups after 2 hours in supine and sitting headache NRS scores (P = 0.020 and 0.030, respectively); however, both treatments showed similar effectiveness from the third hour afterwards (P > 0.05). Both techniques were effective in relieving neck stiffness and nausea (P < 0.000), with no adverse effects. LIMITATIONS: A limitation to this study was the small sample size. CONCLUSIONS: GONB and SPGB are equally effective in relieving symptoms of PDPH. Both techniques are safe, simple, and less invasive than EBP.

Effects of terlipressin infusion during hepatobiliary surgery on systemic and splanchnic haemodynamics, renal function and blood loss: a double-blind, randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Terlipressin, in general, is a vasopressor which acts via V1 receptors. Its infusion elevates mean blood pressure and can reduce bleeding which has a splanchnic origin. The primary outcome was to assess the impact of intraoperative terlipressin infusion on portal venous pressure during hepatobiliary surgery; the 2ry outcomes included effects upon systemic hemodynamics, estimated blood loss, and postoperative renal functions. METHODS: This prospective randomized study involved 50 patients undergoing hepatobiliary surgery who were randomly and equally allocated into terlipressin group, or a control group. The terlipressin group received an initial bolus dose of (1 mg over 30 min) followed by a continuous infusion of 2 µg/kg/h throughout the procedure and gradually weaned over the first four postoperative hours, whereas the control group received the same volumes of normal saline. The portal venous pressure changes were measured directly through a portal vein angiocatheter. RESULTS: Portal pressure was significantly reduced over time in the terlipressin group only (from 17.88 ± 7.32 to 15.96 ± 6.55 mmHg, p < .001). Mean arterial blood pressure was significantly higher in the terlipressin group. Estimated blood loss was significantly higher in the control group than the terlipressin group (1065.7 ± 202 versus 842 ± 145.5 ml; p = 0.004), and the units of packed RBCs transfused were significantly higher in the control group ((0-2) versus (0-4) p = 0.003). There was no significant difference between groups as regards the incidence of acute kidney injury. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative infusion of terlipressin during hepatobiliary surgery was shown to improve intraoperative portal hemodynamics with subsequent reduction in blood loss. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trial number and registry URL: Trial registration number: NCT02718599 . Name of registry: ClinicalTrials.gov. URL of registry: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02718599 . Date of registration: March 2016. Date of enrolment of the first participant to the trial: April 2016.

Ketamine as an adjunct to bupivacaine in infra-orbital nerve block analgesia after cleft lip repair / Cetamina como adjuvante de bupivacaína em bloqueio do nervo infraorbitário para analgesia após correção de lábio leporino

Abstract Objectives: We conducted this study to investigate the safety and analgesic efficacy of the addition of Ketamine to Bupivacaine in bilateral extra-oral infra-orbital nerve block in children undergoing cleft lip surgeries. Methods: Sixty patients were randomly allocated into two groups (n = 30), Group B received infra-orbital nerve block with 2 mL of 0.25% Bupivacaine and Group BK received 0.5 mg.kg-1 Ketamine for each side added to 1 mL of 0.5% Bupivacaine solution diluted up to 2 mL solution to 0.25% Bupivacaine concentration. Assessment parameters included; hemodynamics, recovery time, time to first oral intake, postoperative Faces Legs Activity Cry Consolability (FLACC) scores, Four-point Agitation scores, analgesic consumption and adverse effects. Results: Patients in Group BK showed lower postoperative FLACC scores during all recorded time points (p < 0.0001). Two patients in Group BK versus 12 in Group B requested for postoperative rescue analgesia (p < 0.001). There were no differences between groups in time, minutes (min), to first request for rescue analgesia. Patients in Group BK reported lower analgesic consumption (366.67 ± 45.67 vs. 240.0 ± 0.0 mg, p < 0.04). The time to first oral intake was significantly reduced in Group BK (87.67 ± 15.41 vs. 27.33 ± 8.68 min, p < 0.001). Lower postoperative Agitation scores were recorded in Group BK patients that reached a statistical significance at 45 min (0.86 ± 0.11 vs. 0.46 ± 0.16, p < 0.04) and in the first hour (h) postoperatively (1.40 ± 0.17 vs. 0.67 ± 0.14, p < 0.003). Higher parent satisfaction scores were recorded in Group BK (p < 0.04) without significant adverse effects. Conclusions: The addition of Ketamine to Bupivacaine has accentuated the analgesic efficacy of infra-orbital nerve block in children undergoing cleft lip repair surgeries.

Resumo Objetivos: Realizamos este estudo para avaliar a segurança e eficácia da analgesia com a adição de cetamina à bupivacaína em bloqueio do nervo infraorbitário, bilateral e extraoral, em crianças submetidas à cirurgia de lábio leporino. Métodos: Foram randomicamente alocados 60 pacientes em dois grupos (n = 30): o Grupo B recebeu bloqueio do nervo infraorbitário com bupivacaína a 0,25% (2 mL) e o Grupo BC recebeu bloqueio com cetamina (0,5 mg.kg-1) em cada lado, mais a adição de 1 mL de solução de bupivacaína a 0,5% diluída até 2 mL da concentração a 0,25%. Os parâmetros de avaliação incluíram: hemodinâmica, tempo de recuperação, tempo até a primeira ingestão oral, escores da escala FLACC (que avalia a expressão facial [Face], os movimentos das pernas [Legs], a atividade [Activity], o choro [Cry] e a consolabilidade [Consolability]), escores de agitação em escala de quatro pontos, consumo de analgésicos e efeitos adversos no pós-operatório. Resultados: Os pacientes do Grupo BC apresentaram escores FLACC mais baixos em todos os momentos mensurados no pós-operatório (p < 0,0001). Dois pacientes do Grupo BC versus 12 do Grupo B solicitaram analgesia de resgate no pós-operatório (p < 0,001). Não houve diferenças entre os grupos em relação ao tempo até a primeira solicitação de analgesia de resgate. Os pacientes do Grupo BC relataram consumo menor de analgésicos (366,67 ± 45,67 vs. 240,0 ± 0,0 mg, p < 0,04). O tempo em minutos (min) até a primeira ingestão oral foi significativamente reduzido no Grupo BC (87,67 ± 15,41 vs. 27,33 ± 8,68 min, p < 0,001). Escores mais baixos de agitação no pós-operatório foram registrados para os pacientes do Grupo BC, com significância estatística no tempo de 45 min (0,86 ± 0,11 vs. 0,46 ± 0,16; p < 0,04) e na primeira hora de pós-operatório (1,40 ± 0,17 vs. 0,67 ± 0,14; p < 0,003). Índices mais altos de satisfação dos pais foram registrados no Grupo BC (p < 0,04), sem efeitos adversos significativos. Conclusões: A adição de cetamina à bupivacaína acentuou a eficácia analgésica do bloqueio do nervo infraorbitário em crianças submetidas à cirurgia de correção de lábio leporino.

[Ketamine as an adjunct to bupivacaine in infra-orbital nerve block analgesia after cleft lip repair]. / Cetamina como adjuvante de bupivacaína em bloqueio do nervo infraorbitário para analgesia após correção de lábio leporino.

OBJECTIVES: We conducted this study to investigate the safety and analgesic efficacy of the addition of Ketamine to Bupivacaine in bilateral extra-oral infra-orbital nerve block in children undergoing cleft lip surgeries. METHODS: Sixty patients were randomly allocated into two groups (n=30), Group B received infra-orbital nerve block with 2mL of 0.25% Bupivacaine and Group BK received 0.5mg.kg-1 Ketamine for each side added to 1mL of 0.5% Bupivacaine solution diluted up to 2mL solution to 0.25% Bupivacaine concentration. Assessment parameters included; hemodynamics, recovery time, time to first oral intake, postoperative Faces Legs Activity Cry Consolability (FLACC) scores, Four-point Agitation scores, analgesic consumption and adverse effects. RESULTS: Patients in Group BK showed lower postoperative FLACC scores during all recorded time points (p<0.0001). Two patients in Group BK versus 12 in Group B requested for postoperative rescue analgesia (p<0.001). There were no differences between groups in time, minutes (min), to first request for rescue analgesia. Patients in Group BK reported lower analgesic consumption (366.67±45.67 vs. 240.0±0.0mg, p<0.04). The time to first oral intake was significantly reduced in Group BK (87.67±15.41 vs. 27.33±8.68min, p<0.001). Lower postoperative Agitation scores were recorded in Group BK patients that reached a statistical significance at 45min (0.86±0.11 vs. 0.46±0.16, p<0.04) and in the first hour (h) postoperatively (1.40±0.17 vs. 0.67±0.14, p<0.003). Higher parent satisfaction scores were recorded in Group BK (p<0.04) without significant adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of Ketamine to Bupivacaine has accentuated the analgesic efficacy of infra-orbital nerve block in children undergoing cleft lip repair surgeries.

Operative treatment of displaced Pipkin type I and II femoral head fractures.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The optimal surgical approach for the treatment of femoral head fracture remains controversial. We retrospectively reviewed patients with Pipkin type I and II femoral head fractures managed surgically through posterior Kocher-Langenbeck approach and Ganz trochanteric flip approach aiming to define the best approach with the least morbidity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between May 1995 and November 2010, 23 patients (14 men and 9 women) with an average age of 39.1 years (range 27-62) were treated by open reduction and internal fixation of femoral head fractures (5, Pipkin type I; and 18, type II) through Kocher-Langenbeck approach in 11 patients and trochanteric flip (digastric) osteotomy in 12. The two approaches were compared regarding operative time, difficulty of reduction and fixation, amount of blood loss, occurrence of femoral head osteonecrosis or heterotopic ossification and the final functional outcome. The scale of Brooker was used to document heterotopic ossification. The modified Merle d'Aubigne and Postel as well as Thompson and Epstein scores were used for final evaluation. RESULTS: Trochanteric flip approach was associated with less operative time, less blood loss and improved visualization facilitating direct screw fixation compared with Kocher-Langenbeck approach. Non-union of the trochanteric osteotomy developed in one patient. Heterotopic ossification was seen more in trochanteric flip-approached cases. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head occurred in one patient (8.1 %) of trochanteric flip-approached group and two (18.1 %) of posterior approach group. All patients were followed up for an average of 31 months (range 24-84). Except for one patient, the final outcomes were equal in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the limited number of patients, we can conclude that good final outcome does not necessarily follow a specific approach.