A comparative study of sedo-analgesic effect of dexmedetomidine and dexmedetomidine with ketamine in postoperative mechanically ventilated patients.

Background and Aims: To compare the sedoanalgesic effects of dexmedetomidine alone or with combination of ketamine. Material and Methods: After getting ethical approval and informed patient consent, 60 adult surgical patients, were randomly divided into two groups. Group KD (n = 30); received dexmedotomidine 0.5 µg/kg/h mixed with ketamine 0.5 µg/kg/h and Group DEX (n = 30); received dexmedotomidine at 0.5 mg/kg/h infusion only. In both the groups, study drugs were titrated (dexmedetomidine- 0.2-0.7 µg/kg/h and ketamine 0.2-0.7 mg/kg/h) to achieve target sedation. Hemodynamic variables, pain scores, sedation scores, and patient satisfaction were recorded. Qualitative and Quantitative data were analyzed with Pearson Chi-squared test and analysis of variance test, respectively. All analyses were done by using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. Results: Pain scores were higher in group DEX than in group KD at 2 h and 4 h which was statistically significant (P < 0.05). At the end of 2 h, sedation scores were higher in group KD than in group DEX and was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Length of intensive care unit stay was almost comparable in both groups, and the time to tracheal extubation was lesser in ketamine-dexmedetomidine group as compared to the dexmedetomidine alone group. However the difference was statistically non-significant. Conclusions: By combining dexmedetomidine with ketamine we observed lower incidence of hypotension and bradycardia. Dexmedetomidine with ketamine combination therapy could be used safely and effectively as sedo-analgesic agent.

Triple A to triple S: From diagnosis, to anesthetic management of Allgrove syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Allgrove syndrome (AS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by achalasia cardia, alacrimia, and adrenocorticotropic hormone-resistant adrenal insufficiency which is sometimes associated with autonomic dysfunction. It has also been referred to as the triple A syndrome in view of the cardinal symptoms described above. First described by Allgrove et al in 1978, the disorder usually presents mostly during the first decade of life. These patients have the threat of adrenal crisis, shock, and hypoglycemia and are usually on steroid supplementation. CASE REPORT: The anesthesiologist's encounter with such patients, although rare, is mostly for repair of the achalasia cardia. We thus report a similar case of AS in a 2-year-old girl who was scheduled to undergo Heller myotomy along with the preoperative evaluation and intraoperative management of the same. CONCLUSION: Being aware of the pathophysiology of AS gives useful insight about the disease and successful perioperative management in the form of the triple S strategy, that is, stress dose of steroids, slow induction and positioning, and finally maintenance of stable hemodynamics and euglycemia.

Intraoperative tumor lysis syndrome in a child with Wilms' tumor.

Tumor lysis syndrome in an onco-metabolic emergency resulting from massive lysis of rapidly proliferating malignant cells seen commonly in patients with hematological malignancies such as acute lymphocytic leukemia and Burkitt's lymphoma and is quite rare in solid tumors. Spontaneous development of tumor lysis has been described among other trigger factors such as corticosteroid therapy, anesthesia, tumor manipulation during surgery and pyrexia. We describe such a case in a 5-year-old boy posted for excision and staging of a massive Wilms' tumor who developed a hyperkalemic cardiac arrest during the procedure and its subsequent intraoperative and postoperative management. Intraoperative cardiac arrest is a stressful situation for both the anesthesiologist and the surgeon, more so when it involves a child. The aim of this report is to make the anesthesiologist aware of the possibility and occurrence of such a phenomenon in children and be adequately prepared for such an emergency.