ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Monitored anesthesia care (MAC) combines intravenous sedation along with local anesthetic infiltration or nerve block. Several drugs have been used for MAC, but all are associated with complications. Dexmedetomidine is a selective α2-adrenoceptor agonist with both sedative and analgesic properties and is devoid of respiratory depressant effects. Its short elimination half-life makes it an attractive agent for sedation during MAC. AIM: Comparative evaluation of dexmedetomidine and midazolam for MAC. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized, double-blind study, 50 American Society of Anesthesiologist I and II patients undergoing a surgical or diagnostic procedure of <1 h requiring MAC were enrolled. Dexmedetomidine-ketamine (Group "KD") patients (n = 25) received intravenous (I.V.) dexmedetomidine 1 mcg/kg over 10 min followed by 0.5 mg/kg of I.V. ketamine. Midazolam-ketamine patients (n = 25) received I.V. midazolam 0.05 mg/kg over 10 min followed by 0.5 mg/kg of I.V. ketamine to get a targeted level of sedation (≤4 using Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation Scale score). Inadequate sedation (e.g., 15% increase in mean arterial blood pressure or heart rate, decrease in degree of calmness, increase in respiratory rate, physical movement) was treated by a ketamine bolus of 0.5 mg/kg as a rescue analgesia. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The statistical tests used in the study are unpaired Student's t-test for continuous variables and Chi-square test for categorical variables. Mann-Whitney test was used to assess the patient and surgeon satisfaction. Data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Value of P < 0.05 is considered significant and P < 0.0001 as highly significant. RESULTS: Clinically desired sedation and analgesia was achieved earlier and better with dexmedetomidine. Patients and surgeons satisfaction were significantly higher with dexmedetomidine. The requirement of additional sedation and analgesia was less in dexmedetomidine (KD) group. CONCLUSION: During MAC dexmedetomidine provides better sedation and analgesia than midazolam.
ABSTRACT
Negative pressure pulmonary edema is often misdiagnosed or can go clinically unrecognized by anesthesiologists. It is characterized by a markedly low intrapleural pressure which leads to exudation of fluid and red blood cells in the interstitium. Recognition of patients with predisposing factors for upper airway obstruction is important in the diagnosis which is often confused with pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents. Signs and symptoms are subtle and edema is usually self-limited. Our patient was management conservatively with maintenance of a patent airway and administration of supplemental oxygen and had a successful outcome.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Mixing of various adjuvants has been tried with local anesthetics in an attempt to prolong anesthesia from peripheral nerve blocks but have met with inconclusive success. More recent studies indicate that 8 mg dexamethasone added to perineural local anesthetic injections augment the duration of peripheral nerve block analgesia. AIMS: Evaluating the hypothesis that adding dexamethasone to ropivacaine significantly prolongs the duration of analgesia in supraclavicular brachial plexus block compared with ropivacaine alone. PATIENTS AND METHODS: It was a randomized, prospective, and double-blind clinical trial. Eighty patients of ASA I and II of either sex, aged 16-60 years, undergoing elective upper limb surgeries were equally divided into two groups and given supraclavicular nerve block. Group R patients (n = 40) received 30 ml of 0.5% ropivacaine with distilled water (2 ml)-control group whereas Group D patients (n = 40) received 30 ml of 0.5% ropivacaine with 8 mg dexamethasone (2 ml)-study group. The primary outcome was measured as duration of analgesia that was defined as the interval between the onset of sensory block and the first request for analgesia by the patient. The secondary outcome included maximum visual analogue scale (VAS), total analgesia consumption, surgeon satisfaction, and side effects. RESULTS: Group R patients required first rescue analgesia earlier (557 ± 58.99 min) than those of Group D patients (1179.4 ± 108.60 min), which was found statistically significant in Group D (P < 0.000). The total dose of rescue analgesia was higher in Group R as compared to Group D, which was statistically significant (P < 0.00). CONCLUSION: Addition of dexamethasone (8 mg) to ropivacaine in supraclavicular brachial plexus approach significantly and safely prolongs motor blockade and postoperative analgesia (sensory) that lasted much longer than that produced by local anesthetic alone.
ABSTRACT
The most common arrhythmia seen during pregnancy is paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome accounts for majority of this in such population. The presence of pre-disposing factors may facilitate the onset of tachyarrhythmias in previously asymptomatic parturients with the WPW syndrome such as increased hemodynamic, hormonal, autonomic, and emotional changes. Therefore, meticulous monitoring is essential perioperatively. Epidural anesthesia providing added advantage of hemodynamic stability and post-operative analgesia is preferred in such pregnant patients undergoing emergency cesarean section.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To compare effectiveness of intravenous iron-sucrose versus oral ferrous fumarate in postpartum anemia. METHODS: In this study, 40 women with postpartum anemia with hemoglobin (Hb) less than 8 g/dl within 48 h postpartum were randomised into two groups. Group I consisted of 20 women who received 300-600 mg of intravenous iron-sucrose every alternate day for 3 days. Group II consisted of 20 women who were given 300 mg ferrous fumarate orally daily for 14 days. RESULTS: On day 14, the increase in mean Hb level in group I was 2.4 g/dl in comparison to 1.2 g/dl in group II. Women in group I had significantly higher mean Hb values on days 7 and 14 (p < 0.001) than women in group II. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that intravenous iron-sucrose increases the Hb level more rapidly than oral ferrous fumarate in postpartum anemia without any serious side effects.
ABSTRACT
SUMMARY: Standardization of anaesthetic equipment is needed for safe anaesthetic practice. Various organizations and regulatory bodies have been made throughout world to formulate and control standards for anaesthesia equipment including endotracheal tubes. All endotracheal tubes must conform to ASTM standards. This has medico-legal importance also. Regulatory bodies should look after the whole process right from the manufacturers to the actual users. The Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists promotes safe anaesthetic practice, by establishing purchase guidelines for equipments and drugs. It is working in collaboration with World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists. Standards have made anaesthesia and critical care equipment much safer over the years. There is need to form standards for various equipment in India.
