Comparison of Analgesic Efficacy of Ultrasound Guided PEC II Block Using Dexamethasone as an Adjuvant to Ropivacaine Versus Plain Ropivacaine in Patients Undergoing Modified Radical Mastectomy: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION:  Pain after breast cancer surgery is one of the main reasons for postoperative morbidity and pulmonary complications leading to increased hospital stay. Therefore, effective management of postoperative pain becomes necessary to alleviate patients' suffering and allow early mobilization and hospital discharge. Traditionally, opioids have been used to manage perioperative pain but they are associated with side effects. So, an opioid-sparing multimodal analgesia approach is used nowadays. Ultrasound-guided pectoral type-II (PEC II) block is increasingly being used to address acute postoperative pain after breast cancer surgery. However, to date, not many studies have been done regarding prolonging the duration of analgesia of PEC II blocks for postoperative pain relief in patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy (MRM). So, we undertook this study to compare the analgesic efficacy of PEC II block using dexamethasone as an adjuvant to ropivacaine versus plain ropivacaine in patients undergoing MRM. METHODS:  After obtaining approval from the institute ethics committee and written informed consent from the patients, this prospective, double-blind, parallel group, randomized controlled study was carried out at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Raipur, from March 2021 to March 2022. Sixty-four female patients, aged 18 years and above, belonging to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, physical status I, II, and III, undergoing unilateral, elective MRM under general anesthesia, were randomly allocated to two groups A and B, with 32 patients in each to receive 30 mL of 0.25% ropivacaine plus 2 mL (8 mg) of dexamethasone and 30 mL of 0.25% ropivacaine plus 2 mL of normal saline, respectively. The primary outcome measure was total opioid consumption till 12 hours postoperatively. Secondary outcome measures were the difference in pain scores based on the numeric rating scale till 12 hours postoperatively, post-operative sedation scores, the incidence of postoperative nausea vomiting (PONV), and other adverse events (if any). RESULTS: The mean (SD) of morphine (mg) consumed intraoperatively was 5.50 (1.05) and 5.95 (0.86) with P = 0.033 and that consumed postoperatively was 1.00 (0.00) and 1.69 (0.93) with P <0.001 in group A and B respectively, with morphine consumption being higher in the group. The difference in the NRS score for pain at rest was statistically significant at 2 h (P=0.030), 4 h (P=0.004), 6 h (P=0.002), and, 12 h (P=0.039) time points with the score being higher in group B. The groups were comparable in terms of postoperative sedation score (P > 0.05) and incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting. None of the patients in group A and 6.2% of the patients in group B had nausea (P = 0.492). None of the patients in either of the groups had vomiting. No other complication occurred during the entire study in either of the groups. CONCLUSION: In comparison to plain ropivacaine, the addition of dexamethasone as an adjuvant to ropivacaine for PEC II block in patients undergoing MRM significantly reduced perioperative opioid consumption and postoperative NRS scores. No significant change was noted in terms of postoperative sedation score, incidence of PONV, and other side effects between the groups. Therefore, we conclude that the analgesic efficacy of US-guided PEC II block using dexamethasone, as an adjuvant to ropivacaine is superior to that of plain ropivacaine in patients undergoing MRM.

Primary Cutaneous Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Of The Chest Wall With Axillary Lymph Node Metastases And Its Management: A Case Report.

Primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinoma (PCACC) is a rare form of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) arising commonly from the salivary gland. Less often they originate outside the head and neck region, with the scalp being the commonest cutaneous site in 40% of the cases. The presentation on the chest wall is rare, with no reports to date on axillary lymph node metastases. Here we report a case of a 65-year-old female with previously operated PCACC of the chest wall at a different center, showing uptake on positron emission tomography imaging at the site of surgical scar that w as inconclusive on needle biopsy metastasized to the axillary lymph node confirmed by needle biopsy managed with wide local excision, axillary lymph node dissection, and chest wall reconstruction with keystone island flap. The postoperative outcome was uneventful with no recurrence or axillary complications at one year's follow-up. She was advised to receive adjuvant radiotherapy; however, she refused. To conclude, though PCACC is rare, they can have an aggressive presentation, and a multidisciplinary approach is necessary for a better outcome.

Subcutaneous Cyst Due to a Novel Fungus, Aquastroma magniostiolata: A Case Report.

Various kinds of fungal agents have been observed in the environment. Fungi can enter the human body by penetration following trauma and are responsible for various types of subcutaneous mycotic lesions. In this case report, we present the case of a 47-year-old female patient who presented with swelling on the lateral aspect of the left lower leg above the lateral malleolus. Aspirate from the site was sent for histopathological examination for detection of the fungus. After microbiological investigation, a rare fungus isolated in this patient was identified as Aquastroma magniostiolata by carrying out sequencing at a reference center.

Familial Occurrence of Thyroglossal Duct Cyst.

Thyroglossal duct cysts are one of the commonest benign midline neck swellings. These are the remnants of the embryologic duct that fails to regress by the 10th week of fetal development. Generally, these are sporadic, slowly enlarging midline neck lumps, with half of them presenting before the age of 30. However, despite their relative frequency, reports of familial inheritance are rare. A review of literature reveals a total of 25 patients from 8 families showing a familial inheritance pattern worldwide. We describe here a 9th family with 5 affected patients taking the total number of cases to 30. Also, this is the 1st such reported case of familial inheritance of thyroglossal cyst from the Asian continent.

Incidental intraoperative diagnosis of retained foreign body lung misdiagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis.

Tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a very common and lethal problem among children. It can easily be diagnosed with a typical history of choking crisis. Clinical examination and radiology play a secondary role in diagnosis. Acute choking episode may lead to death or else to serious sequels such as bronchiectasis, atelectasis, and recurrent pneumonia. Here, we report an interesting case of bronchiectasis in a young female initially thought to be a consequence of pulmonary tuberculosis, who was subsequently found to have retained foreign body in the left lower lobe lung which was the actual cause of her symptoms.

Feasibility and safety of ultrasound-guided nerve block for management of limb injuries by emergency care physicians.

BACKGROUND: Patients require procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) for the treatment of acute traumatic injuries. PSA has complications. Ultrasound (US) guided peripheral nerve block is a safe alternative. AIM: Ultrasound guided nerve blocks for management of traumatic limb emergencies in Emergency Department (ED). SETTING AND DESIGN: Prospective observational study conducted in ED. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients above five years requiring analgesia for management of limb emergencies were recruited. Emergency Physicians trained in US guided nerve blocks performed the procedure. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Effectiveness of pain control, using visual analogue scale was assessed at baseline and at 15 and 60 minutes after the procedure. Paired t test was used for comparison. RESULTS: Fifty US guided nerve blocks were sciatic- 4 (8%), femoral-7 (14%), brachial- 29 (58%), median -6 (12%), and radial 2 (4%) nerves. No patients required rescue PSA. Initial median VAS score was 9 (Inter Quartile Range [IQR] 7-10) and at 1 hour was 2(IQR 0-4). Median reduction in VAS score was 7.44 (IQR 8-10(75%), 1-2(25%) (P=0.0001). Median procedure time was 9 minutes (IQR 3, 12 minutes) and median time to reduction of pain was 5 minutes (IQR 1,15 minutes). No immediate or late complications noticed at 3 months. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided nerve blocks can be safely and effectively performed for upper and lower limb emergencies by emergency physicians with adequate training.

Surgical treatment for tracheobronchial carcinoid tumors: a 16-year experience.

We conducted a 16-year retrospective review of 31 cases of tracheobronchial carcinoid tumors treated in our institution between 1995 and 2011, to determine their characteristic features and outcome of management. There were 12 men and 19 women. The most common presenting symptoms were cough and hemoptysis (71%) with a mean duration of 4 years. Preoperative bronchoscopy confirmed the diagnosis in 80% of patients. Right-sided tumors accounted for 60% of cases. Most tumors arose from the mainstem bronchi. Histologic analysis revealed typical carcinoids in 28 cases and atypical carcinoids in 3. Surgical treatment was mainly radical resection (pneumonectomy in 19 patients). A parenchymal-preserving surgery (sleeve resection of left main bronchus and end-to-end anastomosis) was only possible in 2 cases. Mediastinal lymph nodes were involved in 30% of cases. Most patients had widespread extraluminal extension. Follow-up revealed recurrence in one patient. No deaths were recorded, and complications were mainly atelectasis and air leak. Radical resection remains the mainstay of surgical management of bronchial carcinoids in cases of late presentation with destroyed and bronchiectatic distal pulmonary parenchyma. Parenchymal-preserving surgery should only be carried out when indicated.

Diagnostic accuracy of bedside emergency ultrasound screening for fractures in pediatric trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: Bedside ultrasound (BUS) can effectively identify fractures in the emergency department (ED). AIM: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of BUS for fractures in pediatric trauma patients. SETTING AND DESIGN: Prospective observational study conducted in the ED. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Pediatric patients with upper and lower limb injuries requiring radiological examination were included. BUS examinations were done by emergency physicians who had undergone a brief training. X-rays were reviewed for the presence of fracture and the results of BUS and radiography were compared. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: STATA version 11 was used for statistical analysis of the data. RESULTS: Forty-one patients were enrolled in the study. The sensitivity of the BUS in detecting fracture was 89% [95% confidence interval (CI): 51% to 99%] and the specificity was 100% (95% CI: 87% to 100%). The positive predictive value of BUS was 100% and negative predictive value was 97%. CONCLUSION: BUS can be utilized by emergency physicians after brief training to accurately identify long bone fractures in the pediatric age-group.