Comparison of the Efficacy of Sterile Silicone Studs Versus Lidocaine for the Attenuation of the Hemodynamic Response to Skull Pin Insertion: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Skull pin insertion causes hypertension and tachycardia that adversely affects cerebral hemodynamics. We compared the efficacy of sterile silicone studs (SS) and pin site infiltration with lidocaine in attenuation of the sympathetic response to skull pin insertion. METHODS: Adult patients (N = 120) undergoing supratentorial craniotomy under general anesthesia were randomized to receive either medical-grade sterile SS or 2 mL of 2% plain lidocaine infiltration at each pin site. Hemodynamic (heart rate and mean arterial pressure) response to skull pin insertion at baseline and at 0, 1, 2, 3, and 5 minutes after skull pin insertion was compared. Requirement of rescue analgesia (fentanyl), complications such as pin-site bleeding, and surgeon satisfaction score were assessed. RESULTS: Heart rate in the lidocaine group was significantly greater at 0, 1, 2, 3, and 5 minutes after pin insertion compared with the SS group (P < 0.05). Mean arterial pressure was also significantly higher in the lidocaine group at 0, 1, 2, and 3 minutes after pin insertion (P = 0.001, P = 0.01, P = 0.034, and P = 0.042) compared with the SS group. The number of patients requiring fentanyl [17/60 (28.3%) vs. 40/60 (66%), P = 0.001] was lower in the SS group. The incidence of pin site bleeding was also lower in the SS group, and surgeon satisfaction score was greater. CONCLUSIONS: Sterile SS appear to be more effective than lidocaine infiltration in attenuating the hemodynamic response to skull pin insertion with minimal adverse effects. Further multicenter studies are necessary to conclusively establish the safety and efficacy of sterile SS.

Comparison of APACHE II and APACHE IV score as predictors of mortality in patients with septic shock in intensive care unit: A prospective observational study.

Background and Aims: Prediction of outcome in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is of imperative importance. Our aim was to assess and compare the performance of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and APACHE IV scores in predicting mortality in adult patients suffering from septic shock admitted to our ICU. Material and Methods: This was a prospective observational study conducted in a 14-bedded medical ICU of a tertiary care center from January 2019 to March 2020; 128 patients suffering from septic shock were included and APACHE II and IV scores were calculated. We also calculated the predicted and actual mortality rates and standardized mortality ratios. The receiver operating characteristic curves were used to assess discrimination. Results: Out of the 128 patients, 63 patients (49.21%) died. The mean (± standard deviation) admission APACHE II score was 16.7 ± 5.53, while the mean APACHE IV score was 67.25 ± 25.99. The non-survivors had significantly higher APACHE II and IV scores when compared to those who survived (P < 0.001). APACHE II had a slightly better discriminative power (with the area under the Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.78) than APACHE IV (with the area under the ROC curve of 0.74). The mean predicted mortality rate (PMR) of the patient population calculated on the basis of the APACHE II scoring system was 22.46 ± 15.76, and the mean PMR calculated as per the APACHE IV scoring system was 11.64 ± 15.59. Conclusion: Both APACHE II and APACHE IV underestimated mortality in septic shock patients. Both APACHE II and APACHE IV were comparable in differentiating survivors from non-survivors. However, there was a good correlation between the two models.

Sterile Silicone Studs-A Nonpharmacologic Modality for Prevention of Hemodynamic Response to Skull Pin Insertion: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: Application of surgical skull pins causes hemodynamic fluctuations in neurosurgical procedures. To reduce this response, we describe the use of a novel nonpharmacologic method in the form of medical-grade sterile silicone studs to cushion the pressure of the skull pin in the adult population. This study aimed to evaluate the use of conventionally used fentanyl and medical-grade sterile silicone studs for the prevention of hemodynamic response to skull pin insertion. METHODS: A prospective randomized pilot study was conducted of 20 adult patients categorized as American Society of Anesthesiologists class I and II scheduled for elective craniotomy in November 2022 in a tertiary-care hospital in Chandigarh, India. Patients were randomized into 2 groups: fentanyl only (FO group; n = 10) and medical-grade silicone studs (SS group; n = 10). Heart rate and mean arterial pressure were recorded at the following intervals: T1, baseline; T2, before induction; T3, after intubation; T4, before skull pin insertion; T5, T6, T7, T8, T9, and T10 at 0, 1, 3, 4, and 5 minutes after skull pin insertion. RESULTS: Demographic data (e.g., sex, age, disease pathology) were comparable between the groups. Although changes in heart rate between the 2 groups were comparable, there was a statistically significant decrease in mean arterial pressure from 1 minute to 5 minutes after pinning in patients with silicone studs compared with patients who received only fentanyl. CONCLUSIONS: The use of medical-grade silicone studs causes fewer hemodynamic fluctuations compared with fentanyl on skull pinning. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm the findings of this pilot study.

Prevention of pain on injection of propofol using ice gel pack versus pre-treatment with lignocaine: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Regardless of the positive attributes of propofol, it is frequently associated with pain on injection. We compared the efficacy of topical cold thermotherapy using an ice gel pack with intravenous lignocaine pre-treatment for reducing pain on propofol injection. METHODS: This single-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted in 200 American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I, II, and III patients scheduled for elective/emergency surgery under general anesthesia. The patients were randomized into two groups: the Thermotherapy group- receiving an ice gel pack proximal to the intravenous cannula for 1 min, or the Lignocaine group-receiving 0.5 mg/kg of lignocaine administered intravenously, with occlusion proximal to the site of the intravenous cannula for 30 s. The primary objective was to compare the overall incidence of pain after propofol injection. The secondary objectives included the incidence of discomfort on the application of an ice gel pack, comparison of dose of propofol needed for induction, and hemodynamic changes at induction, between the two groups. RESULTS: Fourteen patients in the lignocaine group and 15 patients in the thermotherapy group reported pain. The incidence of pain and the distribution of pain scores were comparable among groups (p = 1.00). Patients of the lignocaine group required significantly less amount of propofol for induction as compared to the thermotherapy group (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Topical thermotherapy using an ice gel pack was not found superior to lignocaine pre-treatment in alleviating pain on injection of propofol injection. However, topical cold therapy using an ice pack remains a non-pharmacological technique that is easily available, reproducible, and cost-effective. Further studies are required to prove its equivalence to lignocaine pre-treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CTRI (CTRI/2021/04/032950).

Evaluation of the changes in middle cerebral artery flow velocity related to different positions of patients during posterior fossa surgery.

Background: This is a prospective observational study to evaluate the changes in middle cerebral artery flow velocities and cerebral perfusion pressure in the various positions used for posterior cranial fossa surgery and to correlate these changes with postoperative recovery characteristics and complications. Methods: Sixty patients were included in the study - 33 patients with CPA tumors were placed in the supine with head tilt position and the rest 27 with tumors in other locations of posterior fossa were placed in the prone position. The primary aim was to study the changes in middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity related to various positions of the patients used during posterior fossa surgery. The secondary aim was to compare the changes in pulsatility index, resistance index, and effective cerebral perfusion pressure in different position and to correlate these findings with postoperative recovery and the complications associated with these positions. Results: The systolic and mean flow velocities were higher in the supine with head tilt group than the prone group after positioning and post repositioning, but these values were within normal limits, and the changes with positioning from baseline were comparable between the groups. Furthermore, these changes did not affect the effective cerebral perfusion pressure or the outcomes of the patients. Conclusion: The current results do not determine whether the supine with head tilt position is better than the prone position during posterior fossa surgery.

Effect of CoolSense and EMLA Cream on Pain During Intravenous Cannulation in Pediatric Population: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of CoolSense and EMLA cream on pain reduction during intravenous cannulation in the pediatric population. METHODS: A total of 140 American Society of Anesthesiologist I/II children of 6-12 y requiring intravenous cannulation before induction of anesthesia were randomized into two groups of 70 each. Before intravenous cannulation, group I received CoolSense pretreatment while group II received EMLA cream pretreatment. The primary outcome was to assess the efficacy of CoolSense and EMLA cream on pain reduction during intravenous cannulation. The secondary outcomes included the anxiety level of children, successful first attempt at cannulation, technical difficulties faced, adverse reactions, and parents' satisfaction score. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in pain scores during intravenous cannulation in the CoolSense group compared to the EMLA cream group (mean pain score 7.14 ± 4.322 versus 29.32 ± 8.95, p value 0.001). Comparison of pre- and postprocedural anxiety levels showed a decrease in the anxiety level in the CoolSense group (p value = 0.003) as compared to the EMLA group. The duration of application of CoolSense was significantly less than EMLA cream. CONCLUSION: CoolSense was more efficacious in reducing the pain of intravenous cannulation than the EMLA cream. In the pediatric population, CoolSense appears to be a simple and rapid means of providing adequate analgesia for venous cannulation.

Intraoperative evaluation of renal resistive index with transesophageal echocardiography for the assessment of acute renal injury in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: A prospective observational study.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after on pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery and is associated with a poor prognosis. Postoperative AKI is associated with morbidity, mortality, and increase in length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay and increases the financial burden. Identifying individuals at risk for developing AKI in postoperative period is extremely important to optimize outcomes. The aim of the study is to evaluate the association between the intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) derived renal resistive index (RRI) and AKI in patients undergoing on-pump CABG surgery. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in patients more than 18 years of age undergoing elective on pump CABG surgery between July 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019, at a tertiary care center. All preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative parameters were recorded. TEE measurement was performed in hemodynamically stable patients before the sternum was opened. Postoperative AKI was diagnosed based on the serial measurement of serum creatinine and the monitoring of urine output. Results: A total of 115 patients were included in our study. Thirty-nine (33.91%) patients had RRI >0.7 while remaining seventy-six (66.08%) patients had RRI <0.7. AKI was diagnosed in 26% (30/115) patients. AKI rates were significantly higher in patients with RRI values exceeding 0.7 with 46.15% (18/39) compared to 15.75% (12/76) in RRI values of less than 0.7. Multivariate analysis revealed that AKI was associated with an increase in RRI and diabetes mellitus. The RRI assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC) to distinguish between non-AKI and AKI groups were 0.705 (95% CI: 0.588-0.826) for preoperative RRI. The most accurate cut-off value to distinguish non-AKI and AKI groups was a preoperative RRI of 0.68 with a sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 67%. Conclusions: An increased intraoperative RRI is an independent predictor of AKI in the postoperative period in patients undergoing CABG surgery. The cutoff value of TEE-derived RRI in the intraoperative period should be >0.68 to predict AKI in the postoperative period.

Anesthetic Challenges in a Patient of Morquio Syndrome Associated with Acromegaly.

Morquio syndrome is one of the rare storage disorders associated with excessive deposition of keratin sulfate and chondroitin-6-sulfate in bones, cartilages, heart valves, and cornea. Although most individuals with this syndrome appear normal at birth; skeletal abnormalities often develop within the first year of life. Restricted breathing, joint stiffness, and cardiac abnormalities are also common. The multisystem involvement in these patients poses unique anesthestic challenges and there is a paucity of literature regarding the anesthetic management of patients with this condition. We report a successful management of a rare case of 34 years old male with Morquio syndrome who presented an association of acromegaly and was planned for surgical resection of the tumor under general anesthesia. Such rare disorders primarily require thorough knowledge about the disease, its presentation and management strategies for a better outcome. Keeping in mind the multisystem involvement a proper teamwork and coordination of various specialities becomes an utmost importance.

Oral acetaminophen as an adjunct to continuous epidural infusion and patient-controlled epidural analgesia in laboring parturients: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous acetaminophen is safe and effective as an adjunct to labor analgesia with combined spinal-epidural (CSE) analgesia and patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA). Oral acetaminophen is a much cheaper and safe option but has not been studied as an adjunct to labor analgesia till date. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of oral acetaminophen as an adjunct in patients receiving local anesthetic-opioid combination using CSE analgesia. METHOD: In this ethically approved randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, 60 consenting parturients were randomly allocated to two groups of 30 each: acetaminophen (who received oral acetaminophen 1 g) or placebo, 45 min before the procedure. CSE was administered as per hospital protocol. All the patients received continuous epidural infusion (CEI) of levobupivacaine 0.1% and fentanyl 2 mcg/mL at 5 ml/h and PCEA boluses of 5 mL of the same drug with a lockout interval of 15 min if needed. The primary outcome was hourly mean consumption of levobupivacaine and fentanyl mixture (mL/h). Secondary outcomes included pain score, sensory and motor block, hemodynamic parameters of mother, duration of the second stage of labor, mode of delivery, maternal satisfaction, Apgar scores, fetal heart rate, and adverse effects. RESULTS: The mean drug consumption per hour was significantly less in the acetaminophen group than in the placebo group (7.66 mL/h, SD 2.01 vs. 9.01 mL/h, SD 2.83; p = 0.04). The requirement for bolus was also significantly less in the acetaminophen group than in the placebo group (median 2.5, IQR 3 vs. median 3.5, IQR 2; p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The use of 1 g of oral acetaminophen could be a cheap, safe, and effective adjunct to CEI plus PCEA in labor analgesia.

Re-expansion Pulmonary Edema-A Rare Entity: A Thin Line between Pulmonary and Cardiac Decompensation.

Re-expansion pulmonary edema (RPE) is a rare complication that may occur after treatment of lung collapse caused by pneumothorax, atelectasis, or pleural effusion. The amount of fluid drained and the degree of pleural suction influence the development of RPE. We present a case of RPE in a critically ill patient of scrub typhus with rheumatic heart disease, after draining only 800 mL of pleural fluid, thereby proving that the complex cardiac and pulmonary interactions play an important role in the development of RPE. How to cite this article: Khanoria R, Chauhan R, Sarna R, Bloria S. Re-expansion Pulmonary Edema-A Rare Entity: A Thin Line between Pulmonary and Cardiac Decompensation. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(3):343-345.

Safety and efficacy of oral Triclofos in the ophthalmic evaluation of children with pediatric glaucoma: An observational study.

Purpose: Oral Triclofos is widely used as a sedative agent in children. However, the role of Triclofos as a sedative agent in children undergoing ophthalmological procedures has not been adequately studied. The aim of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of oral Triclofos in children suffering from pediatric glaucoma who were undergoing ocular examination. Methods: 80 children aged less than 5 years were assessed for eligibility for the trial after taking hospital ethical committee approval. The children were administered 80 mg/kg of oral Triclofos and Ramsay sedation score was measured every 5 min starting from 20 min after administration of the drug. If the child was not adequately sedated after 30 min, additional dose of 05 mg/kg was administered every 5 min till 60 min of drug administration. The procedure was considered a failure and general anesthesia (GA) administered if Ramsay sedation score was ≤4 after 60 min of initial drug administration. Heart rate and arterial oxygen saturation were measured throughout the period of sedation. The duration of sedation and incidence of side effects was also noted. Results: A total of 73 patients underwent the study. The mean age of children was 23.4 months (SD - 14.72) and mean weight was 12 kg (SD - 3.84). The mean dose of Pedicloryl (Triclofos) used was 83.8 mg/kg and the median duration of onset was 25 min. 64 children completed examination successfully, 2 children had to be administered GA during the procedure. There were no major side effects. Conclusion: Administration of oral Triclofos in a dose of 80 mg/kg body weight was safe and effective in children less than 5 years of age undergoing ocular examination.

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in a Patient with Glenn Shunt-Aided with Erector Spine Block.

The bidirectional (BD) Glenn shunt or hemi-Fontan procedure has been used to temporarily improve cardiac function in patients with severe structural heart disease which feature single ventricular physiology. Subsequently, more of these patients present for noncardiac surgical interventions, which present as an anaesthetic challenge. Erector spinae block (ESP) is an effective analgesic modality used in various thoraco abdominal surgeries, which can also be given safely in such patients. A case of a 17-year-old female patient with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) who underwent BD Glenn shunting with main pulmonary artery ligation in childhood, presently admitted for laparoscopic cholecystectomy done under general anaesthesia. With detailed preoperative workups, close haemodynamic monitoring and use of ESP for analgesia during perioperative period, the patient had successful outcome. We outline the anaesthetic management and the concerns of laparoscopy in such patients. A comprehensive understanding of physiology of Glenn's shunt and implications of the proposed surgical procedure is necessary to plan the anaesthetic and analgesic agents, cardiovascular drugs and ventilation strategies in patients with CHD with shunt procedure done.

Tracheal Tube Kinking Amidst Prone Position During Neurosurgical Procedures: An Attempt to Elucidate the Mechanism.

The tracheal tube (TT) kink during the intraoperative period is commonly observed and is worrisome once the positioning is done during neurosurgical procedures. The complications related to tube kink are more in the prone position and the mechanism of this with the neck in flexion has not been explained anywhere. We have made an attempt to elucidate the probable mechanism of this TT kink by using SOLIDWORKS 2020 {3D Computer assisted design (CAD) design software} and the precautions that can be taken to prevent perioperative catastrophe by describing a case of a pediatric patient undergoing a neurosurgical procedure while in the prone position.