Comparison of Proseal Laryngeal Mask Airway with the I-Gel Supraglottic Airway During the Bailey Manoeuvre in Adult Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Since the inception of Bailey manoeuvre, various authors have advocated for the substitution of endotracheal tube (ETT) with a supraglottic airway device (SAD) before the emergence from anaesthesia. There is scant information about the ideal supraglottic device in the literature. The present study compared the Proseal laryngeal mask airway (LMA) with the I-gel SAD during the Bailey manoeuvre. The primary objective was to compare these for ease of insertion and adequate placement of supraglottic airway, whereas the secondary objective was comparison of haemodynamics following the Bailey manoeuvre. METHODS: A total of 100 patients aged 18-60 years who were scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia were randomised into 2 groups: group I (Bailey manoeuvre using Proseal LMA) and group II (Bailey manoeuvre using I-gel). The Bailey manoeuvre was performed 15 min before the end of surgery using the chosen supraglottic airway as per randomisation. We measured the ease of insertion (number of attempts required for insertion) and adequate placement (Brimacombe scoring) of SADs (fibre-optic bronchoscopy). Haemodynamic parameters were recorded until 10 min after the Bailey manoeuvre. RESULTS: The groups were comparable in terms of demographic parameters. Both the devices were comparable in terms of ease of insertion (p>0.05). Significantly higher (p<0.05) Brimacombe scores were seen with the I-gel. Significant (p<0.05) rise in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure was observed at the insertion of SAD, removal of ETT, and at 1 min after the Bailey manoeuvre in Proseal LMA in contrast to the I-gel. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the I-gel provides a better glottic visualisation and haemodynamically superior profile compared with the Proseal LMA during the Bailey manoeuvre.

Mean corpuscular volume/mean corpuscular hemoglobin values are not reliable predictors of the ß-thalassemia carrier status among healthy diverse populations of Himachal Pradesh, India.

BACKGROUND: Himachal Pradesh is a hill state in North India in the Western Himalayas. ß-thalassemia is a genetic disorder of hemoglobin inherited in an autosomal recessive manner that results in defective globin production leading to the early destruction of red blood cells. ß-thalassemia has long been neglected in Himachal Pradesh due to popular belief that it runs along "Lahore-Gujarat-Punjab" belt in India. Therefore, there is no ß-thalassemia testing facility currently in the state. METHODS: To estimate the prevalence of ß-thalassemia carriers, we calculated the sample size based on probability proportional to size self-weighing design. In each of 20 selected colleges, 111 students having an age of 18-25 were tested for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and complete blood count. Some were further tested for the mutations. We computed sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value, and receiver operating characteristic curve for mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) red cell parameters. RESULTS: Of the 2220 students, 57 were found to be ß-thalassemia carrier by HPLC. The overall prevalence rate was 2.6% which translates to probable 180,000 ß-thalassemia carriers in Himachal Pradesh. Six districts bordering highly endemic Punjab had a higher prevalence. Hemoglobin D-Punjab, Heterozygous-Iran Trait, and raised fetal hemoglobin were found. Thalassemia major and sickle cell disease were not found. Anemic status or MCV/MCH parameters were not found to be reliable predictors of thalassemia carrier status among the healthy populations of HP. The predominant mutation found was IVS 1-5 G > C. CONCLUSION: Popular ongoing strategy for screening with MCV and MCH has low-PPV and can miss upto 37% of true thalassemia carriers. HPLC is better strategy for screening carriers and reduces further spread of thalassemia.

Comparative assessment of ProSeal™ laryngeal mask airway intervention versus standard technique of endotracheal extubation for attenuation of pressor response in controlled hypertensive patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Swapping of the endotracheal tube with laryngeal mask airway (LMA) before emergence from anaesthesia is one of the methods employed for attenuation of pressor response at extubation. We decided to compare the placement of ProSeal™ LMA (PLMA) before endotracheal extubation versus conventional endotracheal extubation in controlled hypertensive patients scheduled for elective surgeries under general anaesthesia. METHODS: Sixty consenting adult patients were randomly allocated to two groups of thirty each; Group E in whom extubation was performed using standard technique and Group P in whom PLMA was inserted before endotracheal extubation (Bailey manoeuvre). The primary outcome parameter was heart rate (HR). The secondary outcomes were systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure (MBP), electrocardiogram, oxygen saturation and end-tidal carbon dioxide. Two-tailed paired Student's t-test was used for comparison between the two study groups. The value of P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: The patient characteristics, demographic data and surgical procedures were comparable in the two groups. A statistically significant decrease was observed in HR in Group P as compared to Group E. Secondary outcomes such as systolic, diastolic and MBP depicted a statistically insignificant difference. CONCLUSION: Bailey manoeuvre was not effective method to be completely relied upon during extubation when compared to standard extubation.

Innovative Application of a Microlaryngeal Surgery Tube for difficult Airway Management in a Case of Down's Syndrome.

An 11-year-old male child, known case of down's syndrome with congenital oesophageal stricture was posted for oesophageal dilatation. Preoperative airway assessment revealed a high arched palate, receding mandible and Mallampati Score of 2. During surgery, after loss of consciousness which was described as loss of eyelash reflex and adequate jaw relaxation, direct laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation was attempted with a cuffed endotracheal tube number 5.0mm ID (internal diameter). The endotracheal tube could not be negotiated smoothly, so 5.0mm ID uncuffed endotracheal tube was used which passed through easily, but on auscultation revealed a significant leak. Later, intubation via a Micro Laryngeal Surgery (MLS) cuffed tube 4.0mm ID was attempted. The MLS tube advanced smoothly and there was no associated leak on positive pressure ventilation. Thus by innovative thinking and avant-garde reasoning, a definitive airway device could be positioned with no other suitable alternative at hand.

Acute intermittent porphyria: Diagnostic dilemma and treatment options.

Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) presents with diverse group of symptoms making its early diagnosis difficult. Delaying diagnosis and treatment of AIP can be fatal or can cause long term or permanent neurological damage. We present here a case report of AIP where the diagnosis was missed. The diversity of symptoms and details concerning the treatment options for AIP are discussed.

Postoperative monitoring in pregnant patients undergoing surgery for advanced malignancy in last trimester: How long is enough?

Surgery for advanced breast malignancy in the last trimester of pregnancy is uncommon. We present successful management of a 32-year-old woman, 30 weeks pregnant with stage 3 breast malignancy, for surgery followed by normal labor and chemotherapy. Surgery and intraoperative period were uneventful. Patient had uterine contractions 36 h postsurgery, which were managed timely with active interventions and tocolytics. Risk of premature labor following nonobstetric surgery in pregnant patients is estimated to be 8.3%, but majority of the studies have been carried out in second trimester following appendectomy. There is insufficient data in literature regarding the estimation and duration of persistence of risk of premature labor in these patients. No guidelines are available regarding how long they need to be monitored for premature labor. There is some evidence, although little that risk of premature labor persists for 7 days postsurgery. In the absence of convincing studies and guidelines, we recommend postoperative monitoring for at least 7 days in patients undergoing major surgeries for malignancies in last trimester. Multidisciplinary approach is required to manage these patients.

Anesthetic management in a patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is an electrophysiological disorder of heart. Patients with such disorder may be asymptomatic or present with cardiac symptoms like palpitation and dyspnea. These patients may present with serious cardiac complication like atrial fibrillation and PSVT intraoperatively. We report a case of a 30-year-old female with WPW syndrome posted for laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia. We took all the precautions necessary to avoid tachycardia and arranged drugs necessary to treat any complications together with stringent monitoring which is very important for favorable outcome in these patients. Management of the case offers an opportunity to relearn the important considerations on WPW syndrome.

Repeated surgeries in a patient with Behçet's disease, what changes to expect?

Behçet's disease is a multisystem inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology characterized by vasculitis of large and smaller vessels. Most common features are appearance of oral ulcers which later heal by scarring and ocular involvement leading to glaucoma requiring surgical treatment. Here, we report a case of child suffering from Behçet's disease undergoing repeated ocular surgery for uncontrolled glaucoma and found that with the usual risk involved in such patients there are important changes in the airway when the patient is exposed to repeated surgery under general anesthesia.

Evaluation of single epidural bolus dose of magnesium as an adjuvant to epidural fentanyl for postoperative analgesia: A prospective, randomized, double-blind study.

OBJECTIVE: Magnesium has been used as an adjuvant by various routes, including intravenous, intrathecal, and epidural in different dosage regimens. The effect of single bolus dose of magnesium as an adjuvant to fentanyl for postoperative analgesia has not been studied. This prospective randomized controlled trial was done to evaluate the efficacy of single bolus administration of magnesium epidurally as an adjuvant to epidural fentanyl for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing total hip replacement under combined spinal epidural anesthesia. METHODS: Sixty patients received combined spinal-epidural anesthesia with 2 mL of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine intrathecally. After the surgery, patients were randomized into Group F [epidural fentanyl (1 µg/kg) in 10 mL saline] and Group FM [epidural magnesium (75 mg) along with fentanyl (1 µg/kg) in 10 mL saline]. Supplementary analgesia was provided by 50 mg intravenous tramadol if Verbal Rating Score (VRS) >4. Patient's first analgesic requirement and duration of analgesia were recorded. RESULTS: The duration of analgesia was significantly longer for Group FM, 340±28.8 min, compared with Group F, 164±17.1 min (P=0.001). The frequency of rescue analgesics required in 24-h postoperative period in Group FM (2.3±0.5) was significantly less than that in Group F (4.3±0.5) (P=0.001). VRS was significantly lower in Group FM up to 4 h in the postoperative period (P=0.001). Bromage scale was statistically insignificant at all points of time. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of magnesium (75 mg) as an adjuvant to epidural fentanyl (1 µg/ kg) for postoperative analgesia results in significantly lower VRS with prolonged duration of analgesia as compared with epidural fentanyl (1 µg/kg) alone. Concomitant administration of magnesium also reduces the requirement of breakthrough analgesics with no increased incidence of side effects.

Literature based species occurrence data of birds of northeast India.

The northeast region of India is one of the world's most significant biodiversity hotspots. One of the richest bird areas in India, it is an important route for migratory birds and home to many endemic bird species. This paper describes a literature-based dataset of species occurrences of birds of northeast India. The occurrence records documented in the dataset are distributed across eleven states of India, viz.: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The geospatial scope of the dataset represents 24 to 29 degree North latitude and 78 to 94 degree East longitude, and it comprises over 2400 occurrence records. These records have been collated from scholarly literature published between1915 and 2008, especially from the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society (JBNHS). The temporal scale of the dataset represents bird observations recorded between 1909 and 2007. The dataset has been developed by employing MS Excel. The key elements in the database are scientific name, taxonomic classification, temporal and geospatial details including geo-coordinate precision, data collector, basis of record and primary source of the data record. The temporal and geospatial quality of more than 50% of the data records has been enhanced retrospectively. Where possible, data records are annotated with geospatial coordinate precision to the nearest minute. This dataset is being constantly updated with the addition of new data records, and quality enhancement of documented occurrences. The dataset can be used in species distribution and niche modeling studies. It is planned to expand the scope of the dataset to collate bird species occurrences across the Indian peninsula.

Comparison of respiratory quotient and resting energy expenditure in two regimens of enteral feeding - continuous vs. intermittent in head-injured critically ill patients.

INTRODUCTION: Measurement of respiratory quotient (RQ) and resting energy expenditure (REE) has been shown to be helpful in designing nutritional regimens. There is a paucity of the literature describing the impact of a feeding regimen on the energy expenditure patterns. Therefore, we studied the effect of continuous vs. intermittent feeding regimen in head-injured patients on mechanical ventilation on RQ and REE. METHODS: After institutional ethical approval, this randomized study was conducted in 40 adult male patients with head injury requiring controlled mode of ventilation. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups. Group C: Feeds (30 kcal/kg/day) were given for 18 h/day, with night rest for 6 h. Group I: Six bolus feeds (30 kcal/kg/day) were given three hourly for 18 h with night rest for 6 h. RQ and REE were recorded every 30 min for 24 h. Blood sugar was measured 4 hourly. Other adverse effects such as feed intolerance, aspiration were noted. RESULTS: Demographic profile and SOFA score were comparable in the two groups. Base line RQ (0.8 vs. 0.86) and REE (1527 vs. 1599 kcal/day) were comparable in both the groups (P>0.05). RQ was comparable in both groups during the study period at any time of the day (P>0.05). Base line RQ was compared with all other RQ values measured every half hour and fluctuation from the base line value was insignificant in both groups (P>0.05). REE was comparable in both the groups throughout the study period (P>0.5). Adequacy of feeding as assessed by EI/MREE was 105.7% and 105.3% in group C and group I, respectively. There was no significant difference in the blood sugar levels between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: We found from our study that RQ, REE, and blood sugar remain comparable with two regimens of enteral feeding - continuous vs. intermittent in neurosurgical patients on ventilator support in a ICU setup.