Effects of general anaesthesia and ultrasonography-guided interscalene block on pain and oxidative stress in shoulder arthroscopy: A randomised trial.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of general anaesthesia and ultrasonography-guided interscalene block on pain and oxidative stress evaluated by thiol-disulphide balance and C-reactive protein levels in patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 42 patients aged 18-75 years who were scheduled to undergo shoulder arthroscopy were randomised into interscalene block group (Group-IB, n = 20) and general anaesthesia group (Group-GA, n = 22). All patients received patient-controlled analgesia during the postoperative period. Additional analgesics were administered to patients with a visual analogue scale score of >4. Native-thiol, total-thiol, disulphide and C-reactive protein levels were measured. Patients' visual analogue scale scores, morphine and additional analgesic consumption were recorded. A shift in thiol-disulphide balance towards decreased thiol and increased disulphide levels was regarded as an indicator of oxidative stress. RESULTS: Pain level, morphine and additional analgesic consumption were higher in Group-GA. Native-thiol and total-thiol levels were higher in Group-IB postoperatively and also disulphide levels were lower at postoperative 18 hours. C-reactive protein levels were similar in both the groups. CONCLUSION: Interscalene block induced less oxidative stress during the postoperative period, as evaluated by thiol-disulphide balance. In shoulder arthroscopy, interscalene block provides more stable haemodynamics perioperatively and facilitates better postoperative pain control.

Effect of ketamine on emergence agitation following septoplasty: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The risk of emergence agitation (EA) is high in patients undergoing nasal surgery. The aim of the present study was to investigate the incidence of EA in adults undergoing septoplasty and the effect of ketamine on EA. METHODS: In this randomized study, a total of 102 ASA I-II patients who underwent septoplasty between July 2018 and April 2019 were divided into two groups: ketamine (Group-K, n=52) and saline (Group-S, n=50). After anesthesia induction, Group-K was intravenously administered 20mL of saline containing 1mgkg-1 ketamine, whereas Group-S was administered 20mL of saline. Sedation and agitation scores at emergence from anesthesia, incidence of cough, emergence time, and response to verbal stimuli time were recorded. The sedation/agitation and pain levels were recorded for 30minutes in the recovery unit. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of the incidence of EA (Group-K: 15.4%, Group-S: 24%). The incidence of cough during emergence was higher in Group-S than in Group-K, but the response time to verbal stimuli and emergence time were shorter in Group-S. The sedation and agitation scores were similar after surgery. Pain scores were higher in Group-S at the time of admission to the recovery unit and were similar between groups in the other time points. CONCLUSION: Administration of 1mgkg-1 ketamine after anesthesia induction does not affect the incidence of EA in patients undergoing septoplasty, but it prolongs the emergence and response time to verbal stimuli and reduces the incidence of cough.

Evaluation of the effects of dexmedetomidine and remifentanil on pain with the analgesia nociception index in the perioperative period in hysteroscopies under general anesthesia. A randomized prospective study.

Objectives To compare analgesia nociception index (ANI) values, visual analog scale (VAS) values, and hemodynamic parameters in hysteroscopy patients who received remifentanil and dexmedetomidine during general anesthesia. Methods: In total, 30 patients who underwent hysteroscopy between March and September 2016 at the University of Health Sciences Fatih Sultan Mehmet Health Research and Application Center, Ankara, Turkey were included in this prospective study. Standard hemodynamic monitoring, ANI, and bispectral index (BIS) monitoring were applied to the patients. At 10 min prior to induction, 1 µg/kg of remifentanil was applied in Group R (n=15) and 1 µg/kg of dexmedetomidine was applied in Group D (n=15). After induction, sevoflurane was used for maintenance with dexmedetomidine at 0.2-0.7 µg/kg/hour in Group D and remifentanil at 0.05-0.5 µg/kg/minute in Group R. Perioperative and postoperative analgesia levels (ANI and VAS, respectively), hemodynamics, and complications were recorded. Results: Even though the ANI levels in Group D were lower at the perioperative 5th and 10th minutes, the ANI values were between the targeted limits, except for the measurement after I-gel insertion, in both groups. Hemodynamic parameters were within normal limits, but the mean arterial pressures in Group R after induction, following I-gel placement, and at the perioperative 5th, 10th, and 20th minutes were lower and at postoperative 30th minute were significantly higher.   Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine and remifentanil are both efficacious agents for perioperative analgesia in hysteroscopy cases.

Ultrasound-guided subcostal-posterior transversus abdominis plane block for pain control following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the analgesic effect of a subcostal-posterior transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block combination following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Methods: This study was conducted at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Educational and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey, between March 2014 and June 2015. A total of 40 patients with a body mass index of 40-60 kg/m2 scheduled for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy were randomly allocated into 2 groups. Patients in Group I (n=20) received a bilateral subcostal TAP block, and patients in Group II (n=20) received a bilateral subcostal and posterior TAP block. Pain intensity was assessed at rest and during coughing using the visual analog scale (VAS) prior to and at various time points after TAP block (0 min, 30 min, 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours). Morphine consumption over 24 hours and time to first morphine requirement were recorded.  Results: There was no difference in VAS scores between groups. Morphine consumption was 6.78±5.95 mg in Group I, and 7.28±5.95 mg in Group II (p=0.795). Time to first morphine requirement was 267.22±303.84 min for Group I, and 207.80±209.81 min for Group II (p=0.154).  Conclusions: Subcostal-posterior TAP block provided equivalent analgesia to subcostal TAP block alone following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

Isovolumic contraction acceleration before and after percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects.

AIM: To compare systemic right ventricular function by isovolumic myocardial acceleration before and 6 months after the percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects (ASD). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients admitted to our tertiary center for the percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects between January 2010 and August 2012 constituted the study group. Right ventricular function of patients was assessed by tissue Doppler echocardiography before and after surgery. Echocardiographic data in patients were compared to age-matched controls without any cardiac pathology and studied in identical fashion mentioned below. RESULTS: A total of 44 patients (24 males, 20 females) and 44 age-matched controls (25 males, 19 females) met the eligibility criteria for the study. Right ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volume, right ventricular end-diastolic diameter measurements on echocardiogram, and pulmonary artery pressures in both pre- and post-ASD groups were significantly higher than in controls. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion and isovolumic myocardial acceleration measurements significantly increased after the percutaneous closure of the defect; however, post-ASD measurements were still significantly lower than the controls. CONCLUSIONS: Atrial septal defect device closure resulted in a significant increase of isovolumic myocardial acceleration measurements. Tissue Doppler analysis of regional myocardial function offers new insight into myocardial compensatory mechanisms for acute and chronic volume overload of both ventricles.