Tuberculous Meningitis Presenting as Cerebral Salt Wasting Syndrome: A Review of Literature with Clinical Approach to Hyponatremia.

Hyponatremia in the neurocritical care patients is commonly encountered in the setting of either syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion or cerebral salt wasting. However, differentiation of SIADH and CSW is paramount in view of their divergent treatment strategies.

Effect of Dexamethasone on Characteristics of Supraclavicular Nerve Block with Bupivacaine and Ropivacaine: A Prospective, Double-blind, Randomized Control Trial.

BACKGROUND: Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to bupivacaine and ropivacaine for supraclavicular brachial plexus (SCBP) block prolongs motor and sensory blockade. However, comparison of effect of dexamethasone (8 mg) when added to these two local anesthetics has not been well studied. This study was conducted to compare analgesic efficacy of dexamethasone as adjuvant to bupivacaine and ropivacaine in SCBP block. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Nerve stimulator-guided SCBP block was given to 120 patients, randomly assigned to one of four groups: (n = 30 in each group) Group B, BD, R, and RD received 30 ml (0.5%) bupivacaine + 2 ml saline, 30 ml (0.5%) bupivacaine + dexamethasone 8 mg, 30 ml (0.5%) ropivacaine + 2 ml saline, and 30 ml (0.5%) ropivacaine + dexamethasone 8 mg, respectively. Time for request of the first rescue analgesic, 24-h analgesic consumption, and different block characteristics were assessed. Student's t-test, Chi-square test, ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Dexamethasone significantly prolonged time for request of the first rescue analgesic of both ropivacaine (1211.83 ± 32.86 vs. 283.17 ± 7.71 min){ p R, RD < 0.001} and bupivacaine (1205.17 ± 34.32 vs. 364.67 ± 16.50 min) {p B, BD < 0.001}. 24-h requirement for rescue analgesics was more in Groups B and R when compared to Groups BD and RD. The increase in duration of analgesia was more when Groups R and RD (928.66 min) were compared than Groups B and BD (840.5 min). Similar results were seen with onset times and duration of sensory and motor block. CONCLUSION: The addition of dexamethasone to bupivacaine and ropivacaine in SCBP block prolonged time for first rescue analgesia and reduced the requirement of rescue analgesics with faster onset and prolonged duration of sensory and motor block, with the effect being stronger with ropivacaine.

Dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to bupivacaine in caudal analgesia in children.

CONTEXT: Postoperative pain management is becoming an integral part of anesthesia care. Various techniques of pediatric pain relief have been designed among which the most commonly practiced is caudal epidural block. Several adjuvants have been used to prolong the duration of caudal analgesia such as clonidine, neostigmine, ketamine, opioids, and ephedrine. We have designed the study using dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to assess analgesic efficacy, duration of postoperative analgesia, hemodynamic stability, postoperative sedation, and any adverse effects in children. AIMS: The aim is to study the effects of dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to bupivacaine in caudal analgesia in pediatric patients posted for infraumbilical surgeries. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This is a randomized, double-blind study in which effect of dexmedetomidine is studied when added to bupivacaine in the caudal epidural block. The observations are made intraoperatively for hemodynamic stability and postoperatively for the duration of analgesia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in 100 children of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I and II, aged 2-10 years, undergoing elective infraumbilical surgeries. They were divided into two groups as follows: Group A: (0.25%) bupivacaine 1 ml/kg + normal saline (NS) 1 ml. Group B: (0.25%) bupivacaine 1 ml/kg + 1 µg/kg dexmedetomidine in 1 ml NS. As this study was double-blind, patients were randomly assigned to receive either (bupivacaine + saline) or (bupivacaine + dexmedetomidine) in each group. The patients were observed for hemodynamic stability, respiratory depression, and postoperative pain using face, legs, activity, cry, consolability (FLACC) pain scale for 24 h postoperatively. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Unpaired Student's t-test. RESULTS: The mean duration of effective analgesia in Group A patients was 4.33 ± 0.98 h versus 9.88 ± 0.90 h in Group B patients. Likewise, the difference in mean FLACC score of both the groups was also statistically significant, 7.21 ± 0.76 and 6.49 ± 1.72 in Group A and Group B, respectively. CONCLUSION: Dexmedetomidine as adjuvant to Bupivacaine increases duration of caudal analgesia and improves hemodynamic stability without an increase in adverse effects in children undergoing infraumbilical surgeries.

Single dose intravenous dexmedetomidine prolongs spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric bupivacaine.

BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION: Spinal block, a known technique to obtain anaesthesia for infraumblical surgeries. Now physician have advantage of using adjuvant to prolong the effect of intrathecal block, which can be given either intravenously or intrathecally, dexmedetomidine is one of them. We studied effect of intravenous dexmedetomidine for prolongation of duration of intrathecal block of 0.5% bupivacaine block. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of intravenous dexmedetomidine on sensory regression, hemodynamic profile, level of sedation and postoperative analgesia. METHODOLOGY: 60 patients of ASA grade I and II posted for elective infraumblical surgeries were included in the study and randomly allocated into two groups. Group D recieved intrathecal 0.5% bupivacaine heavy, followed by infusion of intravenous dexmedetomidine 0.5mic/kg over 10 min, patients in group C received intrathecal 0.5% bupivacaine heavy 3ml followed by infusion of same volume of normal saline as placebo. RESULTS: Two segment regression of sensory block was achieved at 139.0 ± 13.797 in group D whereas in group C it was only 96.67 ± 7.649min, the total duration of analgesia achieved in both study groups was 234.67 ± 7.649min and 164.17 ± 6.170min respectively in group D and group C. The time at which first analgesic was given to the patients when VAS >3 achieved that is in group D at 234.67 ± 7.649min and in group C at 164.17 ± 6.170min. Inj diclofenac sodium 75mg intramuscular was used as rescue analgesic.