Implementation of a Multimodal Knowledge-Exchange Platform to Provide Trauma Critical Care Education During the Ongoing Conflict in Ukraine.

Importance: The conflict in Ukraine has forced civilian hospitals with limited trauma and battlefield medicine experience to care for casualties of war, placing significant strain on the health care system. Using the Checklist for Early Recognition and Treatment of Acute Illness and Injury (CERTAIN) program, a multimodal trauma critical care knowledge-exchange platform was created for clinicians practicing in these institutions. Objectives: To describe the development and implementation of the CERTAIN for Ukraine program and to evaluate the reach of this intervention, together with participant engagement and satisfaction. Design, Setting, and Participants: This quality improvement study included clinicians caring for critically ill patients during the ongoing Ukrainian conflict who were part of a community developed using a messaging app. The program was implemented by a group of international trauma and critical care experts in collaboration with critical care leaders from the Shupyk National Healthcare University in Kyiv, Ukraine. This study evaluates data collected from the CERTAIN for Ukraine program from its launch on April 9, 2022, to August 31, 2022. Interventions: The initiative comprised a longitudinal series of interactive tele-education sessions, a webpage containing the CERTAIN approach and current trauma critical care guidelines translated into Ukrainian and Russian, and a private messaging chat for asynchronous discussion. Main Outcomes and Measures: Participant engagement and satisfaction were tracked using multimedia analytics and a post-session survey. Results: Since program launch, 838 participants have joined the messaging group, and 6 tele-education sessions have been delivered, with 1835 total views. The CERTAIN website has had 3527 visits, mainly from Ukraine (1378 [39%]) and the United States (1060 [30%]). Of the 74 completed postsession surveys, 65 respondents (88%) rated the course content excellent or very good, and 73 (99%) recommended it to others. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this quality improvement study indicate that, using widely available and low-cost platforms, knowledge was shared rapidly and efficiently to a large community of clinicians practicing in a wartime environment with broad-based engagement and a high level of learner satisfaction.

SAFETY OF USING DURAL PUNCTURE EPIDURAL ANALGESIA AS A METHOD OF LABOR ANALGESIA.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of complications and side effects of CSE and DPE as a method of analgesia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: The study included 137 patients who had a vaginal birth using one of two, CSE or DPE methods of analgesia. All of them were divided into two groups: Group I - 54 women (DPE group) and Group II - 83 women (CSE group). In group I, an epidural kit with a Tuohy G18 needle, G20 catheter, and a Whitacre G25 x 120 mm spinal needle was passed through the epidural needle for puncture of dura mater and removed after cerebrospinal fluid receiving, the epidural catheter was conducted on 3-4 cm. The initial dose of anesthetic was: 3 ml of Naropin 0.12% - test dose and 17 ml of working solution (Naropin 0.12% + Fentanyl 2 µg / ml) - main dose. In group II, a spinal-epidural kit with Tuohy G18 needle, catheter G20, spinal needle "Whitacre" G27 x 132 mm for dura mater puncture was used. Bupivacaine 1.5 mg + Fentanyl 15 mcg, 1 ml solution was administered spinally. To maintain analgesia in both groups - the patient-controlled analgesia with a working solution (Naropin 0.12% + Fentanyl 2 µg / ml) with a bolus of 8 - 10 ml, lockout 15 minutes. RESULTS: Results: The higher frequency of hypotension in childbirth when using CSE - 4 women (4.8%) vs 1 woman (1.9%) in the DPE group. Inadequate or insufficient analgesia in group I was found in 2 women (3.7%), and in group II in 4 women (4.8%). The severity of monolateral block in group I was not high and did not cause significant discomfort in women. The higher incidence of monolateral blockade was in group II, in three cases there was a need for additional anesthesiologist interventions and catheter manipulations. In the CSE group there were two cases (2.4%) of severe itching in women, in group I such an adverse reaction was absent. No complication such as PDPH was documented in either group. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: 1. The use of the DPE technique showed a lower frequency of complications compared to CSE. 2. The use of a G 25 spinal needle for puncture of the dura mater does not lead to an increase in the frequency of PDPH. 3. DPE technique using G25 spinal needles reduces the need for additional manipulations with the epidural catheter to overcome unilateral blockades.

ACUTE ISCHEMIC STROKE IN WOMEN: EFFICACY OF THE FREE RADICAL SCAVENGER EDARAVONE.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To investigate the effectiveness of usage of the free radical scavenger Edaravone in the therapy of women with AIS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: A prospective study was conducted of 48 women with AIS, divided into two groups. Patients in the first group (n = 36) were treated with edaravone 30 mg twice a day intravenously. Neuroprotectors were not used in the control group (n = 12). Clinical-instrumental and neurological examination (Glasgow scale (SCG), FOUR, NIHSS, and neuronspecific enolase (NSE) levels) were performed on all patients. RESULTS: Results: The mean FOUR score in the 1th group increased from 11.04±0.85 to 15.47±0.63 points against 11.39±0.56 to 13.46±1.49 in the control group (pp<0.05). The level of NSE in control group patients increased 10-fold (from 9.2 to 96.4 ng/ml, p<0.01). Subsequently, there was a rapid decrease in NSE level in 1th group, and in the control group until 10 days of treatment, the level of NSE did not reach the reference values (p p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The introduction of edaravone in women with AIS results in positive results already in the acute period of the disease. The use of edaravon was significantly effective on the FOUR scale and the dynamics of NSE levels.

The use of multimodal low-opioid anesthesia for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery in conditions of artificial blood circulation.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main cause of death worldwide, and according to experts, they will continue to dominate the structure of global mortality. AIM: The effectiveness of the multimodal low-opioid anesthesia technique in performing coronary artery bypass graft operations with artificial blood circulation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety-six patients aged 61.8 ±10.4 years underwent coronary artery bypass grafting under artificial blood circulation. Group I: propofol, sevoflurane, fentanyl, pipecuronium bromide (standard doses). Group II: dexketoprofen trometamol (50 mg), intravenous lidocaine (1% - 1 mg/kg bolus) and continuous lidocaine infusion (1.5-2 mg/kg/h), propofol, ketamine (0.5 mg/kg), magnesia sulfate, minimal doses of fentanyl. RESULTS: Average duration of anesthesia - 257.4 ±19.1 min; assisted blood circulation - 55 ±10 min. Mean dose of fentanyl in group I - 4.66 ±1.58 µg/kg/h, in group II - 1.29 ±0.32 µg/kg/h.Standard lab values and stress hormonal changes were within the normal range (mean cortisol: 479.3 ±26.4 nmol/l, lactate 1.61 ±0.2 mmol/l, glucose 6.42 ±0.9 mmol/l). Changes in heart rate within group I had a significant amplitude of dynamics, while in group II, these values were relatively at the same level throughout the entire anesthetic provision. Mean arterial pressure changes in group I were characterized by a significant reduction at the stage of induction, support and sternum reduction, whereas in group II it was relatively at the same level during the entire anesthetic management and significantly differed from baseline only at the stage of induction. CONCLUSIONS: Multimodal low-opioid anesthesia during coronary artery bypass surgery with artificial blood circulation allows one to ensure adequate analgesia and avoid the intraoperative usage of routine doses of fentanyl, as indicated by the absence of hemodynamic and endocrine-metabolic changes.

Efficacy of pectoral nerve block type II versus thoracic paravertebral block for analgesia in breast cancer surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: to compare the efficacy of pectoral nerve block type II and thoracic paravertebral block for analgesia during and after breast cancer surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: Sixty adult women were undergoing unilateral radical mastectomy or quadrantectomy with axillary dissection. Patients were randomized to receive either pectoral nerve block with ropivacaine 0.375% 30 ml or thoracic paravertebral block with ropivacaine 0.5% 20 ml. Evaluated variables included pain intensity at 0, 2, 4, 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours, intraoperative fentanyl, 24-hour postoperative opioid (promedol) and nonopioid (ketoprofen) consumption, the time to first rescue analgesia. RESULTS: Results: There were no statistically significant differences between pectoral block and paravertebral block groups in intraoperative fentanyl consumption 2,2 (1,81-2,81) vs 1,9 (1,63-2,25) mcg/kg/hour (Р>0,05) and in the pain intensity during the first 24 hours after operation. The mean postoperative 24-hour promedol and ketoprofen consumption was 4,0 (±8,14) mgvs 5,0 (±8,85) mg (Р>0,05) and 66,7 (±66,09) mgvs 95,8 (±90,78) mg (Р>0,05) in the pectoral and paravertebral block groups respectively. Time to the first analgesia request was longer in pectoral block group - 540 (455,0-600,0) min vs 515 (265,0-650,0) min (Р>0,05). There were no complications after pectoral blocks and 2 complications after paravertebral blocks. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: in breast cancer surgery pectoral nerve blocktype II can provide postoperative analgesia comparable to thoracic paravertebral block with lower complications rate.