Abdominoplasty under Spinal Anesthesia: A Feasibility Study.

OBJECTIVES: Abdominoplasty is a very common surgery nowadays and mainly performed as an office-based procedure. Spinal anesthesia is assumed to be safer than general anesthesia in such operations. The aim of this study is to compare between spinal and general anesthesia for abdominoplasty. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two hundred patients undergoing abdominoplasty, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classes I and II, were enrolled in this randomized prospective study. One hundred patients were operated upon under general anesthesia (Group G) and another one hundred patients under spinal anesthesia (Group S). Any intraoperative complications such as hypotension, bradycardia, pain, shivering, nausea, and vomiting related to anesthesia were managed and recorded. Visual analog scale was used to assess postoperative pain severity and the need for analgesia to be administered till 12 h postoperatively. RESULTS: There was no significant difference as regards patient's satisfaction in both groups although it was lower in Group G than in Group S. There were significant differences in between both groups as regards postoperative nausea and vomiting, early demand for analgesic and total dose of pain killer consumed in 12 h postoperatively which were higher in Group G than in Group S. CONCLUSION: Spinal anesthesia can be an effective anesthetic technique for office-based abdominoplasty with less postoperative complications when compared with general anesthesia for short procedures with no extensive dissection and positioning.

The Effect of Adding Dopamine Infusion to Noradrenaline Infusion Combined With Restrictive Hydration on Renal Function and Tissue Perfusion during Open Abdominal Surgeries.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to assess the effect of adding dopamine infusion in addition to restrictive hydration combined with noradrenaline infusion on intraoperative renal function and serum lactate levels in comparison to restrictive hydration combined with noradrenaline infusion only and standard hydration during open abdominal surgeries. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients were randomly assigned into three equal groups undergoing major open abdominal procedures. In Group I, dopamine infusion in addition to norepinephrine infusion were administered with restrictive hydration. In Group II, norepinephrine infusion was started before the induction of anesthesia with restrictive hydration. In Groups I and II, Ringer's solution was infused at a fixed rate of 2 mL.kg-1.h-1 until the end of surgery. In Group III, the conventional fluid replacement was introduced according maintenance, fluid deficit and third space loss. The outcome to be assessed was serial measurements of creatinine and serum lactate levels preoperatively, intraoperatively, and just postoperatively in addition to after 24 h. RESULTS: Serum lactate level was significantly low in Groups I and II than that in Group III intraoperatively and postoperatively. In addition, urine output was significantly more in Group I and Group III than in Group II. Creatinine level was higher with significance in Group II than in Group I and III 24 h postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Dopamine infusion, when added to norepinephrine infusion combined with restricted hydration, improved urine output and creatinine level. Tissue perfusion as indicated by serum lactate level was more adequate in Groups I and II than that in Group III.

Lornoxicam with Low-Dose Ketamine versus Pethidine to Control Pain of Acute Renal Colic.

OBJECTIVES: This study was established to compare single-dose lornoxicam 8 mg (NSAID) in addition to 0.15 mg.kg-1 ketamine with single-dose pethidine 50 mg, both administered intravenously (IV), on the quickness and extent of analgesia, disadvantage, and consequence on utilitarian situation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients with acute renal colic pain received in emergency room were included in this prospective, randomized, and double blind clinical study. They were aimlessly designated into one of two groups using a computer-generated table. Group L received lornoxicam 8 mg IV plus 0.15 mg.kg-1 ketamine and Group P received pethidine 50 mg IV. Parameters were noticed at baseline and after 0, 15, 30, and 45 minutes and 1 hour after drug administration. The efficiency of the drug was determined by observing: patient rated pain, time to pain relief, rate of pain recurrence, the need for rescue analgesia, adverse events, and functional status. RESULTS: The visual analogue scale was significantly lower in Group L after 30 minutes in comparison to Group P. In addition, there was statistically significant increase in Group P regarding their need for rescue analgesia after 30 min in comparison to Group L. Group P showed nonsignificantly increased sedation score compared to Group L. CONCLUSION: Patients receiving lornoxicam-ketamine attained greater reduction in pain scores and less side effects with better functional state and also are less likely to require further analgesia than those administered pethidine to control acute renal colic pain.

Transdermal Ketoprofen Patch in Comparison to Eutectic Mixture of Local Anesthetic Cream and Subcutaneous Lidocaine to Control Pain Due to Venous Cannulation.

BACKGROUND: This study was established to compare the analgesic and side effects between transdermal ketoprofen patch 30 mg and eutectic mixture of local anesthetic (EMLA) cream applied to the peripheral venous cannulation site and lidocaine injection before cannulation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and five adult patients who had been scheduled for elective general surgery with patients' physical status American Society of Anesthesiologists classes I and II were randomly divided into three groups: Group I (EMLA group) received EMLA cream, Group II (lidocaine group) received subcutaneous infiltration of 1 ml of 2% lidocaine HCl 10 min before cannulation, and Group III (ketoprofen group) received a transdermal ketoprofen patch 30 mg. Groups I and III received their cream or patch 60 min before cannulation. The pain resulting from cannulation by an 18G cannula was assessed by a visual analog scale (VAS) at the time of cannulation and every 2 h for another 6 h for all groups. Signs of inflammation at the site of cannulation (erythema, induration, edema, and blanching) were observed at the site of cannulation for 24 h. RESULTS: Ketoprofen patch, EMLA cream, and lidocaine injection were found to be equal in controlling pain caused by venous cannulation with no significant difference in VAS. Signs of inflammation at the site of cannulation (blanching, erythema, and induration) were very evident in Group I (EMLA) which showed significant difference than in other two groups. CONCLUSIONS: EMLA cream, ketoprofen patch, and lidocaine injection have equal ability to alleviate pain due to cannulation when applied before the procedure, but ketoprofen patch is more superior as it had less local inflammatory effect in comparison to EMLA cream and without double puncture as with lidocaine injection.