Efficacy of orally disintegrating film of ondansetron versus intravenous ondansetron in prophylaxis of postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing elective gynaecological laparoscopic procedures: A prospective randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ondansetron is one of the most widely used drugs for postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) prophylaxis. Orally disintegrating film (ODF) formulations are relatively recent innovations. We evaluated the efficacy of ODF of ondansetron for the prophylaxis of PONV. METHODS: One hundred and eighty American Society of Anaesthesiologists-I or II women, in the age group 18-65 years, scheduled for elective gynaecological laparoscopic procedures were studied in a prospective randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The patients were randomised into four groups: Placebo, intravenous (IV) ondansetron 4 mg, ODF of ondansetron 4 mg (ODF4) and 8 mg (ODF8) groups. PONV was assessed in two epochs of 0-6 and 7-24 h. Primary outcome measure was the incidence of PONV and secondary outcome measures were severity of nausea, need for rescue anti-emetic, analgesic consumption, time to oral intake, overall patient satisfaction and side effects such as headache and dizziness. PONV was compared using analysis of variance or Mann-Whitney U-test as applicable. RESULTS: Data of 173 patients were analysed. The incidence of postoperative nausea was significantly lower (P = 0.04) only during the 0-6 h in the ODF8 group when compared with the placebo group. During the 0-6 h interval postoperatively, the ODF8 group had a significantly lower incidence of vomiting when compared with the placebo (P = 0.002) and the IV group (P = 0.044). During the 0-24 h interval postoperatively, ODF4 (P = 0.01) and ODF8 (P = 0.002) groups had a significantly lower incidence of vomiting compared to the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: Orally disintegrating film of ondansetron is an efficacious, novel, convenient and may be a cost-effective option for the prophylaxis of PONV.

Airway difficulty in Mallampati 'class zero' patients: a prospective double-blind observational study.

CONTEXT: Assessment of Mallampati class is an integral part of preoperative airway evaluation. Increasing Mallampati class is known to be associated with greater difficulty with intubation, but some cases of airway difficulty in Mallampati 'class zero' patients have been reported. OBJECTIVE(S): We undertook this study to evaluate intubation difficulty and to correlate this with indirect laryngoscopy findings in Mallampati class zero patients. The incidence of Mallampati class zero airway in Indian patients and the difficulty in mask ventilation were also evaluated. DESIGN: Prospective double-blind observational study. SETTING: A tertiary care medical college hospital in Karnataka, India. STUDY PERIOD: September 2010 to April 2011. PATIENTS: Patients of either sex, 18 years and older, presenting for preanaesthetic examination for elective surgery were evaluated. All patients with Mallampati class zero airway undergoing general anaesthesia with tracheal intubation were included. Exclusion criteria were upper airway disorder, unstable cervical spine, increased risk for aspiration, ischaemic heart disease, increased intracranial pressure, respiratory distress, those unable to sit upright, or infected with hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV or pulmonary tuberculosis, or requiring emergency surgery. All underwent indirect laryngoscopy performed by the otorhinolaryngologist and subsequently, direct laryngoscopy performed by the anaesthesiologist. Intubation difficulty was assessed by the Cormack & Lehane grades. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Evaluation of intubation difficulty and correlation with indirect laryngoscopy findings in Mallampati class zero patients. Estimation of the incidence of Mallampati class zero airway in Indian patients and the difficulty in mask ventilation. RESULTS: Twenty women and thirteen men, aged 18-65 years, of Mallampati class zero were identified out of 1937 (incidence, 1.7%). The data of 27 patients were analysed. Two patients had 'difficult' mask ventilation. All had a 'predicted easy' airway on indirect laryngoscopy and 'easy' (Cormack & Lehane grade 1 or 2) tracheal intubation. Upon direct laryngoscopy, the epiglottis was described as 'large' in 10 (37%) patients. CONCLUSION: A Mallampati class zero per se is not associated with difficult airway unless other airway characteristics contribute to the difficulty. Even though the epiglottis may be large and overhanging, it rarely causes airway difficulty in Mallampati class zero airway.

The sheared central venous catheter?

A fractured central venous catheter (CVC) with embolization of the distal fragment may lead to life-threatening complications. We had inserted a right subclavian CVC in a 68-year-old female which upon a follow-up chest X-ray appeared to have been sheared. A guidewire was inserted through the CVC until the J-tip was just beyond the tip of the CVC which were then withdrawn as a single assembly. We suspected that the tip of the guidewire might have been entrapped in the opening of the middle port, which upon withdrawal of the guidewire could have led to CVC folding upon itself and shearing.