A 2 year experience of nurse led conscious sedation in paediatric burns

Intranasal dexmedetomidine and rectal ketamine for young children undergoing burn wound procedures

BACKGROUND

Safe and effective methods for sedation and analgesia in pediatric burn patients are strongly warranted. This retrospective study of electronic health care records aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intranasal dexmedetomidine combined with rectal ketamine as procedural sedation for young children undergoing dressing changes and debridement of burn wounds.

METHODS

Documentation was analyzed from 90 procedures in 58 pediatric patients aged <5 years. Safety and efficacy of the method were assessed based on documentation for complications, adverse effects, pain level, level of sedation and preoperative and recovery time.

RESULTS

All 90 sedations were completed without significant adverse events with acute airway management or medical intervention. The combination of dexmedetomidine-ketamine produced acceptable analgesia during the procedure and effectively relieved postoperative pain. However, the approach was insufficient for 7/58 patients (7.8%); these patients were converted from the dexmedetomidine-ketamine combination to intravenous anesthesia. In 23% of the cases an extra dose of either ketamine of dexmedetomidine was administered. Moreover, there were two cases of delayed awakening with recovery time >120 min.

CONCLUSION

The drug combination intranasal dexmedetomidine and rectal ketamine is a safe and reliable approach for procedural sedation and analgesia in pediatric patients undergoing burn wound procedures, producing a clinically stable sedative condition requiring only basic monitoring.

The multiple faces of ketamine in anaesthesia and analgesia

Objective

Ketamine is an anaesthetic agent with a unique dissociative profile and pharmacological effects ranging from the induction and maintenance of anaesthesia to analgesia and sedation, depending on the dose. This article provides information for the clinical use of ketamine in anaesthesia, in both conventional and special circumstances.

Methods

This is a non-systematic review of the literature, through a PubMed search up to February 2021.

Results

With a favourable pharmacokinetic profile, ketamine is used in hospital and prehospital settings for emergency situations. It is suitable for patients with many heart conditions and, unlike other anaesthetics, its potential for cardiorespiratory depression is low. Furthermore, it may be used when venous access is difficult as it may be administered through various routes. Ketamine is the anaesthetic of choice for patients with bronchospasm thanks to its bronchodilatory and anti-inflammatory properties.

Conclusion

With a favourable pharmacokinetic profile, ketamine is used in hospital and prehospital settings for emergency situations and is suitable for patients with many cardiac and respiratory conditions.

A review on the recent application of ketamine in management of anesthesia, pain, and health care

Ketamine is considered as a promising drug for many clinical applications even after five decades since its discovery. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic agent with a variety of pharmacological effects from anesthetic induction and maintenance to analgesic and sedative depending on the consuming dose. It can be used solely or in combination with other co-adjuvant drugs, increasing their efficacy. Many therapeutic properties of ketamine have been attributed to its antagonism mechanism to N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor. Identifying new properties of ketamine such as neuroprotective, antiinflammatory, and antitumor effects, on one hand, and taking advantage of subanesthetic regimens of ketamine, on the other hand, have resulted in a widespread use of ketamine in various clinical applications. Ketamine is solvable in aqueous and lipid solutions, providing convenient administration via multiple routes, including oral, nasal, rectal, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, transdermal, sublingual, and intraosseous administration. Application of ketamine has some advantages over other sedative and anesthetic agents. It produces bronchodilation status, allowing for most secure induction of anesthesia in patients with life-threatening asthma and intense acute bronchial constriction. Ketamine has an excellent hemodynamic profile, makes it the agent of choice for patients with unstable hemodynamics, such as shocked or hypotensive patients. Ketamine usage has been associated with a lower risk of respiratory depression and relatively more conserved airway reflexes. Although being an anesthetic agent, ketamine has been increasingly used in subanesthetic doses for acute and chronic pain as well as depression. Using ketamine in pre and postoperative pain management is well established. However, the studies on ketamine performance in pain management demonstrated contradicting results. On the other hand, various side effects along with no confirmatory data on long-term treatment demand great caution when using ketamine for treating complex chronic pains. The present study aimed to provide a general review on the recent applications of ketamine in anesthesia, pain management, and critical care.

Analgesia protocols for burns dressings: Challenges with implementation

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to compare doctors' knowledge regarding analgesia in paediatric burns patients in a setting where analgesia protocols are provided but not reinforced to a setting where the same protocols are used but with constant re-enforcement from burns surgeons.

METHODS

We reviewed questionnaires completed anonymously by doctors managing burns children in the Pietermaritzburg (PMB) Hospital Complex and the referral hospitals.

RESULTS

The questionnaire was completed by 43 doctors with 53% of the participants working in the referral hospitals. Procedural sedation was given by 98% of doctors. All PMB doctors giving procedural sedation used ketamine compared to 39% in the referral hospitals, which was statistically significant (×2 = 18.237; p < 0.001). Eighty percent of PMB doctors were aware of the correct doses of ketamine and compared to 8% of referral doctors. This was statistically significant (×2 = 21.778; p < 0.001). When assessing the adequacy of analgesia, all of the doctors from PMB used a scoring system or clinical impression. In the referral doctor group, 54% used a scoring system, 38% used the child screaming as an indicator of inadequate analgesia.

CONCLUSION

We have identified a discrepancy in knowledge between staff in an academic burn centre and those in peripheral referral hospitals. This discrepancy translates into differences in quality of burn analgesia which patients receive. Ongoing efforts must be directed towards changing the culture of district institution and strengthening attempts to standardize care across the region.

S(+)-ketamine : Current trends in emergency and intensive care medicine

S(+)-ketamine, the pure dextrorotatory enantiomer of ketamine has been available for clinical use in analgesia and anesthesia for more than 25 years. The main effects are mediated by non-competitive inhibition of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor but S(+)-ketamine also interacts with opioid receptors, monoamine receptors, adenosine receptors and other purinergic receptors. Effects on α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors, metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR) and L‑type calcium chanels have also been described. S(+)-ketamine stimulates the sympathetic nerve system, making it an ideal drug for analgosedation or induction of anesthesia in instable patients. In addition, the neuroprotective properties, bronchodilatory, antihyperalgesic or antiepileptic effects provide interesting therapeutic options. In this article we discuss the numerous effects of S(+)-ketamine under pharmacological and clinical aspects especially for typical indications in emergency medicine as well as intensive care.

Ketamine for the treatment of addiction: Evidence and potential mechanisms

Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic drug which acts on the central nervous system chiefly through antagonism of the n-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. Recently, ketamine has attracted attention as a rapid-acting anti-depressant but other studies have also reported its efficacy in reducing problematic alcohol and drug use. This review explores the preclinical and clinical research into ketamine's ability to treat addiction. Despite methodological limitations and the relative infancy of the field, results thus far are promising. Ketamine has been shown to effectively prolong abstinence from alcohol and heroin in detoxified alcoholics and heroin dependent individuals, respectively. Moreover, ketamine reduced craving for and self-administration of cocaine in non-treatment seeking cocaine users. However, further randomised controlled trials are urgently needed to confirm ketamine's efficacy. Possible mechanisms by which ketamine may work within addiction include: enhancement of neuroplasticity and neurogenesis, disruption of relevant functional neural networks, treating depressive symptoms, blocking reconsolidation of drug-related memories, provoking mystical experiences and enhancing psychological therapy efficacy. Identifying the mechanisms by which ketamine exerts its therapeutic effects in addiction, from the many possible candidates, is crucial for advancing this treatment and may have broader implications understanding other psychedelic therapies. In conclusion, ketamine shows great promise as a treatment for various addictions, but well-controlled research is urgently needed. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Psychedelics: New Doors, Altered Perceptions'.

Nationwide web survey of pediatric scalds: Prevalence and the relationship with household vacuum flasks

OBJECTIVE

To explore the prevalence of pediatric (0-72 months old) scalds, and to clarify its relationship with household vacuum flasks.

METHODS

A cross sectional online survey based on the largest social media in China. Online questionnaire was pushed twice a day to our target respondents for successive seven days. We were authorized to gain, analyze and publish the information related to this research by the Sina & Weibo data center.

RESULTS

Prevalence of pediatric scalds was 5.5%. Gender ratio (boy to girl) was 1.96:1. Toddlers (12-36 months old) were the most susceptible age group (54.5%). Non-intentional water spill was the main causation (77.3%). An extremely low percent (7.1%) of the parents performed first-aid as described by the "RRICH" rule: water rinse - clothes remove - water immersion - clean cover - hospital. Scars developed in 52.7% patients and 14.7% of them underwent reconstructive surgery. There were 75.5% Chinese families using vacuum flasks in daily life, but only 6.1% families used the fastening device to avoid burns.

CONCLUSION

Prevalence of pediatric scalds (0-72 months old) was rather high, which might be related to the extensive insecure usage of household vacuum flasks.

Paediatric burn and scald management in a low resource setting: A reference guide and review

INTRODUCTION

The mortality rates and Disability Adjusted Life Years lost of burn injuries (including scalds) among children below 15 years of age in Africa are more than ten and 20 times higher, respectively, than in high-income countries. Prevention of injuries and timely optimal management will help to reduce these figures. Management guidelines that are locally relevant to low income settings, incorporating universal principles, are required. We aim to provide a reference guide for the management of paediatric burn injuries in settings with limited resources using a resource-tiered approach. Additionally, we would like to add our voice to the advocacy for improvements in primary, secondary and tertiary prevention.

METHODS

A literature review was carried out using Ovid Medline (1946 to present), Embase (1974 to November 2016) and Google Scholar (2012 to present) using the key words and Boolean terms Burn OR Scald, AND Paediatric, AND Management OR Treatment, AND Africa, AND Sub-Saharan Africa. Further references were found from citations.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In total, 78 papers were included in this review, along with the WHO injury book and the Burns Manual. Comprehensive primary prevention programmes should be set up and adequately funded. Assessment and immediate management of a burn patient should follow the ABCDE approach. Appropriate patients such as those with inhalational injury should be referred early. An escharotomy should be performed without delay at the facility where the patient has presented. Intravenous fluid management must be guideline-based, goal-directed and titrated to effect. Pain management should use multiple modalities including adequate and pre-emptive analgesia. Supplemental nutrition is required in patients with baseline malnutrition and/or burns greater than 10% Total Body Surface Area. Infections such as toxic shock syndrome and tetanus must be managed aggressively.

Ketamine: Current applications in anesthesia, pain, and critical care

Ketamine was introduced commercially in 1970 with the manufacturer's description as a "rapidly acting, nonbarbiturate general anesthetic" and a suggestion that it would be useful for short procedures. With the help of its old unique pharmacological properties and newly found beneficial clinical properties, ketamine has survived the strong winds of time, and it currently has a wide variety of clinical applications. It's newly found neuroprotective, antiinflammatory and antitumor effects, and the finding of the usefulness of low dose ketamine regimens have helped to widen the clinical application profile of ketamine. The present article attempts to review the current useful applications of ketamine in anesthesia, pain and critical care. It is based on scientific evidence gathered from textbooks, journals, and electronic databases.