Spinal anaesthesia in poliomyelitis patients with scoliotic spine: A case control study

The Uneventful Use of Modern-Day Anesthetic Drugs in Post-polio Paralytic Patients: A Report of Three Cases

The Western world has been polio-free for decades; however, many are affected by the stigmata of polio in several countries, including India. While general anesthesia (GA) and subarachnoid block (SAB) have been used successfully and widely, all those cases were mostly done with relatively older drugs and without additives. Therefore, further literature is needed to note the effect of newer anesthetic agents on post-polio paralytic patients for both GA, viz., propofol, fentanyl, rocuronium, and desflurane, and SAB with intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine and adjuvants. We report three male cases from Central India, in their 40s, with post-polio residual paralysis (PPRP), sarcopenia, and deformity of the lower limb and scoliosis; one case was managed under GA using desflurane-based low-flow anesthesia technique, and the other two under SAB, one with intrathecal fentanyl as an adjuvant to bupivacaine and the other without an adjuvant. The case series describes the effect of these modern-day anesthetic drugs and techniques.

Anesthetic management in a case of MURCS syndrome

MURCS syndrome is a more severe form of Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, an acronym meaning aplasia/hypoplasia of Müllerian ducts (MU), congenital renal agenesis/ectopia (R), and cervical somite dysplasia (CS). A common presentation is primary amenorrhea in adolescent females. An anesthetist must consider the benefits and limitations of both regional and general anesthesia for these patients based on site of surgery and severity of malformations. We report successful anesthetic management of a 21-year-old female with MURCS syndrome scheduled for a creation of neovagina under spinal anesthesia using ultrasound guidance.

Thoracolumbar curve and Cobb angle in determining spread of spinal anesthesia in Scoliosis. An observational prospective pilot study

Background and Aims

Disparity in spread of spinal anesthesia is a known complication in scoliosis patients. Our primary aim was to compare this disparity based on Cobb Angle and thorocolumbar spine curvature. Secondary aim was to calculate the appropriate lateral angulation of the spinal needle from midline for successful lumbar puncture.

Materials and Methods

All poliomyelitis patients with scoliosis posted for lower limb orthopedic contracture release surgeries were enrolled into Group A (Cobb Angle <50°), Group B (Cobb Angle >50°), and on thoracolumbar curve into Group R (Right), Group L (Left). Group A, B, R, and L were studied for bilateral spread of spinal anaesthesia. Lateral angle of the spinal needle from midline was noted with Goniometer in groups A and B. Statistical analysis was done using unpaired t test and Chi-square test.

Results

Failures in subarachnoid block (SAB) (unilateral anaesthesia/inadequate/patchy block) was significant in Group B (P = 0.033). Segmental disparity in bilateral spread of spinal anaesthesia was significant in Group R with P value of 0.042. Approximate lateral angle for needle in Group A was (4.1 ± 2.45) and in Group B was (9.14 ± 2.45).

Conclusions

The study showed that there was a strong correlation between right-sided thoracolumbar curve and the spread of spinal anesthesia.

Resurgence of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in the United States: Anesthetic and Critical Care Implications

Vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) such as measles and pertussis are becoming more common in the United States. This disturbing trend is driven by several factors, including the antivaccination movement, waning efficacy of certain vaccines, pathogen adaptation, and travel of individuals to and from areas where disease is endemic. The anesthesia-related manifestations of many VPDs involve airway complications, cardiovascular and respiratory compromise, and unusual neurologic and neuromuscular symptoms. In this article, we will review the presentation and management of 9 VPDs most relevant to anesthesiologists, intensivists, and other hospital-based clinicians: measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis, diphtheria, influenza, meningococcal disease, varicella, and poliomyelitis. Because many of the pathogens causing these diseases are spread by respiratory droplets and aerosols, appropriate transmission precautions, personal protective equipment, and immunizations necessary to protect clinicians and prevent nosocomial outbreaks are described.