A Randomized Clinical Study to Compare the Perioperative Analgesic Efficacy of Ultrasound-Guided Erector Spinae Plane Block Over Thoracic Epidural in Modified Radical Mastectomy

Aim This study aims to compare the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided erector spinae block (ESB) with thoracic epidural (TE) in managing postoperative pain among breast cancer (BC) surgery patients. Methods A total of 42 patients were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups, each comprising 21 participants. Primary endpoints assessed included intraoperative fentanyl consumption, postoperative pain scores, and the need for rescue analgesia. Secondary endpoints encompassed intraoperative hemodynamic changes and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Results The study found no significant difference in intraoperative fentanyl requirement (p=0.62) or postoperative pain scores measured using numerical rating scores (NRS) throughout the 48-hour postoperative period. None of the patients in either group required rescue analgesia. Notably, there was a statistically significant difference in postoperative nausea and vomiting at the two-hour mark, favoring the erector spinae block. Both groups exhibited comparable hemodynamic changes during intraoperative monitoring. Conclusions Our investigation concludes that the ESF offers equivalent analgesic efficacy to the thoracic epidural during both surgery and the postoperative period without inducing any significant hemodynamic instability. Considering the lower complication rate associated with paraspinal blocks compared to neuraxial blocks, the ESB presents itself as a promising alternative method for effective pain relief in mastectomy procedures.

Prophylactic Fixed-Rate Phenylephrine Versus Norepinephrine Infusion in the Prevention of Post-spinal Anesthesia Hypotension During Cesarean Delivery

Background Maternal hypotension following spinal anesthesia can be actively countered by the use of vasopressors. Prophylactic infusion of vasopressors with a rescue bolus dosing was observed to be more effective for hemodynamic stability when compared to administering a bolus dose alone. Although phenylephrine is the recommended drug to treat spinal hypotension, many recent studies have focussed on the role of norepinephrine infusions during cesarean section. In this study, we compared prophylactic fixed-rate intravenous infusions of phenylephrine and norepinephrine during cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia and the requirement of intraoperative provider-administered rescue bolus of phenylephrine needed to overcome post-spinal anesthesia hypotension. Methodology A total of 208 patients undergoing elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia were randomly assigned to two groups (group P and group N). Group N included 104 patients who received norepinephrine infusion at a rate of 2.5 μg/minute (0.04 μg/kg/minute), and group P included 104 patients who received phenylephrine infusion at a rate of 50 μg/minute (0.8 μg/kg/minute) to treat spinal hypotension. The primary outcome of our study was to compare the reduction in the number and total dose of intraoperative provider-administered rescue bolus of phenylephrine needed to maintain systolic blood pressure. The secondary outcome of our study was to compare the neonatal outcome using umbilical venous blood gas sampling and Apgar score at one and five minutes. Results The total number of phenylephrine rescue bolus required to treat hypotension was significantly lower in group N (p = 0.0005) compared to group P. The neonatal outcome was similar between the two groups. Conclusions Prophylactic norepinephrine infusion when compared to prophylactic phenylephrine infusion is associated with a lesser requirement of rescue phenylephrine boluses.

Comparison of the Efficacy of Opioid-Free Anesthesia With Conventional Opioid-Based Anesthesia for Nasal Surgeries - A Prospective Randomized Parallel Arm Triple-Blinded Study

Introduction In the setting of nasal surgeries, the use of opioid-free anesthesia involving the use of dexmedetomidine, and lignocaine is being investigated as a potential alternative to opioids. This combination of drugs provides sympatholysis, pain relief, and sedative properties, thereby aiming at reducing the negative effects commonly associated with opioid usage. The objective of this study is to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of opioid-free anesthesia using dexmedetomidine and lignocaine versus conventional opioid anesthesia with fentanyl for nasal surgeries. The comparison will be based on the primary outcome of postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) scores. Secondary outcomes assessed were the amount of rescue analgesic consumption, intraoperative sevoflurane usage, intraoperative blood loss, hemodynamic stability, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) scores, and postoperative Ramsay Sedation Scores. Methods A triple-blind, prospective, randomized, parallel arm study in which 48 patients planned for elective nasal surgery were allocated randomly to one of two groups. In the study, the population labeled as Group D, comprising 24 participants, received dexmedetomidine at a dosage of 1 mcg.kg^-1 via intravenous infusion lasting for a duration of 10 minutes prior to the induction of anesthesia. This was followed by a continuous infusion of 0.6 mcg.kg^-1 h^-1 throughout the intraoperative period, and intravenous Lignocaine 1.5 mg.kg^-1 was administered three minutes prior to induction, subsequently an intraoperative infusion of 1.5 mg.kg^-1 h^-1. In Group F, consisting of 24 participants, intravenous fentanyl of 2 mcg.kg^-1 was administered three minutes before the induction. This was subsequently followed by a fentanyl infusion of 0.5 mcg.kg^-1h^-1 in the intraoperative period. Results The study findings indicate that Group D had considerably lower postoperative VAS scores from 30 minutes to two hours compared to Group F (p<0.05). The utilization of sevoflurane during the intraoperative period was comparatively reduced in Group D in order to achieve the desired bispectral index (BIS) range of 40-60 (p<0.01). Mean intraoperative blood loss was also lower in Group D (85 ml) compared to Group F (115 ml )(p<0.01). Additionally, Group D had significantly lower rescue analgesic consumption and lower incidence of PONV up to 60 minutes compared to Group F (P-value <0.01). A statistically significant difference was observed between Group D and Group F in terms of lower mean values of both mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate in Group D (p<0.01). The results indicate that the postoperative sedation scores within the first two hours were significantly greater in Group D compared to Group F (p<0.01). Conclusion The usage of opioid-free anesthesia has been found to be superior to a traditional opioid-based approach in various aspects, including the provision of sufficient pain relief after surgery, maintenance of stable hemodynamics during the operation, and reduction in occurrences of postoperative nausea and vomiting.

A Comparative Study of Bilateral Erector Spinae Block Versus Intravenous Dexmedetomidine for Perioperative Pain Management in Patients Undergoing Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting - A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

Regional analgesia, along with general anesthesia, reduce postoperative pain. In this study, the authors compared the erector spinae plane (ESP) block having dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant with conventional pain management along with intravenous dexmedetomidine.

DESIGN

Prospective randomized single-blinded trial.

SETTING

Tertiary care teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

All of the patients scheduled for elective off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting with an ejection fraction of >45%.

INTERVENTIONS

After obtaining institutional ethical committee approval, 130 patients were randomized into Group E and Group D. Group E patients received ESP block bilaterally with 25 mL of bupivacaine plus 0.5 μg/kg of dexmedetomidine. The patients in Group D received conventional intravenous analgesia, as well as a 0.7 μg/kg of dexmedetomidine bolus, followed by a 0.3 μg/kg dexmedetomidine infusion during surgery and continued postoperatively for 24 hours. Group E patients received 8 mL/h of bupivacaine infusion bilaterally for 24 hours.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome assessed was pain scores in the postoperative period. The secondary outcomes assessed were postoperative rescue analgesic consumption, time to first rescue analgesia, intraoperative fentanyl consumption, duration of mechanical ventilation, and duration of intensive care unit (ICU) stay.

RESULTS

Both groups were comparable in demographic characteristics. The postoperative pain scores from 4 hours to 12 hours were lower in Group E compared with Group D. The pain scores at 24 hours were not significantly different between groups. Postoperative fentanyl consumption in Group E (99.23 ± 50.19 μg) was significantly lower than in Group D (181.15 ± 82.92 μg), with a p value of 0.001. Time to first rescue analgesia was significantly longer in Group E, with a median score of 8 hours when compared with that of 4 hours in Group D, with a p value of 0.01. Intraoperative fentanyl consumption was significantly lower in Group E (392.15 ± 55.36 μg) compared with Group D (604.00 ± 131.87 μg; p = 0.001). There were no significant differences in the duration of mechanical ventilation in both groups. Duration of ICU stay was significantly lower in Group E (51.95 ± 8.54 hours) when compared with Group D (59.06 ± 8.68 hours) (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Erector spinae fascial plane blocks appeared to reduce postoperative pain scores in off-pump coronary artery bypass graft patients. Furthermore, ESP block was beneficial in terms of less intraoperative and postoperative opioid consumption, longer time to first rescue analgesia, and shorter ICU stay.

Comparison of Ropivacaine and Levobupivacaine in Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Blocks-A Double Blinded Randomized Control Study

BACKGROUND

Brachial plexus anaesthesia has been an indispensable tool in the anaesthesiologist's armamentarium. Clinical studies have shown that levobupivacaine and ropivacaine have fewer adverse effects on the cardiovascular and central nervous system making them more advantageous in regional anaesthesia techniques. Less information is available regarding their comparable clinical data. Only a few studies have compared levobupivacaine and ropivacaine for brachial plexus blocks; hence, this study was aimed to compare the analgesic effectiveness and nerve block characteristics of ropivacaine and levobupivacaine in supraclavicular brachial plexus blocks in upper limb surgeries.

METHODS

Patients with American Society of Anaesthesiologists physical status I or II coming for elective upper limb surgeries were included in the study. Total numbers of 62 patients were randomly allocated into two groups, group A and group B. Group A received 25mL of 0.75% ropivacaine, and group B received 25mL of 0.5% levobupivacaine. The duration of analgesia, onset of block, duration of sensory, and motor blockade were studied and compared.

RESULTS

The mean duration of analgesia in group ropivacaine was 8.33 hours and in group levobupivacaine was 10.23 hours which was statistically significant. Ropivacaine had a faster sensory onset compared to levobupivacaine (5.22 vs. 6.88 minutes). The duration of sensory and motor blockade was longer with levobupivacaine than ropivacaine (sensory-8.64 vs. 10.29 hours, motor-8.32 vs. 9.8 hours).

CONCLUSION

Levobupivacaine had longer duration of analgesia. The sensory and motor blockade was also longer with levobupivacaine.

Comparison of Analgesic Efficacy of Ultrasound-Guided Transversus Abdominus Plane Block and Caudal Block for Inguinal Hernia Repair in Pediatric Population: A Single-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Study

Background:

Caudal analgesia was a widely practiced regional anesthesia technique in pediatric population. Transversus abdominus plane block (TAP) block has recently emerged as a promising analgesic method in pediatric lower abdominal surgeries.

Aim:

This study aimed to compare the analgesic efficacy of ultrasound-guided TAP block and caudal block.

Setting:

This study was conducted in the department of anesthesiology of a tertiary care teaching hospital.

Design:

This was a prospective, single-blinded, randomized controlled study.

Materials and Methods:

Sixty-two children of American Society of Anesthesiologists Class I and II undergoing inguinal hernia repair received TAP block at a dose of 0.5 ml.kg^{− 1} of 0.25% bupivacaine (Group A) or caudal block at a dose of 1 ml.kg^{− 1} of 0.25% bupivacaine (Group B) after randomization. The children were analyzed by comparing the post operative pain scores and duration of analgesia. Statistical analysis was done with IBM SPSS software 23 version. Unpaired sample t-test and Mann–Whitney U-test were used to compare the means of continuous variables. Fisher's exact test/Chi-square test was used to find the association between categorical variables.

Results:

Both groups were comparable in terms of age, gender, weight, and surgery duration. Duration of analgesia was longer in TAP block group compared to that of caudal analgesia (12.93 ± 2.91 h vs. 6.52 ± 1.67 P < 0.001). The postoperative pain scores were comparable up to 6 h and at 24 h. Pain scores at 12 h and 18 h were significantly higher in caudal analgesia group compared to that of TAP block group.

Conclusion:

Children who received TAP block had prolonged duration of analgesia and lower pain scores compared to those who received caudal analgesia.

Correlation between preoperative ultrasonographic airway assessment and laryngoscopic view in adult patients: A prospective study

Background and Aims:

Difficult tracheal intubation is associated with serious morbidity and mortality and cannot be always predicted based on preoperative airway assessment using conventional clinical predictors. Ultrasonographic airway assessment could be a useful adjunct, but at present, there are no well-defined sonographic criteria that can predict the possibility of encountering a difficult airway. The present study was conducted with the aim of finding some correlation between preoperative sonographic airway assessment parameters and the Cormack–Lehane (CL) grade at laryngoscopic view in adult patients.

Material and Methods:

This was a prospective, double-blinded study on 130 patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia. Preoperative clinical and ultrasonographic assessment of the airway was done to predict difficult intubation and was correlated with the CL grade noted at laryngoscopy. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive values of the parameters were assessed.

Results:

The incidence of difficult intubation was 9.2%. Among the clinical predictors, the modified Mallampati classification had the maximum sensitivity and specificity, and among the sonographic parameters, the skin to epiglottis distance had the maximum sensitivity and specificity to predict difficult laryngoscopy. A combination of these two tests improved the sensitivity in predicting a difficult laryngoscopy.

Conclusions:

The skin to epiglottis distance, as measured at the level of the thyrohyoid membrane, is a good predictor of difficult laryngoscopy. When combined with the modified Mallampati classification, the sensitivity of the combined parameter was found to be greater than any single parameter taken alone.

Extracardiac Fontan/Kawashima Procedure without Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Two patients with univentricular physiology underwent successful surgical palliation without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. A 19-year-old girl had an extracardiac Fontan operation and a 4-year-old boy had a Kawashima-type repair with a bilateral bidirectional Glenn procedure.

Surgical Closure of Atrial Septal Defect in Children under Two Years of Age

Infants with atrial septal defects are seldom symptomatic and usually require elective surgery between 2 and 4 years of age. However a small minority is symptomatic and management at this age has been controversial. This study evaluated surgical closure of atrial septal defect below 2 years of age. Eighteen infants with a mean age of 13.4 ± 5.7 months were operated on for secundum atrial septal defect from 1994 to 2001. Fourteen patients were symptomatic with failure to thrive in 7 and recurrent respiratory infections in 7, one had increasing cardiomegaly, and 3 were operated on early for social reasons. The defect was isolated in 11 patients (61%) and the other 7 (39%) had minor associated lesions requiring additional procedures such as ductal ligation, direct closure of a tiny ventricular septal defect, and inspection of the mitral valve. There were no early or late deaths. The postoperative course was complicated by pulmonary problems in 4 cases. Of the 16 patients available for follow-up, 14 were asymptomatic and 2 were symptomatically improved. Most showed a dramatic improvement in growth and development. These gratifying results indicate that consideration should be given to early surgical closure of atrial septal defect in symptomatic infants.

Novel Cannulation Strategy for Repair of an Ascending Aortic Pseudoaneurysm in a 2.8-kg Infant

Pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta is rare in infants, with few cases reported in the literature. These aneurysms are usually mycotic, occurring after cardiac surgery, or caused by mediastinitis. They have high risk of spontaneous rupture. Surgery is usually complex because of the need for peripheral cannulation in small infants. We report an ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm in a less than 3-month-old infant that occurred within a month after repair of type 2 truncus arteriosus and was managed successfully with a modified cardiopulmonary bypass strategy.

Management of tracheomalacia in an infant with Tetralogy of Fallot

Most infants with tracheomalacia do not need specific therapy as it usually resolves spontaneously by the age of 1–2 years. Severe forms of tracheomalacia characterized by recurrent respiratory infections require active treatment which includes chest physiotherapy, long term intubation or tracheostomy. Aortopexy seems to be the treatment of choice for secondary and even primary forms of severe tracheomalacia. Itentails tracking and suturing the anterior wall of the aorta to the posterior surface of the sternum. Consequently, the anterior wall of the trachea is also pulled forward preventing its collapse. A 3-month-old girl baby who was on ventilatory support for 2 months due to severe tracheomalacia associated with a cyanotic congenital heart disease underwent intracardiac repair and aortopexy along with Lecompte's procedure as all the conservative measures to wean off the ventilator failed. The baby was extubated on the third post-operative day and the post-operative period was uneventful.

Cardiac tamponade secondary to perforation of innominate vein following central line insertion in a neonate

Cardiac tamponade following central line in a neonate is rare and an uncommon situation; however, it is potentially reversible when it is diagnosed in time. We report a case of cardiac tamponade following central line insertion. A 10-day-old 2.2 kg girl operated for obstructed total anomalous pulmonary venous connections had neckline slipped out during extubation. Attempted cannulations of right femoral vein were unsuccessful. At the end of the left internal jugular vein cannulaton, there was a sudden cardiorespiratory arrest. Immediate transthoracic echocardiogram showed left pleural and pericardial collection. Chest was opened and the catheter tip was seen in the thoracic cavity after puncturing the innominate vein. The catheter was removed and the vent was repaired.

Effect of levosimendan on hemodynamic changes in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: a randomized controlled study

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE

We tested the hypothesis that use of levosimendan would be associated with better perioperative hemodynamics and cardiac function during off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) in patients with good left ventricular function.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty patients scheduled for OPCAB were randomized in a double-blind manner to receive either levosimendan 0.1 μg/kg/min or placebo after induction of general anesthesia. The hemodynamic variables were measured after induction of anesthesia, at 6 minute after application of tissue stabilizer for the anastomoses of left anterior descending artery, diagonal artery, left circumflex artery, and right coronary artery and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours after completion of surgery.

RESULTS

Compared with placebo group, cardiac index (CI) was significantly higher and systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI) was significantly lower at 6, 12, 18, and 24 hour after surgery in levosimendan group. Norepinephrine was infused in 60% of the patients in the levosimendan group compared to 6.7% in the control group ( P < 0.05). Lactate and mixed venous oxygen saturation were not significantly different between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Levosimendan significantly increased CI and decreased SVRI after OPCAB but it did not show any outcome benefit in terms of duration of ventilation and intensive care unit stay.

A comparison of hemodynamic effects of levosimendan and dobutamine in patients undergoing mitral valve repair / replacement for severe mitral stenosis

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

We aimed to compare the hemodynamic effects of levosimendan and dobutamine in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty patients were divided into 2 groups of 30 each. Group-L patients received levosimendan 0.1 μg/kg/min and Group-D patients received dobutamine 5 μg/kg/min while weaning off CPB. Additional inotrope and/or vasoconstrictor were started based on hemodynamic parameters. Hemodynamic data were collected at the end and at 30 minutes after CPB, thereafter at 6, 12, 24, and 36 hours post-CPB. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure (CVP), heart rate (HR), cardiac index (CI), systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), and lactate levels were measured.

RESULTS

Group-L showed increased requirement of inotropes and vasoconstrictors. The SVRI, CVP, and MAP were reduced more in Group-L. The CI was low in Group-L in the initial period when compared to Group-D. Later Group-L patients showed a statistically significant increase in CI even after 12 hrs of discontinuation of levosimendan infusion. The HR was increased more in Group-D. Lactate levels, intensive care unit stay, and duration of ventilation were similar in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Levosimendan 0.1 μg/kg/min compared to dobutamine 5 μg/kg/min showed more vasodilation and lesser inotropic activity in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery for mitral stenosis. Levosimendan compared to dobutamine showed a statistically significant increase in CI even after 12 hrs of discontinuation. The requirement of another inotrope or vasopressor was frequent in levosimendan group.

Recent advances in paediatric cardiac anaesthesia

Paediatric cardiac anaesthesia involves anaesthetizing very small children with complex congenital heart disease for major surgical procedures. The unique nature of this patient population requires considerable expertise and in-depth knowledge of the altered physiology. There have been several developments in the last decade in this subspecialty that has contributed to better care and improved outcome in this vulnerable group of patients. The purpose of this review is to present some of the recent advances in the anesthetic management of these children from preoperative evaluation to postoperative care. This article reviews the role of magnetic resonance imaging and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography in preoperative evaluation, the use of ultrasound to secure vascular access, the use of cuffed endotracheal tubes, the optimal haematocrit and the role of blood products, including the use of recombinant factor VIIa. It also deals with the advances in technology that have led to improved monitoring, the newer developments in cardiopulmonary bypass, the use of centrifugal pumps and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and the role of DHCA. The role of new drugs, especially the α-2 agonists in paediatric cardiac anesthetic practice, fast tracking and effective postoperative pain management have also been reviewed.

Efficacy of clonidine as an adjuvant to ropivacaine for caudal analgesia in children undergoing subumbilical surgery

Context:

The use of clonidine as an adjuvant to ropivacaine in different concentrations through the caudal space has been shown to improve the analgesic efficacy of local anesthetics.

Aims:

The purpose of our study was to compare the efficacy of ropivacaine 0.1% with clonidine 1 mcg/kg to that of plain 0.1% and 0.2% ropivacaine for caudal analgesia in children.

Settings and Design:

Prospective, double blind, randomized controlled trial.

Materials and Methods:

Sixty children in the age group of 1–6 years undergoing subumbilical surgeries were included in the study. Group A received 1 ml/kg of 0.1% ropivacaine, group B received 1 ml/kg of 0.1% ropivacaine with clonidine 1 mcg/kg, and group C received 1 ml/kg of 0.2% ropivacaine.

Results:

The mean duration of analgesia was 243.7 ± 99.29 min in group A, 590.25 ± 83.93 min in group B, and 388.25 ± 82.35 min in group C. The duration of analgesia was significantly prolonged in group B compared to groups A and C with the P value of 0.001. At 8 h, all the 20 children in group A had received the first rescue analgesic compared to 18 children in group C and 3 children in group B. The duration of motor blockade after extubation was 30.6 ± 7.8 min and was noted only in group C. Only 1 child in group B received two rescue medications compared to 15 (75%) children in group A and 8 (40%) children in group C. None of the groups were treated for bradycardia or hypotension and no significant sedation was noted.

Conclusions:

Clonidine 1 mcg/kg with ropivacaine 0.1% prolongs the duration and quality of analgesia compared to plain ropivacaine 0.1% and 0.2% without any significant sedation.

Anaesthetic management of a patient with Cushing's syndrome and non-compaction cardiomyopathy for adrenal tumour resection

We describe the anaesthetic management of adrenalectomy in a patient with Cushing's syndrome due to adrenal mass with coexisting non-compaction cardiomyopathy. The problems due to hypersecretion of cortisol in Cushing's syndrome were compounded by the association of a rare form of genetic cardiomyopathy with very few guidelines regarding the perioperative management. The knowledge about the pathophysiological changes, clinical presentation and complications in non-compaction cardiomyopathy is essential for planning the anaesthetic care, and the aim of this presentation is to highlight the issues crucial for management of such challenging patients.

Desflurane - revisited

The search for an ideal inhalational general anesthetic agent continues. Desflurane, which was recently introduced in the Indian market, possesses favorable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties and is closer to the definition of an ideal agent. It offers the advantage of precise control over depth of anesthesia along with a rapid, predictable, and clear-headed recovery with minimal postoperative sequelae, making it a valuable anesthetic agent for maintenance in adults and pediatric patients in surgeries of all durations. The agent has advantages when used in extremes of age and in the obese. Its use may increase the direct costs of providing anesthetic care. Methods or techniques, such as low-flow anesthesia, to reduce the overall cost and along with minimal environmental implications must be followed.

Efficacy of clonidine as an adjuvant to bupivacaine for caudal analgesia in children undergoing sub-umbilical surgery

Caudal epidural analgesia with bupivacaine is very popular in paediatric anaesthesia for providing intra- and postoperative analgesia. Several adjuvants have been used to prolong the action of bupivacaine. We evaluated the efficacy of clonidine added to bupivacaine in prolonging the analgesia produced by caudal bupivacaine in children undergoing sub-umbilical surgery. One hundred children, age one to three years, undergoing sub-umbilical surgery, were prospectively randomized to one of two groups: caudal analgesia with 1 ml/kg of 0.25% bupivacaine in normal saline (Group A) or caudal analgesia with 1 ml/kg of 0.25% bupivacaine with 1 µg/kg of clonidine in normal saline (Group B). Post-operative pain was assessed for 24 hours using the FLACC scale. The mean duration of analgesia was significantly longer in Group B (593.4 ± 423.3 min) than in Group A (288.7 ± 259.1 min); P < 0.05. The pain score assessed using FLACC scale was compared between the two groups, and children in Group B had lower pain scores, which was statistically significant. The requirement of rescue medicine was lesser in Group B. Clonidine in a dose of 1 µg/kg added to 0.25% bupivacaine for caudal analgesia, during sub-umbilical surgeries, prolongs the duration of analgesia of bupivacaine, without any side effects.

Anaesthetic management of total craniopagus twins for magnetic resonance imaging and cerebral angiography

We describe the anaesthetic management of 4-yr-old total craniopagus twins for radiological investigations. There are some unique anaesthetic problems associated with this condition. These include cross-circulation between the twins that results in induction of both the twins after the administration of i.v. induction agent to one twin and difficulty in mask ventilating both the twins simultaneously due to the angle between the heads; different arterial pressures in the two children complicate pharmacological management and underline the importance of physiological measures to control arterial pressure. Adequate preparation and teamwork is the keystone to the management of these patients.

Lower ministernotomy and fast tracking for atrial septal defect

We report our experience with a 3-5-cm lower ministernotomy incision for closure of atrial septal defect in 53 patients. Fibrillatory arrest was used in 19 patients, and crossclamping with cardioplegia in 33. One patient had to be converted from fibrillatory arrest to crossclamping with cardioplegic arrest. The mean bypass time was 39.6 +/- 13.1 min, arrest time was 9.9 +/- 4.5 min, and crossclamp time was 20.7 +/- 8.69 min. All patients recovered without adverse events. They were fast tracked to recovery and extubated after 63.4 +/- 9.2 min. The mean intensive care unit stay was 1.07 +/- 0.33 days, and hospital stay was 3.07 +/- 0.38 days. The ministernotomy approach was used successfully in 51 patients; in the other 2, it had to be converted to a full sternotomy because of technical difficulties. Our experience confirms that this technique offers satisfactory cosmetic results, stable sternal reconstruction, good surgical exposure, minimal interference with respiratory mechanics, and minimal pain, allowing extubation in the operating room and a speedy recovery.

Management of A Patient with Kommerrell's Aneurysm Causing Tracheal and Esophageal Compression

SUMMARY

Tracheal and esophageal compression is a well-recognized complication of aneurysms of the aortic arch. Most of the patients present with dysphagia and/or respiratory insufficiency. In the adult population a right-sided aortic arch is often asymptomatic unless aneurysmal disease develops. This usually occurs at the level of the take-off of an aberrant left subclavian artery and is known as a Kommerell's aneurysm. In spite of its rarity, this condition is clinically relevant because of the mortality associated with rupture, the morbidity caused by compression of mediastinal structures, and the complexity of surgery. In many cases, surgical resection of the aneurysm relieves the symptoms. We present a case in which tracheal compression and bilateral vocal cord palsy caused by an aneurysm arising from Kommerrell's diverticulum. The patient developed respiratory embrassement after extubation and was subsequently treated with continue positive airway pressure (CPAP) with a favorable result.

Scimitar Syndrome: Experience with 6 Patients

Scimitar syndrome is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by anomalous pulmonary venous drainage to the inferior vena cava, causing a left-to-right shunt. Six patients with scimitar syndrome were diagnosed in our hospital between 2002 and 2008. There were 4 girls and 2 boys; 4 < 5 kg in weight, 2 < 8 kg in weight. Scimitar syndrome was suspected in 5 cases because of dextroversion, and diagnosed by color Doppler echocardiography in all 6 when a scimitar vein was detected entering the inferior vena cava. Computed tomography confirmed the diagnosis in all patients. Two patients had horseshoe lung, 2 had a unilobar right lung, 1 had a hypoplastic right lung, and 1 had a hypoplastic right lower lobe. Three patients had severe pulmonary arterial hypertension, 2 had moderate pulmonary arterial hypertension, and one had normal pulmonary arterial pressure. All patients had lower respiratory tract infections, volume loss of the right lung, a normal or hyperinflated left lung, dextroversion of the heart, and scimitar arteries from the descending aorta. Pneumonectomy was performed in 3 patients, lobectomy in 1, ligation of anomalous vessels in 1, and 1 died before surgery.

Ventricular septal defect complicated by infective endocarditis of the aortic valve causing severe aortic regurgitation: the role of aortic valve repair

BACKGROUND AND AIMS OF THE STUDY

Children with ventricular septal defect (VSD) who develop severe aortic regurgitation following infective endocarditis (IE) require aortic valve replacement in most cases. Few reports exist of repair of the aortic valve under such circumstances. Here, we report details from two patients in whom aortic valve repair resulted in a good outcome.

METHODS

Two children (aged 4 and 3 years) with either perimembranous or doubly committed subarterial VSD presented with congestive cardiac failure (NYHA class IV) following IE. The aortic valve in both children, and the pulmonary valve in one child, were severely damaged with vegetation, leading to severe (grade IV) aortic regurgitation. The second patient had bilateral bronchiectasis with respiratory infection and severe anemia. In addition to VSD closure, partial cuspal replacement using glutaraldehyde-tanned pericardium was performed successfully in both cases to restore geometry.

RESULTS

Both children showed a dramatic improvement following surgery and during follow up of 36 and 11 months, respectively. Both remained asymptomatic, with good growth, good left ventricular function and the presence of only trivial aortic regurgitation.

CONCLUSION

In selected patients with suitable anatomy, repair of the aortic valve with pericardial cusp replacement may be the procedure of choice. An additional benefit is the avoidance of long-term anticoagulation.

Surgical experience with congenital heart disease in Down's syndrome

Children with Down's syndrome and congenital heart defects have multiple problems. The role of cardiac surgery in the management of these patients was investigated by reviewing the clinical data, hospital course and follow-up of 21 patients (9 males and 12 females, age range 1 month to 14 years) with Down's syndrome and congenital heart defects operated in our institute. Twelve (57%) of these were infants and nine (43%), older children. Five were in congestive cardiac failure, four were hypothyroid. The heart lesions ranked in incidence as follows: atrioventricular septal defect 7 (33.3%), tetralogy of Fallot 3 (14.3%), tetralogy of Fallot & atrioventricular septal defect both 2 (9.5%), double outlet right ventricle with pulmonary stenosis 1 (4.8%), patent ductus arteriosus 2 (9.5%), patent ductus arteriosus plus coarctation 1 (4.8%), ventricular septal defect 2 (9.5%), atrial septal defect plus ventricular septal defect 1 (4.8%), atrial septal defect plus patent ductus arteriosus plus right pulmonary artery stenosis 1 (4.8%) and transposition of great arteries with multiple ventricular septal defect 1 (4.8%). Four (19%) patients had palliative procedures while the rest (81%) underwent primary repair. All survived the operation. The post-operative period was complicated in 6 (28.5%), with respiratory infections in 3, pulmonary hypertensive crisis in 2 and complete heart block in 1. The early mortality was 0, while there were 2 (9.5%) late deaths. The number of hospitalisations was markedly reduced according to the parents. Follow-up showed near normal pulmonary artery pressure in 50 percent children with large shunts and a good developmental spurt was seen in 60 percent. From a purely surgical viewpoint, the prognosis for children with Down's syndrome and congenital heart disease is good.

Atrial entrapment of flow directed pulmonary artery catheter-a technique for non-surgical removal

A 43 year old patient who underwent mitral valve replacement had pulmonary artery catheter inserted before induction of anaesthesia. The catheter could no be removed postoperatively by routine manoeuvres in the intensive care unit. Fluoroscopy in the cardiac catheterization revealed a straight course of the catheter indicating the probability of its inclusion in the left atrial suture line. The pulmonary artery catheter was successfully removed percutaneously in the cardiac catheterization laborartory. The procedure is described.