Safety and efficacy of axillary block for emergency upper limb orthopaedic interventions, where there is no anaesthesiologist

Background

. Surgical healthcare across low- and middle-income countries is plagued with concerns over scarcity of anaesthesiologists. Orthopaedic surgeons working in such resource-limited settings are often caught in a dilemma to provide emergency orthopaedic surgical care without an attending anaesthesiologist. Therefore, an effective, low-risk solution is necessary to ensure safe emergency orthopaedic care.

Methods

. We evaluated the incidence of 'anaesthesia-related complications' and 'intraoperative adjuvant medications' for maintenance of adequate anaesthesia for patients who underwent emergency upper limb procedures at a remote mission hospital in rural central India, from June 2013 to June 2016. Emergency cases where there was no anaesthesio-logist were analyzed. Data were collected from the Hospaa 3 HMS software, orthopaedic surgical logbook and inpatient records from 2013 to 2016.

Results

. Sixty-eight patients underwent an 'axillary block' for emergency orthopaedic procedures. Twelve (17.6%) patients had partial block and needed adjuvant medications, 1 (1.4%) patient developed ulnar nerve palsy with partial recovery. Seventy-six adjuvant medications were administered at a mean of 1.19 per patient during the intraoperative period.

Conclusions

. Axillary regional block is an efficacious, low-risk anaesthesia for emergency orthopaedic procedures of the hand, forearm and elbow, in resource-limited settings where an anaesthesiologist is not available.

Reduction in post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) by preoperative risk stratification and adherence to a standardized anti emetic prophylaxis protocol in the day-care surgical population

Context

Postoperative nausea (PON) and postoperative vomiting (POV) are the most undesirable morbidity after anaesthesia. There is paucity of data on PONV from the Indian subcontinent.

Aims

We aim to study the prevalence of PON and POV, associated risk factors and the effect of following standardized risk stratification and prophylaxis protocols in the day care patient population.

Settings and Design

This was a prospective cohort study at a tertiary care teaching institute.

Methods and Material

Data from 500 patients undergoing day care surgery over a period of 12 months were analysed. We used the Apfel scoring system for evaluation of risk of post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) for each participant. A standard PONV prophylaxis protocol was used intra-operatively.

Statistical analysis used

Data analysis was done using the Mann-Whitney U test, the Chi-square and Fisher's exact test.

Results

The period prevalence of post-operative nausea (PON) and post-operative vomiting (POV) was 2.04% and 2.45%, respectively, in this study. The prevalence of PONV in each risk category was lower than that predicted by the Apfel score due to utilization of a standard anti-emetic prophylactic protocol. We found younger age, previous history of nausea, previous history of vomiting, urological surgeries and alcohol consumption as significant risk factors for postoperative nausea. Longer duration of surgery, previous history of nausea, alcohol consumption and higher BMI were the significant risk factors for postoperative vomiting.

Conclusions

Adherence to preoperative risk stratification and a standard anti-emetic prophylactic protocol can significantly reduce the prevalence of postoperative nausea and vomiting.

Timeliness of care and adverse event profile in children undergoing general anesthesia or sedation for MRI: An observational prospective cohort study

Background and Aims

Anaesthesia for children undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ranges from moderate to deep sedation in order to facilitate uninterrupted completion of the scan. While various intravenous and inhalational techniques of anaesthesia have their own merits and demerits, there is a paucity of comparative literature between the two in children undergoing diagnostic MRI.

Materials and Methods

This prospective observational cohort study was conducted at the Radiology suite of a 2800-bedded tertiary care hospital, wherein 107 unpremedicated children between the ages of 6 months to 15 years received either sedation with propofol infusion (Group GSP, n = 57) or inhalational anaesthesia with a laryngeal mask airway (Group GAL, n = 50). Primary outcome measures included time to induction and time to recovery. Secondary outcomes comprised the incidence of respiratory and non-respiratory adverse events in the two groups.

Results

The median time to induction was significantly shorter in GSP than GAL [7.00 (IQR 5.0, 10.0) versus 10.00 minutes (IQR 8.8, 13.0), P < 0.001]; the incidence of desaturation [8 (16.0%) in GAL, 1 (1.8%) in GSP, P = 0.012], laryngospasm [11 (22.4%) in GAL, 1 (1.8%) in GSP, P = 0.001] and emergence delirium (5 (10%) in GAL, 0 in GSP, P = 0.047) were significantly greater in the GAL group. There was no difference in the time to emergence, nausea and vomiting or bradycardia between the two groups.

Conclusion

Sedation with propofol infusion during paediatric MRI scan offers a short turnover time and favourable adverse event profile when compared to inhalational anaesthesia with an LMA.

Preoperative Anxiety in Adult Patients Undergoing Day Care Surgery: Prevalence and Associated Factors

BACKGROUND

There is a paucity of data related to anxiety levels in patients undergoing day care surgery in India.

METHODS

Preoperative anxiety was assessed using Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) 1 day before surgery and on the day of surgery, and the patients were categorized as cases (APAIS score ≥13) and controls (APAIS score <13). Sociodemographic characteristics, clinical features, and fears associated with anesthesia and surgery were also noted.

RESULTS

Out of the 399 patients recruited, 58.1% experienced significant preoperative anxiety. The fear of needles (P = 0.002), fear of waking up during the surgery (P < 0.001), and the patient's need of additional information regarding anesthesia and surgery (P < 0.001) were significantly associated with preoperative anxiety.

CONCLUSION

A significant proportion of patients scheduled for day care surgery have preoperative anxiety. A preanesthetic workup of a patient with adequate clarification about their doubts and fears related to anesthesia and surgery is recommended to bring down the level of anxiety.

Intravenous clonidine as a part of balanced anaesthesia for controlled hypotension in functional endoscopic sinus surgery: A randomised controled trial

Background and Aims:

Controlled hypotension with balanced anaesthesia minimises blood loss. This study was done to evaluate the effectiveness of intravenous clonidine as a single bolus dose to establish controlled hypotension during functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS).

Methods:

This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was done in a tertiary hospital in India. Sixty American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I and II patients (18–65 years) undergoing FESS were randomly allocated to one of the two groups. Placebo group (group A, n = 30) received sterile water whereas the clonidine group (group B, n = 30) received 3μg/kg of clonidine intravenously, 30 min prior to induction of anaesthesia. The primary outcome was to achieve a target mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) of 55–65 mmHg intraoperatively. The secondary outcomes measured were requirement of additional fentanyl and metoprolol, intra-operative blood loss, surgeon's opinion on the surgical field, pain, sedation score and complications requiring treatment.

Results:

Target MAP was easily achieved in clonidine group as against the placebo group (P < 0.001). Significant reduction in intra-operative blood loss (P = 0.0449), a better surgical site scoring (P = 0.02), less requirement of additional hypotensive drugs and good analgesia (P = 0.01) were seen in clonidine group. The complication rates were similar in both the groups.

Conclusion:

Clonidine is effective in achieving controlled hypotension in patients undergoing FESS. It reduces intra-operative blood loss, requirement of additional hypotensive drugs, improves the surgical field and offers good analgesia without significant side effects.