Subarachnoid anesthesia vs monitored anesthesia care for outpatient unilateral inguinal herniorrhaphy

AIM

Inguinal herniorrhaphy is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in a same-day surgery setting. The prerequisite of having to discharge the surgical outpatient on the same day has an influence on the choice of the anesthetic technique.

METHODS

A randomized clinical trial was performed on 100 outpatients; 50 patients were enrolled in the subarachnoid anesthesia (SA) group and 50 patients in the monitored anesthesia care (MAC) group. Patients in the MAC group received local anesthesia plus target-controlled infusion propofol (LA+TCI). SA was performed using 7.5 mg 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine according to the selective technique. In the LA+TCI group, LA was performed with 20 mL 1% mepivacaine + 10 mL 1% ropivacaine; IV propofol sedation using TCI according to Schnider was used to obtain a Ramsay scale response of 4-5. Transferability from the operating room was evaluated based on an Aldrete score > or =9; ability to discharge from the health facility was evaluated based on a Post-Anesthesia Discharge Scoring System (PADSS) > or =9.

RESULTS

Of the 100 total patients enrolled, five drop-outs were recorded in the SA group. By comparing the LA+TCI and SA groups, it was determined that the time to an Aldrete > or =9 score from the end of the procedure was 25+/-27 vs 34+/-54 min (P=0.330); the time to a PADSS 9 score was 113+/-58 vs 181+/-65 min (P<0.001); actual discharge occurred after 236+/-83 vs 289+/-78 min (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

LA+TCI was shown to be more effective than selective SA at low doses in terms of shorter time to recovery after unilateral inguinal herniorrhaphy procedures.

Evaluation of tumor and trophoblastic marker concentration in breast cyst fluid

In our study we have examined 314 samples of cyst fluid taken from women suffering from fibrocystic breast disease (gross cystic disease). We have subdivided the cyst fluid with respect to epithelial coating and we have related trophoblastic protein content of the cyst fluid with age, seriousness of illness, and cytology of epithelial lining. We have performed RIA analysis of the trophoblastic proteins betahCG, beta1-SP-1, and alphahCG and in a smaller (n=84) group of specimens we have also tested for CEA, TPA, and ferritin. Trophoblastic proteins were positive in cystic fluids but the biological meaning of this is not known and the values are not related to clinical manifestations, except in a group of patients with apocrine metaplasia in which we tried to find a relationship between fertile age and increased betahCG. This finding presumably has a prognostic meaning that can be further understood by epidemiologic studies (of dietary intake and evaluation of lipid metabolites) and by information about inflammatory state of cystic fluid.