Efficacy of melatonin in decreasing the incidence of delirium in critically ill adults: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether enteral melatonin decreases the incidence of delirium in critically ill adults.

METHODS

In this randomized controlled trial, adults were admitted to the intensive care unit and received either usual standard care alone (Control Group) or in combination with 3mg of enteral melatonin once a day at 9 PM (Melatonin Group). Concealment of allocation was done by serially numbered opaque sealed envelopes. The intensivist assessing delirium and the investigator performing the data analysis were blinded to the group allocation. The primary outcome was the incidence of delirium within 24 hours of the intensive care unit stay. The secondary outcomes were the incidence of delirium on Days 3 and 7, intensive care unit mortality, length of intensive care unit stay, duration of mechanical ventilation and Glasgow outcome score (at discharge).

RESULTS

We included 108 patients in the final analysis, with 54 patients in each group. At 24 hours of intensive care unit stay, there was no difference in the incidence of delirium between Melatonin and Control Groups (29.6 versus 46.2%; RR = 0.6; 95%CI 0.38 - 1.05; p = 0.11). No secondary outcome showed a statistically significant difference.

CONCLUSION

Enteral melatonin 3mg is not more effective at decreasing the incidence of delirium than standard care is in critically ill adults.

Effect of intensive training and education of health care workers on the maintenance bundle of venous access devices in critically ill patients at a tertiary care academic hospital

BACKGROUND

The maintenance bundle of care for all venous access devices (peripheral intravenous catheters, PIVC; central venous catheters, CVCs; hemodialysis ports) is important to prevent secondary sepsis in critically ill patients. This quality improvement project analyzed the effect of intensive training and education of health care workers (HCWs) on maintenance bundles for venous access devices.

METHODS

The study period comprising of preintervention phase (3-months) included 25 random visits to the intensive care unit for point observations regarding maintenance of all venous access devices in-situ in all intensive care unit patients on the day of the visit. The observations were categorized as appropriate or inappropriate practices based on American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) guidelines for CVC 2020, INICC guidelines for PIVC 2017, and Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACQHCS) for PIVC and hemodialysis ports, December 2019. While the intervention phase (1-month) comprised intensive training and education of HCWs, postintervention phase 3 (3-months) included similar visits and point observations as during the preintervention phase.

RESULTS

The maintenance of PIVC improved significantly in terms of the condition of site (from 82.7% appropriate observations to 97.8%, P < .05); condition of connectors (45.7%-56.8%, P < .05), and any attached unused IV sets (90.5%-98.56%, P < .05). For CVC, there was significant improvement in condition of insertion site (66%-94%, P < .01); condition of connectors (0%-44.37%, P < .01); fixation (91%-99.3%, P < .05); any attached unused IV sets (38.9%-97.3%, P < .01) and knowledge of HCW (96.52%-100%, P = .05). For hemodialysis ports, no significant improvement was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Intensive training and education of HCWs led to significant improvement in the maintenance bundle of care for PIVC and CVC.

Effect of duration of pneumoperitoneum on renal function in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgeries: a prospective observational study

This study aimed to assess the effect of pneumoperitoneum and, thereby, raised intra-abdominal pressure for different durations (≤ 1 h, 1-3 h and > 3 h) on renal function. One hundred and twenty adult patients were allocated to four groups-the Control Group A (N = 30; patients undergoing non-laparoscopic surgery) or Group B (N = 30; patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery with duration of pneumoperitoneum < 1 h) or Group C (N = 30; patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery with duration of pneumoperitoneum 1-3 h) or Group D (N = 30; patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery with duration of pneumoperitoneum > 3 h). The baseline, intraoperative (at the end of pneumoperitoneum/surgery), and postoperative (after 6 h) values of blood urea levels, creatinine clearance, and serum cystatin C were compared. The results showed that the raised IAP (10-12 mmHg) and varying durations of pneumoperitoneum (from less than 1 h to more than 3 h) did not significantly affect renal function measured in terms of change in serum cystatin levels from baseline to 6 h in postoperative period. The varying durations of pneumoperitoneum also did not significantly affect serum creatinine or blood urea levels in the postoperative period. CTRI registration: CTRI/2016/10/007334.

Delayed Transfer of Critically Ill Patients from Emergency Department to Intensive Care Unit

Background and aim

Delay in the transfer of critically ill patients from the emergency department (ED) to intensive care units (ICUs) may worsen clinical outcomes. This prospective, observational study was done to find the incidence of delayed transfer.

Materials and methods

After approval from the institute ethics committee and written informed consent, all patients admitted to ICU from ED over 6 months were divided into groups I and II as patients getting transferred to ICU within 30 minutes of the decision or not, respectively. The factors affecting the immediate transfer and clinical outcome of all patients were noted. Monthly feedback was given to the ED team.

Results

Out of 52 ICU admissions from ED, 35 (67.3%) patients were not transferred within 30 minutes, and the most frequent factor preventing immediate transfer was ED-related (54%). A statistically significant difference was found in acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II) score, clinical deterioration during transfer, longer duration of mechanical ventilation and length of stay, and higher mortality with patients transferred immediately to ICU. A reduction of 42.6% was noted in transfer time from the first month to the last month of study.

Conclusion

The incidence of delayed transfer of patients from ED to ICU was 67.3% with ED-related factors being the most frequent cause of delay (54.2%).

How to cite this article

Bosco S, Sahni N, Jain A, Arora P, Raj V, Yaddanapudi L. Delayed Transfer of Critically Ill Patients from Emergency Department to Intensive Care Unit. Indian J Crit Care Med 2023;27(8):580-582.

Comparison of Palonosetron with Combination of Palonosetron and Dexamethasone in the Prevention of Post Operative Nausea and Vomiting in Patients Undergoing Middle Ear Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Trial

We compared the use of palonosetron with combination of palonosetron and dexamethasone in prevention of PONV in patients undergoing middle ear surgery under general anaesthesia. Prospective, randomized study was conducted including 90 adult patients who received either palonosetron (0.075 mg) (Group P) or combination of palonosetron (0.075 mg) and dexamethasone (8 mg) (Group PD). The primary outcome was incidence of nausea, vomiting and complete response. Secondary parameters were time to receive first rescue antiemetic, total dose required, patient's satisfaction, postoperative pain scores and total dose of rescue analgesic. The incidence of nausea was 15.5% and 8.8% (p = 0.522) and vomiting was 6.7% and 2.2% (p = 0.610) in group P and PD, respectively Complete response (CR) was observed in 84.4% patients in group P and 91% patients in group PD (p = 0.522). Combination of palonosetron and dexamethasone is not superior to use of palonosetron alone for PONV prevention.

A study to explore the appropriateness of dosing regimen of vancomycin in critically ill patients in a tertiary care unit of India

Introduction

Vancomycin is used in proven or suspected MRSA and MRE infections. An AUC/MIC ratio of ≥400 is the current accepted critical PK/PD"efficacy" target of vancomycin activity. The present study was conducted to ascertain the appropriateness of practice of current dosage regimen of vancomycin (1 g BD) based on population pharmacokinetic approach.

Methods

A single-center prospective study with the ICU setting of a tertiary care center was conducted. A total of 15 adult patients with sepsis treated with vancomycin were included over 15 months from May 2019 to July 2020. Blood samples were obtained at 5, 10, and 30 minutes and thereafter at 2 and 6 hours following the completion of the vancomycin infusion. The data obtained from HPLC estimation was analyzed using a population pharmacokinetic approach with NLME, Phoenix 8.3.2.166. The pharmacokinetic model was based on covariates such as bodyweight and urinary creatinine clearance to predict drug concentrations.

Results

A total of 83 vancomycin blood samples were analyzed. The mean AUC_0-last and AUC_0-∞ in patients who improved and died were (AUC_(0-last)=293 (152.97); AUC_(0-∞)=535.14 (353.67) and (AUC_(0-last)=137.19 (51.37); AUC_(0-∞)=582.12 (1036.09) respectively, the difference between the two outcome groups was not statistically significant (p=0.104). The pharmacokinetic model was best described by a two-compartment linear model. The goodness-of-fit plots showed that the final covariate pharmacokinetic model (having bodyweight and urinary creatinine clearance) adequately described the observed vancomycin concentrations.

Conclusions

Based on the finding of the study it was concluded that 1 g BD dosing of vancomycin is inappropriate. Including covariates such as urinary creatinine clearance and weight in the pharmacokinetic model helped predict drug concentrations more accurately. However, further studies are required to demonstrate efficacy regarding applying this strategy.

Colonization of the central venous catheter by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in an ICU setting: An impending outbreak managed in time

BACKGROUND

Stenotrophomonas maltophiliacauses opportunistic infections in immunocompromised and patients in intensive care units (ICUs). An outbreak of S. maltophilia in ICU is described which highlights the importance of the risk of infection from contaminated medical devices and suction fluids in ventilated patients.

METHODS

The investigation of the outbreak was carried out. Environmental sampling was done. This was followed by MALDI-TOF MS typing and recA gene-based-phylogeny.

RESULTS

In February, S. maltophilia was reported from the central line blood of six patients from ICU within a span of two weeks. The peripheral line blood cultures were sterile in all patients. Relevant environmental sampling of the high-touch surface and fluids revealed S. maltophilia strains in normal saline used for suction and in the inspiratory circuit of two patients. The isolated strains from patients and environment (inspiratory fluid) showed a minimum of 95.41% recA gene sequence identity between each other. Strict cleaning and disinfection procedures were followed. Continuous surveillance was done and no further case of S. maltophilia was detected. Timely diagnosis and removal of central line prevented development of central-line associated blood stream infection.

CONCLUSION

This outbreak report illustrates that environmental sources like suction fluid and normal saline could be the source of S. maltophilia in ICU patients.

Medication Prescription Errors in the Intensive Care Unit: Prospective Observational Study

Introduction

The WHO launched a 5-year global initiative to address the problem of medication errors on March 29, 2017, targeting a decrease in severe and avoidable medication-related harm by 50% in all the countries. Since prescription errors are preventable, this study was conducted to determine incidence and severity of medication prescription errors (MPEs).

Settings and design

Intensive care unit of a tertiary care academic hospital, prospective observational study.

Methods and materials

For all patients admitted in a medical ICU, baseline data (demographic, APACHE II, length of ICU stay, and days of mechanical ventilation) were noted. Treatment charts were reviewed daily, and each prescription was compared against a master chart prepared using standardized references to study the incidence of prescription errors. Severity classification was done using National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCCMERP) classification. Mean and median, along with standard deviation and interquartile range, were calculated for all quantitative variables. Multivariate linear regression analysis model was used.

Results

Out of the total 24,572 medication orders, 2,624 had prescription errors, an error rate of 10.7% (95% CI, 10.3–11.1). When analyzed for severity, 1,757 (7.15%) (95% CI, 6.8–7.5) MPEs did not result in patient harm and 867 (3.52%) (95% CI, 3.3–3.8) MPEs required interventions and/or resulted in patient harm. Patients with deranged creatinine (p <0.001) and INR (p = 0.024) had higher number of severe MPEs.

Conclusion

The incidence of MPEs in the medical ICU at the tertiary care hospital was 10.7%, 3.52% being severe errors.

How to cite this article

Kumar M, Sahni N, Shafiq N, Yaddanapudi LN. Medication Prescription Errors in the Intensive Care Unit: Prospective Observational Study. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(5):555–559.

Comparing postgraduate anaesthesia education in India and abroad: Strengths and scope

The quality of training is a major contributor to workforce proficiency in healthcare, and there is a definite need to achieve a uniform level of knowledge and skill in medical education programmes. There is a paucity of literature comparing postgraduate anaesthesia medical education training structure and requirements across the globe. In a zeal to achieve uniform competencies and technical skills, the strengths and scope of training programmes need to be identified. In this article, we describe the core elements of postgraduate training in various countries while proposing an amalgamation of strengths of each programme and providing a roadmap to evolve further the competency-based comprehensive curriculum proposed by the National Medical Commission of India.

Breaking barriers to remain healthy and fit during a residency in anaesthesiology

Anaesthesiology is a high-demand speciality of medicine in terms of long and unpredictable work hours, stressful work requirements, pressure for a cent per cent productivity in academics, clinical work and research. Higher stress levels can cause non-communicable diseases like hypertension, obesity and depressed immunity, among many others. In the journey as a trainee anaesthetist, vigorous and diligent efforts are needed to gain perfection in knowledge and skills ultimately. While this path is being transversed, it is essential to address physical and mental fitness by exercising it to the recommended benefits, to ward away stress and burnout. In this special article, the authors will discuss the barriers young anaesthesia trainees face to staying healthy and fit during their training and practical and appropriate measures to mitigate the same through intervention at various levels of hierarchy.

Effect of diffusion of anaesthetic gases on fibre-optic view change of laryngeal mask airway and post-operative laryngo-pharyngeal morbidity in children - A randomised controlled trial

Background and Aims:

The diffusion of nitrous oxide (N₂O) into the air-filled cuff of the classic laryngeal mask airway (LMA) may lead to an increase in cuff pressure (CP) and displacement of LMA affecting its performance. This study was conducted to evaluate the change in optimal position of LMA by fibre-optic bronchoscope, the changes in cuff pressure and oropharyngeal leak pressure (OLP), and post-operative laryngo-pharyngeal morbidity during N₂O–oxygen (O₂) anaesthesia in children.

Methods:

After ethics committee approval and written informed consent, 84 children, aged 2 to 8 years undergoing lower abdominal surgery using LMA were included. Anaesthesia was induced with sevoflurane and maintained with either 33% O₂ in air (Group 1) or with 33% O₂ in 67% N₂O (Group 2) along with sevoflurane. The position of LMA using fibre-optic bronchoscope, CP and OLP were recorded at 30, 60 and 90 minutes and at the end of surgery. The incidence of post-operative sore throat, hoarseness of voice and dysphagia was assessed for 24 hours.

Results:

A mild (Grade 1) change in fibre-optic position of LMA was observed in 6 out of 42 children maintained with N₂O–O₂ anaesthesia. The cuff pressure was higher than baseline in group 2 at all three time points with the maximum at 90 minutes (93.23 ± 14.86 cm H₂O vs. 39.78 ± 7.75 cm H₂O; P < 0.05). The OLP was comparable between the groups during the initial 60 minutes and then increased in group 2. The incidence of post-operative sore throat was significantly higher in group 2 (P = 0.008).

Conclusion:

The diffusion of anaesthetic gases into the air-filled cuff does not change the fibre-optic position of the LMA significantly but increases the cuff pressure and incidence of post-operative laryngo-pharyngeal complications in children.

Considering opportunistic parasitic infections in COVID-19 policies and recommendations

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in the immunosuppressed population worldwide due to the disease pathology and extensive use of corticosteroids. This has subsequently increased the risk of opportunistic parasitic infections such as Toxoplasma gondii, Strongyloides stercoralis and other parasites in these patients. The reactivation of such parasites may remain unnoticed due to overlapping symptoms, the difficulty of diagnosis and lack of guidelines for opportunistic parasitic infections in COVID-19 management. Therefore, recommendations for systematic screening of high-risk patients in endemic regions and active research and surveillance to estimate the impact of these infections are required in COVID-19 policy guidelines.

Retinal Involvement in COVID-19: Results From a Prospective Retina Screening Program in the Acute and Convalescent Phase

Objective: To detect retinal involvement in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients in acute and convalescent phase by their fundus screening.

Methods: In a prospective, cross-sectional, observational study (July–November 2020), 235 patients (142 acute and 93 convalescent phase) underwent fundus screening in a tertiary care center in North India. For convalescent phase, “hospitalized” patients (73) were screened at least 2 weeks after hospital discharge, and “home-isolated” patients (20) were screened 17 days after symptom onset/COVID-19 testing.

Results: None in acute phase showed any retinal lesion that could be attributed exclusively to COVID-19. Five patients (5.38%) in convalescent phase had cotton wool spots (CWSs) with/without retinal hemorrhage, with no other retinal finding, and no visual symptoms, seen at a median of 30 days from COVID-19 diagnosis.

Conclusions: CWSs (and retinal hemorrhages) were an incidental finding in COVID-19, detected only in the convalescent phase. These patients were much older (median age = 69 years) than the average age of our sample and had systemic comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, etc.). We propose the term “COVID-19 retinopathy” to denote the presence of CWSs at the posterior pole, occasionally associated with intraretinal hemorrhages, in the absence of ocular inflammation in patients with a history of COVID-19 disease.

In Response to "Balanced Salt Solution for Metabolic Acidosis in ICU"

How to cite this article: Rawat N, Sahni N, Yaddanapudi L. In Response to "Balanced Salt Solution for Metabolic Acidosis in ICU". Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(2):237.

Effect of Perioperative Fluids on Serum Osmolality and Serum Sodium in Patients Undergoing Transcranial Excision of Craniopharyngioma: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Background:

Electrolyte imbalance and acute diabetes insipidus (DI) are the most common complications in patients undergoing craniopharyngioma excision. Data are sparse regarding the choice of fluid in these patients. We compared the effects of balanced salt solution and 0.45% saline infused perioperatively on serum osmolality and serum sodium levels in these patients.

Methodology:

A prospective randomized double-blinded study was conducted in 30 patients undergoing transcranial excision of craniopharyngioma. The patients received either balanced salt solution or 0.45% sodium chloride solution perioperatively till they were allowed orally. Serum and urine osmolality, serum and urine sodium, urine specific gravity, and total dose of desmopressin required to treat DI were measured in the perioperative period.

Results:

Demographic data were comparable. We observed that there was significantly higher serum osmolality in the intraoperative period at 2^nd h (P = 0.04), 3^rd h (P = 0.01), at end of the surgery (P = 0.034) and on postoperative day 0 (POD 0) with P = 0.03 in patients receiving balanced salt solution. We also observed that the difference in serum sodium levels were significantly higher in patients receiving balanced salt solution as compared to those receiving 0.45% sodium chloride solution intraoperatively, at 3^rd h (P = 0.02) and at the end of surgery (P = 0.04) although the values were comparable in both the groups as measured on POD 0, 1 and 2.

Conclusion:

0.45% sodium chloride solution has better effect on serum osmolality than balanced salt solution in patients undergoing transcranial resection of craniopharyngioma.

Assessment of Appropriateness of Antimicrobial Therapy in Resource-Constrained Settings: Development and Piloting of a Novel Tool-AmRAT

Inappropriate antimicrobial prescribing is considered to be the leading cause of high burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in resource-constrained lower- and middle-income countries. Under its global action plan, the World Health Organization has envisaged tackling the AMR threat through promotion of rational antibiotic use among prescribers. Given the lack of consensus definitions and other associated challenges, we sought to devise and validate an Antimicrobial Rationality Assessment Tool-AmRAT-for standardizing the assessment of appropriateness of antimicrobial prescribing. A consensus algorithm was developed by a multidisciplinary team consisting of intensivists, internal medicine practitioners, clinical pharmacologists, and infectious disease experts. The tool was piloted by 10 raters belonging to three groups of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) personnel: Master of Pharmacology (M.Sc.) (n = 3, group A), Doctor of Medicine (MD) residents (n = 3, group B), and DM residents in clinical pharmacology (n = 4, group C) using retrospective patient data from 30 audit and feedback forms collected as part of an existing AMS program. Percentage agreement and the kappa (κ) coefficients were used to measure inter-rater agreements amongst themselves and with expert opinion. Sensitivity and specificity estimates were analyzed comparing their assessments against the gold standard. For the overall assessment of rationality, the mean percent agreement with experts was 76.7% for group A, 68.9% for group B, and 77.5% for group C. The kappa values indicated moderate agreement for all raters in group A (κ 0.47-0.57), and fair to moderate in group B (κ 0.22-0.46) as well as group C (κ 0.37-0.60). Sensitivity and specificity for the same were 80% and 68.6%, respectively. Though evaluated by raters with diverse educational background and variable AMS experience in this pilot study, our tool demonstrated high percent agreement and good sensitivity and specificity, assuring confidence in its utility for assessing appropriateness of antimicrobial prescriptions in resource-constrained healthcare environments.

Prospective audit of sedation/anesthesia practices for children undergoing computerized tomography in a tertiary care institute

Background and Aims:

The aim of the study was to enumerate the sedative drugs used, assess the efficacy of sedative drugs, and determine the incidence of adverse events.

Material and Methods:

A prospective audit of children sedated for computerized tomography (CT) by anesthesiology team was conducted for a period of 4 months. The data included patient demographic variables, fasting period, medications administered, adequacy of sedation, imaging characteristics, adverse events, and requirement for escalated care.

Results:

A total of 331 children were enrolled for sedation by the anesthesia team. The drugs used for sedation were propofol, ketamine, and midazolam. Twenty-two percent children received one sedative drug, 60% children were administered two drugs, and 5% children required a combination of all three drugs for successful sedation. Sedation was effective for successful conduct of CT scan in 95.8% patients without the requirement of a repeat scan. Twelve (5%) children experienced adverse events during the study period. However, none of the adverse events necessitated prolonged postprocedural hospitalization or resulted in permanent neurologic injury or death.

Conclusions:

The current practice of sedation with propofol, ketamine, and midazolam, either single or in combination was efficacious in a high percentage of patients. The incidence of adverse events during the study period was low.

Anesthetic management of a patient with Sheehan's syndrome and twin pregnancy while undergoing a cesarean section

Sheehan's syndrome (SS) is caused by infarction of the pituitary gland usually precipitated by hypotension due to massive uterine hemorrhage during the peripartum period. Once SS develops, it becomes a major comorbidity for the young females and predisposes them to further medical, obstetric, and anesthetic complications. Herein, we report the perioperative anesthetic management of a 28-year-old female, already diagnosed with SS precipitated by urosepsis and septicemic shock in a previous pregnancy, now presenting with twin pregnancy for elective cesarean section. Her magnetic resonance imaging brain revealed pituitary apoplexy and she had hypothyroidism with gestational diabetes mellitus. The overall successful perioperative management of the patient is described along with an emphasis on aggressive management of hypotension due to any cause in the peripartum period to prevent infarction/necrosis of anterior pituitary gland.

Comparison of Commercially Available Balanced Salt Solution and Ringer's Lactate on Extent of Correction of Metabolic Acidosis in Critically Ill Patients

Introduction

Appropriate early fluid resuscitation is ubiquitous for critically ill patients with metabolic acidosis. Owing to harmful effects of normal saline, commercially prepared balanced salt solutions are being used. However, there is no study comparing use of Ringer's lactate (RL) and commercially available balanced salt solutions in critically ill patients.

Materials and methods

A randomized controlled trial was conducted during July 2016 to December 2017. Fifty adult patients admitted to intensive care unit with metabolic acidosis were randomized into group RL or group acetate solution (AC). Respective trial fluid was administered at 20 mL/kg/hour for first hour and 10 mL/kg/hour for second hour. Arterial blood gas analysis samples were taken 15 minutes apart. The fluid resuscitation was continued till pH got corrected to 7.3 or 2 hours, whichever was earlier. The primary aim was to compare time to correct metabolic acidosis in both the groups. The secondary outcomes were the extent of correction of metabolic acidosis, total volume of fluid used, and total cost per patient.

Results

Demographic parameters, APACHE II score, and baseline investigations were comparable. The metabolic acidosis got corrected in 12 patients in group AC and 10 patients in group RL (p value = 0.66). The mean time for correction of metabolic acidosis was 57 ± 3.85 minutes in group RL and 56.25 ± 4.22 minutes in group AC (p value =0.95). The extent of correction of metabolic acidosis and total volume of fluid used was also comparable (p value = 0.05). However, the cost of fluid used was significantly higher in group AC (p value < 0.01).

Conclusion

During administration of balanced salt solutions, RL or AC, in critically ill patients with metabolic acidosis, AC did not confer any advantage in time to or extent of correction of metabolic acidosis.

Clinical significance

There is no difference in acid–base status with use of different types of balanced salt solutions for resuscitation in critically ill patients.

How to cite this article

Rawat N, Sahni N, Yaddanapudi L. Comparison of Commercially Available Balanced Salt Solution and Ringer's Lactate on Extent of Correction of Metabolic Acidosis in Critically Ill Patients. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(7):539–543.

Comparison of stress and burnout among anesthesia and surgical residents in a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India

Objective:

The residents undergoing training at hospitals in our country face challenges in terms of infrastructure and high workload with undefined working hours. The aim of the study was to compare the stress and burnout levels in trainee doctors doing residency in surgical fields and anesthesia at a tertiary care academic center in North India.

Materials and Methods:

A comparative, observational study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India. After Ethics Committee approval, 200 residents (100 each from surgical branches and anesthesia) were required to fill a questionnaire with information about age, sex, year of residency, marital status, and the Perceived Stress Scale-10, and Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire-12. Burnout and perceived stress were compared between residents of anesthesia and surgical specialties.

Results:

Residents of both surgical and anesthesia branches scored high in perceived stress, namely 21 and 18, respectively. The score was significantly higher in surgical residents (P = 0.03) and increased progressively with the year of residency. The majority of residents (90% surgical, 80% anesthesia) felt that they were being overloaded with work. However, only 20%–30% of respondents felt that there was lack of development of individual skills and still fewer (<10%) reported giving up in view of difficulties.

Conclusion:

There is high level of stress and overload dimension of burnout among the residents of anesthesia and surgical branches at our tertiary care academic institution and the surgical residents score marginally higher than anesthesia residents.

[Comparison of adductor canal block for analgesia in arthroscopic surgery with ropivacaine alone and ropivacaine and clonidine]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Inadequate pain relief after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction affects mobility leading to development of adhesions, weakened ligament insertion and muscle atrophy. Adductor canal block for postoperative analgesia preserves quadriceps strength. The present study was conducted to compare pain free period in patients undergoing arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, receiving ultrasound-guided adductor canal block with ropivacaine alone and ropivacaine with clonidine.

METHODS

A prospective randomized double blinded study was conducted including sixty-three adult, ASA class I, II patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. They were randomized into three groups: Group S - control group received adductor canal block with 30mL saline, Group R - ropivacaine group received adductor canal block with 30mL of 0.375% ropivacaine and Group RC - clonidine group received adductor canal block with 30mL of 0.375% ropivacaine with clonidine 1μg.kg^-1. The primary aim was to compare the pain free period in patients receiving adductor canal block with ropivacaine alone or ropivacine with clonidine. The secondary outcomes were pain score at rest and movement, total analgesic requirement, sedation score and postoperative nausea and vomiting.

RESULTS

The mean pain free periods were 20min, 384.76min and 558.09min for Group S, Group R and Group RC, respectively and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between Group R and Group RC in terms of pain scores at rest and movement and total analgesic requirement.

CONCLUSION

Addition of clonidine to ropivacaine in USG guided adductor canal block led to significant prolongation of pain free period though pain score at rest and movement, and rescue analgesic requirement, did not differ.

Effectiveness of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) in Parkinsonian Symptoms: A Case Series

Depression is a common comorbidity in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease (PD). Available evidence suggests that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for depression and also improves symptoms of PD. However, literature on usefulness of ECT in parkinsonian symptoms is limited. A review of records of all patients receiving ECT from 2010 to April 2017 in the authors' clinic yielded six cases (0.63% of all patients who received ECT at the authors' center over last 7 years) of depression with PD who were treated with ECT. All six patients had improvement in both depression and symptoms of PD following ECT treatment. The improvement achieved with ECT was sustained in four patients. Worsening of PD symptoms 3 to 4 months post-treatment was seen in two patients. ECT appears to be an effective treatment option for management of motoric symptoms in patients with PD, especially those with comorbid psychiatric disorders.

Comparative evaluation of morphine and fentanyl for emergence following supratentorial craniotomy

Background: The emergence from anaesthesia is a very crucial aspect in neurosurgical patients due to the need for evaluation of neurological status in the immediate post-operative period. The present study evaluates the emergence characteristics following administration of morphine as compared to shorter-acting opioid, fentanyl in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy. Methods: A total of 84 patients were included in the study. The patients either received morphine 0.1 mg/kg before induction or fentanyl 2 mcg/kg body weight at induction, 1 mcg/kg before skin incision and at the beginning of dural closure. Doses of both opioids were repeated as judged clinically during surgery. Following surgery, the trachea was extubated after reversal of residual neuromuscular blockade, and the emergence characteristics of patients in the two groups were compared. Results: The mean time to emergence was 8.5 ± 3.7 min in morphine group whereas it was 7.8 ± 5.1 min in fentanyl group (P = 0.11). Conclusions: Morphine appears similar to fentanyl for facilitating early emergence in patients undergoing an elective supratentorial craniotomy.

Use of modified bilateral electroconvulsive therapy during pregnancy: A case series

There is limited literature on the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) during pregnancy. ECT is considered as a treatment of last resort during pregnancy. In this case series, we present the data of five patients who were administered ECT during pregnancy. The use of ECT required multidisciplinary approach involving psychiatrist, gynecologist, anesthetist and neonatologist. Two patients received ECT during the second trimester and three patients received ECT during the third trimester. In all the patients, ECT was administered by placing the patients in the left lateral position, glycopyrrolate was used for premedication, thiopentone was used for induction, and succinylcholine was used for muscle relaxation. Patients who were administered ECT close to the full-term were given injection betamethasone 12 mg intramuscularly on two consecutive days before starting of first ECT to promote fetal lung maturity. In all the five cases, no adverse maternal and fetal outcomes were encountered except for possible precipitation of labor in one case.

Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate-Receptor Encephalitis in Young Females

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis is an immune-mediated disease commonly associated with ovarian teratoma. Anti-NMDA-receptor autoantibodies disrupt NMDA function leading to the development of psychosis, seizures and autonomic dysfunction. The treatment includes underlying tumour resection and immunosuppression. Slow recovery and unpredictable clinical course makes intensive care management of these patients challenging. We report the management of two young female patients with anti-NMDA-receptor encephalitis associated with ovarian teratoma.

Comparison of different routes of administration of clonidine for analgesia following anterior cruciate ligament repair

Background and Aims:

A high percentage of patients undergoing arthroscopic repairs on day care basis complain of inadequate postoperative pain relief. Clonidine was evaluated for the best route as an adjuvant in regional anesthesia in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair to prolong analgesia.

Material and Methods:

A prospective randomized double-blinded study was planned in a tertiary care hospital in North India in which 85 American Society of Anesthesiologists I and II patients undergoing ACL repair were enrolled. All groups received 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine intrathecally as in control group C. Group IT received intrathecal 1 μg/kg of clonidine along with hyperbaric bupivacaine, group IA received 0.25% bupivacaine and 1 μg/kg clonidine intra-articularly, and group NB received 0.25% bupivacaine and 1 μg/kg clonidine in femoro-sciatic nerve block (FSNB). Postoperative pain free interval and block characteristics were the primary outcomes studied.

Results:

Pain-free duration was 546.90 (±93.66) min in group NB (P < 0.001) in comparison to 234.90 (±20.99), 367.80 (±47.40) and 172.20 (±54.82) min in groups IA, IT and C, respectively. Sensory block and motor blockade in NB were 474.90 (±43.80) and 267.40 (±34.59) min, respectively, and were significantly prolonged (P > 0.001) in comparison to other groups. The mean rescue analgesic requirement and cumulative frequency of rescue analgesia were least in group NB, followed by groups IT, IA and C.

Conclusion:

Clonidine is safe and effective adjuvant with bupivacaine in prolonging analgesia through various routes employed for post knee surgery pain. The maximum prolongation of analgesia is achieved through FSNB with a risk of prolonging postanesthesia care unit stay.

Sepsis of unknown origin with multiorgan failure syndrome: Think of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a clinic pathologic entity characterized by increased proliferation and activation of benign macrophages with hemophagocytosis throughout the reticuloendothelial system. It is a potentially lethal disorder due to an uncontrolled immune response to a triggering agent. HPS may be primary, or secondary to malignancy, infections, auto-immune diseases, and pharmacotherapy. HPS is a rare, but life-threatening complication. Herein, we described a female patient with HPS with secondary sepsis. Our objective was to raise the importance of early diagnosis of HFS by presenting a representative case.

Retrospective analysis of perioperative factors on outcome of patients undergoing surgery for Moyamoya disease

Background:

The short term outcome of patients undergoing surgery for Moyamoya disease can be affected by various perioperative factors. However, due to lesser prevalence of this disease in our country, data relating the effect of perioperative factors on the overall neurological outcomes of these patients is lacking.

Aims:

To analyze the effect of perioperative factors on the duration of postoperative hospital stay in patients undergoing surgery for Moyamoya disease.

Settings and Design:

It is a retrospective study analyzing various perioperative factors influencing the overall outcome of patients undergoing surgery for Moyamoya disease at a tertiary care centre in North India.

Methods and Material:

The medical records of all patients who underwent revascularization surgeries for Moyamoya disease from 2007 to till January 2014 were included for retrospective analysis. Various preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were recorded. The data was statistically compared for short and prolonged hospital stay for various perioperative factors. The duration of post operative hospital stay was categorized as short (<5 days) and prolonged (>5 days).

Statistical Analysis:

Kolmogrov Smirnov test was applied to see the normality of continuous data. The association of various categorically classified data with 2 groups was found using Fisher Exact test. The trends in intraoperative hemodynamics were analysed using 2 way repeated measure Anova test. T-test was used for comparing two group means for various parameters.

Results:

A total of 15 patients were included in the study. One patient underwent surgery twice on two different occasions. Thirteen patients belonged to paediatric age group (<18 years). The type of anaesthetics used for induction and maintenance had no effect on patient outcome. Mean duration of anaesthesia was 2.45 (1.3-4.0) hours. The mean duration of hospital stay was 5.13 (3-10) days. Most of the parameters did not have significant effect on postoperative hospital stay. Patients with mean value of intraoperative end tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO₂) either less than 31 mmHg or more than 35 mmHg had statistically significant prolongation of hospital stay.

Conclusion:

Maintaining the intraoperative EtCO₂ between 31-35 mmHg may be associated with short hospital stay when compared to those who have intraoperative EtCO₂ either less than 31 mmHg or more than 35 mmHg.

Successful management of difficult airway in an adult patient of Goldenhar syndrome

The present case emphasizes on the increasing difficulty in management of patients with Goldenhar syndrome as they age. Fiberoptic intubation using high dose dexmedetomidine along with local anesthetics is a safe technique for securing the airway in a difficult situation, even if the patient dose not cooperates for awake procedure. A16-year-old Goldenhar patient with multiple facial deformities was scheduled for correction of hollowness of right cheek and was successfully managed with high dose dexmedetomidine infusion along with local anesthetics to facilitate fiberoptic intubation with no untoward side-effects.

Intake of antioxidants and their status in chronic kidney disease patients

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the intake and status of antioxidants in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.

DESIGN

Randomized control trial.

SETTING

Hospital outpatient department.

SUBJECTS

One hundred eighty-five subjects (145 predialysis CKD patients and 40 apparently healthy controls) were enrolled for this study. The patients were divided into moderate and severe renal failure groups based on their creatinine and glomerular filtration rates.

INTERVENTION

All patients completed a food frequency questionnaire, 24-hour dietary recall form, and anthropometric measurements and underwent biochemical and antioxidant lab tests.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Dietary intake, anthropometry, biochemical measures of blood and antioxidant enzymes as well as oxidative stress.

RESULTS

Overall, the diet was significantly lower in antioxidant-rich food intake in all the CKD patients as compared with controls. The oxidative stress measured in blood was found to be in consonance with the intake from diet.

CONCLUSION

Micronutrients play a major role in the antioxidant status of the patients and must be monitored, as deficiency of these might elevate the oxidative stress of the body, especially in the chronic diseases.

Effect of intraoperative depth of anesthesia on postoperative pain and analgesic requirement: A randomized prospective observer blinded study

Background:

Intraoperative depth of anesthesia may affect postoperative pain relief. This prospective, randomized, and observer-blinded study assessed the effect of intraoperative depth of anesthesia on the postoperative pain and analgesic requirements in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 80 patients were randomly divided into two groups of 40 each. A standard technique for anesthesia was followed in all patients. Depth of anesthesia was monitored by bispectral index (BIS) and adjusted with 0.5 to 1.5% isoflurane in group S by addition of propofol in group B, if required, to maintain a BIS value of 45 to 40. Postoperative analgesia was provided by tramadol 1 mg/kg every 6 hours and rescue analgesia by morphine boluses. Postoperative pain was assessed by Visual analogue scale score at 0, 8, 16, and 24 hours.

Results:

The demographic characteristics were comparable in both groups. The mean BIS value in Group S was 63.32 ± 11.43 and 45.06 ± 15.31 in Group B, well in the range of 40 to 60, reflecting adequate hypnotic effect for general anesthesia. The mean arterial pressure was low in group B throughout the surgery (P<0.05-0.001). The pain score were lower in group B at 0 and 8 hours postoperatively when compared with group S (P<0.05). The rescue analgesic requirement was less in group B, compared with group S (P<0.05).

Conclusion:

Maintaining BIS to a value of 45 to 40 throughout the surgery results in better postoperative pain relief and decreased requirement of rescue analgesic without any untoward effect.