Perspectives of Ketamine Use in COVID-19 Patients.

Hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-infected patients suffer from both physical impairments and mental stress. Respiratory insufficiency and cardiovascular disturbances require most of the intensive care interventions, but they are also accompanied by depressive conditions, sadness and fear of dying. Sedatives are mostly respiratory and cardiovascular depressants and do not provide resistance to the pro-inflammatory burst induced by the virus. Ketamine is a unique and safe drug that enables well-controlled sedation and anesthesia, attenuates depression and mitigates suicidal thoughts, without depressing respiratory or cardiovascular mechanics. This brief communication highlights the benefits potentially provided by ketamine to patients hospitalized for COVID-19 infection.

Ultrasonographic Assessment of Bladder Volumes in Children Undergoing Penile Surgery: Does the Type of Anesthesia Matter?

BACKGROUND: There are scant data reporting postoperative ultrasonographically measured bladder volumes in children undergoing penile surgery. STUDY QUESTION: We studied the effect of various anesthesia techniques on return of micturition after penile surgery in children, using ultrasonographically measured bladder volumes. DATA SOURCES: Ultrasonographically measured postvoiding residual bladder volumes indexed to age-appropriate capacity, and time elapsed between the end of surgery and spontaneous voiding after pediatric circumcision, distal hypospadias repair, or repair of urethrocutaneous fistula, were studied. STUDY DESIGN: Children between 4 months and 12 years were randomized to caudal block, intravenous (IV) fentanyl or penile block, in association with inhaled general anesthesia. Bladder volumes were measured before surgery and immediately after voiding for the first time. Time to first postsurgery void was also recorded. RESULTS: Thirty-one children completed all assessments; 12 underwent caudal block, 9 IV fentanyl anesthesia, and 7 were given penile block. The mean first postvoid bladder residual volumes were highest in the caudal and lowest in the penile block children (27.5 vs. 17.3 mL, P = 0.003). The time elapsing between the end of surgery and first voiding was the longest in the fentanyl group compared with caudal and penile blocks (232, 178, 150 minutes, respectively, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: None of the anesthetic techniques provoked postoperative urinary retention after minor penile surgery in children. The penile block appears superior to caudal block or to IV fentanyl-based anesthesia with regard to postoperative recovery of normal micturition.

Postoperative hyperalgesia-A clinically applicable narrative review.

Postoperative hyperalgesia (POH) is a condition characterized by signs and symptoms of pain despite the provision of conventional analgesia. In most cases, anesthesiologists are called upon soon after surgery, but occasionally it may occur as a late event. Persistent uncontrolled pain may transform into chronic or neuropathic pain. Correct diagnosis of POH is essential since similar phenomenon may exacerbate if misdiagnosed, while proper treatment is frequently achievable by pharmacological remedies. This review will describe the causes for POH and its bio-neuro-pharmacological basis, and clinical symptoms and signs directing the physician towards correct diagnosis of this paradoxical condition of pain, as well as modes capable of preventing POH from occurring. The pharmacological approach upon suspecting or diagnosing POH will focus on the use of anesthetic and non-anesthetic drugs that attenuate nociceptive- and opioid-induced paradoxical pain, and non-opioid adjuvant drugs, among which are ketamine or gabapentinoids, the two notably compounds that antagonize abnormal central sensitization that is at the basis of POH.

Pneumoperitoneum in the presence of acute and chronic kidney injury: an experimental model in rats.

PURPOSE: There is evidence that pneumoperitoneum induces transient changes in renal function in healthy individuals. Its effect on malfunctioning kidneys is not well known. We investigated effects caused by pneumoperitoneum in animals with impaired renal function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats underwent subtotal (5/6) nephrectomy in 2 sequential steps to induce renal failure. Two and 10 weeks postoperatively rats were classified with acute and chronic kidney injury, respectively. At those time points all rats were exposed to 0, 5 and 8 mm Hg pneumoperitoneum for 60 minutes. Changes in creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine clearance were measured. Histopathological changes and apoptosis were also evaluated in the subgroups. RESULTS: A total of 18 rats with acute and 18 with chronic kidney injury completed the study. Creatinine and blood urea nitrogen did not change after applying pneumoperitoneum in the different pressure subgroups but creatinine clearance significantly decreased in the 5 and 8 mm Hg subgroups in rats with acute and chronic kidney injury. Histopathological findings in the acute kidney injury subgroups that underwent 5 and 8 mm Hg pressure revealed ischemic changes while compensatory hypertrophy was noticed in the chronic injury pressurized subgroups. The apoptotic count was significantly higher in the chronic injury subgroups compared to their acute injury pressurized counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Pneumoperitoneum seems feasible in rats with impaired baseline renal function. Particularly chronic cases should not be considered a contraindication to pneumoperitoneum while in acute cases pneumoperitoneum might be detrimental.

Low plasma C-reactive protein level as an early diagnostic tool for heatstroke vs central nervous system-associated infection in the ED.

PURPOSES: Heatstroke (HS) is a life-threatening condition, manifested by systemic inflammation and multiorgan failure. Rapid recognition and treatment are life saving. We report a laboratory-oriented characterization of HS by low plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) level and propose its usefulness in distinguishing this type of hyperpyrexia from central nervous system-associated high core temperature. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, records of patients admitted to general intensive care unit between August 2008 and September 2011 with core temperature 39.0°C or higher due to HS or meningoencephalitis (ME) were reviewed. Patients' demographics, CRP on admission and 24 to 48 hours later, serum creatinine, creatine phosphokinase, platelets count, international normalized ratio, alanine transaminase, serum pH, and lactate levels were retrieved. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients were admitted to the intensive care unit with high core temperature: 19 patients, aged 21 to 85 years, had HS; 17 individuals, aged 22 to 81 years, had ME. None of the HS individuals had infection. Twelve HS patients were previously healthy; in 13 patients, the event occurred postexercise. Mean admission CRP levels was 2.1 ± 3.3 mg/L in the HS group compared with 129 ± 84 mg/L in the ME patients (P < .0001); mean 24- to 48-hour CRP levels were 14.6 ± 16.8 vs 139 ± 98 mg/L, respectively (P < .0001). There were no clinically significant differences between the groups regarding laboratory parameters indicative of end-organ damage. Six HS patients underwent computed tomography and/or lumbar puncture before starting intensive cooling, due to misdiagnosis; 5 of them died subsequently. CONCLUSIONS: Low serum CRP levels characterize non-central nervous system-associated HS. This available laboratory test could identify noninfectious hyperthermic patients upon admission, saving precious time until treatment and avoiding unnecessary diagnostic tests.

[Patient dissatisfaction following prolonged stay in the post-anesthesia care unit due to unavailable ward bed in a tertiary hospital].

OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to evaluate subjective reactions of post-surgery and anesthesia patients who stay in post-anesthesia care units (PACU) longer than necessary medically, due to administrative causes. METHODS: We interviewed consenting postoperative patients during an 18-month period. All patients who remained in the PACU twice our obligatory PACU length of stay (> 4 hours) due to lack of an available bed in the appropriate hospital ward, were interviewed at the time of discharge. The study group consisted of those who remained > 4 hours after surgery and a control group of patients who were discharged within 4 hours. The questions were chosen from different sources, including generic and condition-specific questionnaires. RESULTS: A total of 67 patients stayed > 4 hours and 63 < 4 hours. The overall mean PACU length of stay for the former was 14.23 +/- 5.77 hours (range 1.5-30 hours). No significant differences were found between the groups in terms of age, gender, surgical time or postoperative pain visual analogue scale. Irritability due to lack of independence were statistically higher, and satisfaction rates were lower in patients who stayed > 12 hours compared to those who were discharged after 4-12 hours (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Overcrowded wards may lead to significant delays in discharge from the PACU. Prolonged stay in the PACU requires attention, both from the administrative and the medical standpoints, because it may irritate the patient. Patients' irate behavior may distract the medical staff from effectively performing their duties and interferes with optimal medical care in the PACU.

Non-opioid IV adjuvants in the perioperative period: pharmacological and clinical aspects of ketamine and gabapentinoids.

Untreated acute postoperative pain can transform into chronic pain that may have major negative effects on the individual's quality of life. It can also prolong recovery, rehabilitation and length of hospital stay, thus affecting societal economic burden. Given the multiplicity of mechanisms involved in postoperative pain, a multimodal analgesia regimen, using a combination of opioids and multiple agents aiming to augment their effects via different routes of administration, is a pharmacologically appropriate approach. This polypharmacological application provides superior pain relief at rest and after movement, reduced opioid consumption associated with reduced analgesic-related adverse effects, and better chances to prevent the induction of later hyperalgesia. The most important adjuncts currently employed are ketamine and gabapentinoids. They have been shown to help in reaching the desired effect when administered at drug-specific modes and at proven effective dosing throughout the perioperative period.

Morphine at "sub-analgesic" background infusion rate plus low-dose PCA bolus control pain better and is as safe as twice a bolus-only PCA regimen: a randomized, double blind study.

Morphine for postoperative pain control is commonly titrated via intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA). An IV morphine background infusion is rarely used. We investigated whether analgesia is effectively attained and morphine consumption is reduced if PCA titration is coadjuvated by a continuous infusion protocol. Following colorectal cancer surgery, consenting patients were randomized to receive a minimal ("sub-analgesic") dose of morphine 0.01 mg/kg/h background infusion plus a 0.01 mg/kg bolus (BI), or a 1.5mg bolus-only morphine (B0) (bolus ratio ∼1:2). Bolus lockout time was 7 min in either case. All patients received 0.1mg/kg morphine before protocol initiation, and diclofenac 75 mg intramuscularly b.i.d. during the study period, lasting 48 h. Eighty-six patients (51 males, age 26-95 years) participated in the study. The total mean morphine consumption during the 48 h was 25% lower in the BI than in the B0 group (P<0.05). Although the former applied the PCA device for boluses 19% less than the latter (P<0.05), their pain score was lower (P<0.05) most of the time, and they reported greater satisfaction (P<0.05) on a 10-scale numerical rating score. Pre- and postoperative vital signs were similar for both groups. No patient depicted hypoxemia or lapsed into deep sedation. Four BI and three B0 patients required treatment for postoperative nausea and vomiting. One BI patient had transient pruritus and one B0 69-year individual became disoriented 24h into treatment; either event subsided soon after stopping their respective regimen without the need for treatment. The main conclusions of the results are that very-low-dose background morphine infusion combined with small-dose PCA boluses may provide better pain relief, lower morphine consumption, and minimal complication rate as a 1.5mg PCA bolus-only protocol.

Oxidants as important determinants of renal apoptosis during pneumoperitoneum: a study in an isolated perfused rat kidney model.

INTRODUCTION: Pneumoperitoneum-associated ischemia-reperfusion (IR) may initiate renal dysfunction. Whether oxidants are responsible for renal structural damage, such as cell apoptosis, has not yet been evaluated. We investigated such eventuality in an isolated rat kidney model. METHODS: Thirty-five rat kidneys with their vessels and ureter were harvested and perfused within a closed environment at flow of 15 ml min(-1). After stabilization, kidneys were assigned to one of five groups (n = 7 per group): CO(2)-induced intrachamber pressure of 8, 12, or 0 mmHg (control), and 8 or 12 mmHg pressure applied to kidneys from rats treated pre-experimentally with tungsten for 14 days. Pressurization lasted 60 min. RESULTS: Organ perfusion pressure raised as intrachamber pressure increased. Urinary output decreased in the two pressurized nonpretreated groups. Intrachamber pressure was directly associated with an increase in postexperimental xanthine oxidase tissue levels. Twofold apoptosis was documented (p < 0.05) in cortex of nonpretreated kidney in the 12 mmHg group compared with the 8 or 0 mmHg groups. Tungsten pretreatment significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated the abnormalities documented in the 12 mmHg group, but less so in the 8 mmHg pressurized nontreated counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Pneumoperitoneal pressure applied to isolated perfused kidney is associated with renal apoptosis. This rapidly induced structural renal damage is oxidant dependent and can be attenuated by antioxidants. Further studies may shed more light on the role of antioxidants in preventing pneumoperitoneum-induced kidney dysfunction.

The hepatorenal reflex contributes to the induction of oliguria during pneumoperitoneum in the rat.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic blood flow is known to decrease during pneumoperitoneum. Studies have shown that such changes affect kidney urinary output through the sympathetic pathway known as the hepatorenal reflex. This study investigated the potential role of the hepatorenal reflex in pneumoperitoneum-induced oliguria. The authors hypothesized that oliguria detectable during pneumoperitoneum is caused by activation of the hepatorenal reflex. METHODS: Denervation of the sympathetic nervous structure was performed in 15 rats by applying 1 ml of 90 % aqueous phenol solution circumferentially to the portal vein and vena cava area at their entrance to the liver. The same was applied to only the peritoneum in 15 nondenervated rats. After 2 weeks, the rats were divided into three subgroups (5 rats per subgroup) that were exposed respectively to carbon dioxide-induced pneumoperitoneum at 0, 10, and 15 mmHg for 2 h. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t test and analyses of variance. RESULTS: Denervation did not affect the preinsufflation parameters. The denervated and the nondenervated 0-mmHg subgroups presented with similar parameters. The postinsufflation mean urine output was significantly lower in the nondenervated than in the denervated 10- and 15-mmHg subgroups (p = 0.0097). The denervated rats had a final creatinine clearance 29 % lower than the preinsufflation value (p = 0.83), whereas the nondenervated animals presented a 79 % drop in creatinine clearance (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The study findings indicate that the hepatorenal reflex plays an important role in the pathophysiology of oliguria that occurs during pneumoperitoneum in the rat.

Changes in end-tidal carbon dioxide due to gastric perforation during pneumoperitoneum in the rat.

BACKGROUND: Carbon dioxide is the most widely used gas to establish pneumoperitoneum during laparoscopic surgery. Gastrointestinal trauma may occur during the peritoneal insufflation or during the operative phase itself. Early diagnosis of these injuries is critical. OBJECTIVES: To assess changes in end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) following gastric perforation during pneumoperitoneum in the rat. METHODS: Wistar rats were anesthetized, tracheotomized and mechanically ventilated with fixed minute volume. Each animal underwent a 1 cm abdominal longitudinal incision. A 0.3 x 0.3 cm cross-incision of the stomach was performed in the perforation group but not in the controls (n = 10/group) and the abdomen was closed in both groups. After stabilization, CO2-induced pneumoperitoneum was established at 0, 5, 8 and 12 mmHg for 20 min periods consecutively, each followed by complete pressure relief for 5 min. RESULTS: Ventilatory pressure increased in both groups when pneumoperitoneal pressure 5 mmHg was applied, but more so in the perforated stomach group (P = 0.003). ETCO2 increased in both groups during the experiment, but less so in the perforated group (P = 0.04). It then returned to near baseline values during pressure annulation in all perforated animals but only following the 0 and 5 mmHg periods in the controls. CONCLUSIONS: When subjected to pneumoperitoneum, ETCO2 was lower in rats with a perforated stomach than in those with an intact stomach. An abrupt decrease in ETCO2 during laparoscopy may signal gastric perforation.

Intrasplenic preconditioning: a model for the study of xenostimuli accommodation.

BACKGROUND: Discordant xenotransplantation, the grafting of organs from one phylogenic species to another, results in hyper-acute rejection (HAR). HAR is associated with the deposition of recipient preformed xenoreactive natural antibodies and complement on the endothelium of the donor organ, leading to activation and apoptosis of the endothelium, an event associated with xenograft rejection. Endothelial resistance to HAR, termed "accommodation," an active protection of graft endothelium, may be achieved by previous stimulation of endothelial cells by discordant xenoantibodies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were used to evaluate HAR induction in an isolated, dually perfused in-situ rat liver transfused with human blood. This ex-vivo model served to mimic rat-to-human liver xenotransplantation. Preconditioning of the liver endothelium was induced by rat intrasplenic injection of human blood (n=8) or effluent of previously xenotransfused rat liver (n=8), i.e., high versus low xenoantibody solution, each undertaken 1d before liver xenotransfusion. Two other groups were not preconditioned. Preconditioned and non-preconditioned rats were perfused directly with human blood, and eight rats were used as controls (non-preconditioned Krebs-perfused). Eight rats were perfused directly with human blood, and eight rats were used as controls. The effluent that exited these first-line livers was used to perfuse the second-line livers. RESULTS: Portal and hepatic artery perfusion pressures, resistances, rates of oxygen extraction, lactic acid and pH, and wet-to-dry weight ratio values were significantly increased in livers xenotransfused with blood indicating HAR, compared with unchanged values in livers perfused with Krebs solution. Portal pressure and resistance were best protected from HAR by the blood preconditioning in the blood perfused group, while the hepatic artery perfusion system was better protected by the perfusate precondition-blood perfused group. The physiologic effects of HAR were attenuated in most second-line livers. CONCLUSIONS: Attenuation of HAR in rats' livers is achieved by preconditioning with xenoantibodies and/or by "filtering out" xenoantibodies present in the circulation, and is suggestive of accommodation. This novel method may be useful in future studies aimed at refining methods for accommodating xenotransplantation.

Immediate postoperative pain in orthopedic patients is more intense and requires more analgesia than in post-laparotomy patients.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the immediate postoperative pain intensity between orthopedic and general surgery patients and evaluate the extent of severe pain in each group. DESIGN: Observational, open-label study. SETTING: Post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) in a tertiary, university-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: Patients undergoing orthopedic surgery or laparotomy under general anesthesia over a one-year period. INTERVENTIONS: Follow-up of patient self-rated pain visual analog scale (VAS, 0-10), and observation of the efficacy of the routine analgesic protocol of morphine, ketamine, and diclofenac administration in the PACU. OUTCOME MEASURES: We followed pain scores and sorted patients according to morphine requirements during the PACU immediate postoperative stay. Patients whose pain was controlled with ≤120 µg/kg intravenous morphine were considered pain-controllable. Where this amount was insufficient to control pain (VAS ≥5/10), patients were categorized as suffering from severe pain. They were further treated with repeated doses of 1 mg morphine plus 350 µg/kg ketamine (M+K) and eventually diclofenac. PACU follow-up lasted 3 hours. RESULTS: The overall rate of immediate severe postoperative pain within the entire cohort (3,460 patients) was 9.4%: 123 (6.6%) of laparotomy patients and 202 (12.7%) of orthopedic patients. Pain in the laparotomy patients identified as suffering from severe pain was controlled with 1.21±0.45 doses of M+K compared with 1.37±0.62 (P<0.0001) in the orthopedic counterparts. One-fifth of these laparotomy patients demanded more than one injection of M+K compared with one-third of the orthopedic subgroup (P=0.045). Twenty-seven orthopedic vs nine surgical patients (P=0.036) required diclofenac. CONCLUSIONS: More orthopedic than laparotomy patients suffered from severe immediate postoperative pain. They required more analgesia than that dictated by existing PACU analgesia protocols. Ketamine and morphine co-administration proved effective in controlling severe postoperative pain after each type of surgery.

Comparison of Caudal Block vs. Penile Block vs. Intravenous Fentanyl Only in Children Undergoing Penile Surgery: A Prospective, Randomized, Double Blind Study.

Objectives: Penile surgery is commonly performed in pediatric surgical centers. There is no consensus regarding which analgesic method is most effective in controlling pain in these children. Methods: Consecutive children between 4 months and 16 years of age who underwent elective penile surgery were recruited. After inhaled induction of anesthesia, children were randomized to one of three methods of intraoperative analgesia: caudal block, IV fentanyl titrated to surgical response and spontaneous respiration, or dorsal penile nerve block (DPNB). All patients were given inhaled agents; fentanyl was added if either block was insufficient. Demographic data, analgesic use and pain scores were recorded by a blinded investigator in the PACU and ward. Pain scores, analgesic requirement, and recovery parameters of returning to normal activity level, eating, and voiding post-operatively for up to 4 days, were compared. Results: 116 children were recruited. Pain scores in the post anesthesia care unit were significantly lower in the DPNB and caudal block groups compared to the fentanyl group for the first 30 postoperative min. Pain scores and analgesic use were subsequently similar among the three groups for the rest of the study period. There was no statistical difference in time to eat, return to normal activity or in parental satisfaction scores among the groups. There was a trend toward earliest time to void in the DPNB group. Conclusions: Regional blocks most effectively controlled pain for 30 min after surgery. The choice of intra-operative analgesia protocol had no effect on later pain and recovery parameters.

Mannitol attenuates kidney damage induced by xanthine oxidase-associated pancreas ischemia-reperfusion.

BACKGROUND: Ischemia and subsequent reperfusion (IR) may induce local and remote organ reperfusion injury. It may be propagated by xanthine oxidase (XO)-generated oxidant stress. We investigated whether pancreas IR directly and acutely induces renal dysfunction and if this outcome could be prevented by mannitol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rat pancreases were isolated and perfused with Krebs-Henseleit solution enriched with 5% bovine albumin. Other rats donated kidneys that were perfused at constant pressure mode. Each pancreas underwent 45 min of either perfusion (control) or ischemia (no flow). Both organ perfusion systems were then combined and the kidneys were perfused with the pancreatic 15-min reperfusate for 2 h. A third group consisted of paired ischemic pancreases and nonischemic kidneys treated with mannitol 250 mg/kg body weight during reperfusion. RESULTS: The controls demonstrated no abnormal perfusion or metabolite changes. Pancreas and renal perfusion pressures increased by >50% in the ischemia group immediately upon reperfusion; it remained above the values of controls during the 2-h kidney reperfusion. Conversely, perfusion pressure in the treatment group was not significantly different from the control. The reduced glutathione level increased significantly, as did XO, immediately upon starting reperfusion in both organs appertaining to the ischemic group; this misbalance was not documented in the controls and the mannitol-treated groups. Urine output was severely reduced in the IR kidneys. CONCLUSION: Ischemia/reperfusion of the rat pancreas evokes immediate renal dysfunction. Kidney oxidant-antioxidant balance is disturbed, but can be prevented with mannitol. These two figures underline the role of oxidative stress in promoting acute renal damage in the presence of pancreas IR.

Drug management in emergent liver transplantation of mitochondrial disorder carriers: review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial respiratory-chain disorders (MRCD) lead to progressive disabling of neurological and cellular conditions that involve muscles, brain, kidney, and liver dysfunction. Affected individuals may need surgery, including orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Surgery poses anesthesia challenges because of the prolonged use of anesthetic drugs and sedatives, which may inhibit oxidative phosphorylation, mimic mitochondrial cytopathic disorders, or unveil them ex novo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a multilingual PubMed search of surgical and non-surgical anesthesia reports between the years 1992 and 2008, where anesthetic drugs were used in MRCD patients, especially for those undergoing urgent OLTs. RESULTS: There were 51 case reports of 210 anesthesia and critical care interventions in patients with MRCD, a large part of them were children. Data pertaining to the safe usage of anesthesia and perioperative drugs were limited and conflicting. We found no article that addressed the issue of perioperative handling of urgent OLT in MRCD patients. We therefore suggest our own - although limited - experience for such occasions. CONCLUSION: There are no randomized, controlled, trial-based indications regarding safe anesthetic drugs to be used perioperatively in MRCD carriers. Consultation among geneticists, anesthesiologists, intensivists, and surgeons is essential in patients with known/suspected metabolic syndrome for planning appropriate perioperative care.

Prophylactic fluconazole does not improve outcome in patients with purulent and fecal peritonitis due to lower gastrointestinal perforation.

The benefit of anticandida treatment in addition to standard antibiotic therapy in the presence of perforation/leakage of the lower gastrointestinal tract (LGIT) is still controversial. We retrospectively assessed the clinical effects of empiric anticandida treatment in patients with LGIT perforation who had undergone exploratory laparotomy due to perforated/leaking bowel or appendix between 1999 and 2004, including generalized fecal/purulent peritonitis. Two groups of patients emerged: those receiving empiric anticandida treatment (fluconazole, n = 24) and those who did not (n = 77). All the fluconazole-treated and 40/77 nonfluconazole-treated patients required intensive care unit care and were the subject of this assessment. Postoperative candida infection and mortality rates were similar in the critically-ill fluconazole-treated and nontreated patients (4% vs 7%, 21% vs 22.5%, respectively, P = NS); resistant candidiasis rates were also similar. Hospital and intensive care unit stays were longer in the treated group, however not reaching statistical difference (26.5 +/- 18 vs 21.4 +/- 18.3 days, 14.8 +/- 14.2 vs 9.3 +/- 14.1 days, respectively). The rates of morbidity, pneumonia, and multiorgan failure were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the treated patients (87% vs 63%, 37% vs 7.5%, and 58% vs 35%, respectively). Empiric fluconazole in patients with peritonitis associated with LGIT perforation did not improve patients' outcome compared with those without empiric treatment.

Effects of methylene blue and volatile anesthetics on survival in a murine hemorrhage resuscitation model.

BACKGROUND: Hemorrhage is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality, possibly complicated by volatile anesthetics administered during surgical emergencies. Because methylene blue (MB) was suggested to reduce bleeding, we reasoned that it may improve resuscitation. We used a rat model of controlled and uncontrolled hemorrhage with fluid resuscitation, aiming at high versus low mean arterial pressure (MAP) to assess the role of early MB injection on survival and the effects of different anesthetics on outcome. METHODS: Wistar male rats (n = 160) were subjected to 15-minute controlled and 60-minute uncontrolled hemorrhage and received lactated Ringer's solution replacement. Four sets (four groups per set, N = 10 per group) were anesthetized with halothane, isoflurane, sevoflurane, or ketamine (KET; control). Resuscitation-targeted MAP was 80 mm Hg in two groups per set and 40 mm Hg in two groups per set: one group received MB 25 mg/kg intravenously and the other one did not receive. RESULTS: All parameters were worse in the higher target groups compared with the lower MAP target groups. MB improved variable outcomes in the treated compared with the nontreated groups, independent of the MAP or anesthesia agent: the amount of replacement volume, lung tissue xanthine oxidase activity, and rats' survival rates. Outcomes with and without MB were worse in the halothane set, followed, in ascending order, by sevoflurane, isoflurane, and KET. CONCLUSIONS: MB improved parameters and survival rates after controlled and uncontrolled hemorrhage and fluid resuscitation, even in high MAP-resuscitated rats. KET seemed to be the best anesthetic choice among the four classic agents tested. The effects of balanced anesthesia and total intravenous anesthesia in similar conditions require additional studies.

Low-dose ketamine via intravenous patient-controlled analgesia device after various transthoracic procedures improves analgesia and patient and family satisfaction.

Ketamine was recently shown to attenuate postoperative pain when used in combination with morphine in patients who had undergone general and orthopedic surgery. We assessed its effects in 46 patients undergoing minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass, off-pump coronary artery bypass, or thoracotomy and correlated them with patient and family satisfaction. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) was available for 72 hours. One group received 2mg/bolus morphine randomly and double-blindly (group MO), and another group received 1mg morphine plus 5mg ketamine/bolus (group MK), both using IV-PCA. The patients' pain and satisfaction rates were assessed three times daily during hospitalization using a visual analog scale. Their families' satisfaction was assessed as well. Although the 3-day mean amount of morphine used by the MK patients was approximately 60% of that used by the MO patients, their levels of pain and satisfaction were better than those of the MO group. There was an inverted and statistically significant correlation between the patients' level of satisfaction on the second postoperative day (POD) and the satisfaction of their families on POD 2, 3, and 7 and the POD 3 patients' pain assessment in the MK group but not in the MO group. There were no differences in hemodynamic, respiratory, side effects, or complication rates between the groups. The conclusion is that the effects of adding a small ketamine dose to half of the standard morphine dose via IV-PCA after thoracotomy was superior to the standard morphine dose in terms of the patients' self-reported pain score and satisfaction, as well as the family satisfaction rate.