Efficacy of intraarticular application of ketamine or ketamine-levobupivacaine combination on post-operative pain after arthroscopic meniscectomy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of intraarticular injection of ketamine or ketamine plus levobupivacaine on post-operative analgesia in patients undergoing arthroscopic meniscectomy. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, double-blind study was performed on 60 patients aged 18-65 years who planned to undergo elective arthroscopic meniscectomy. The patients were divided into three groups: the ketamine group (n = 20) received 1.0 mg/kg of intraarticular ketamine in 20 ml of normal saline, the ketamine-levobupivacaine group (n = 20) received 0.5 mg/kg of intraarticular ketamine plus 50.0 mg of 0.25 % levobupivacaine in 20 ml of normal saline, and the control group (n = 20) received 20 ml of intraarticular normal saline. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to determine the efficacy of analgesia at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 h post-operatively. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in the median VAS scores among the three groups according to Bonferroni adjustment at all time points (p < 0.01), with the exception of 6 and 24 h post-operatively. The median VAS scores at 1, 2, and 4 h post-operatively were higher in the control group than in the two treatment groups (p < 0.001). The median VAS scores in the control group at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 h post-operatively and those in the ketamine group at 4, 8, and 12 h post-operatively were significantly higher than those in the ketamine-levobupivacaine group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Intraarticular ketamine provides effective post-operative analgesia. Addition of intraarticular levobupivacaine to ketamine may provide better amelioration of pain after outpatient arthroscopic meniscectomy.

Effect of pregabalin and dexamethasone addition to multimodal analgesia on postoperative analgesia following rhinoplasty surgery.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the effect of a combination of pregabalin and dexamethasone, when used as part of a multimodal analgesic regimen, on pain control after rhinoplasty operations. METHODS: Sixty patients were enrolled in this study. They were randomly assigned into three groups: Group C (placebo + placebo), Group P (pregabalin + placebo), and Group PD (pregabalin + dexamethasone). Patients received either pregabalin 300 mg orally 1 h before surgery, dexamethasone 8 mg intravenously during induction, or placebo according to their allocation. Postoperative pain was treated with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (tramadol, 20-mg bolus dose, 45-min lockout time). The numeric rating scale (NRS), side effects, and consumption of tramadol, pethidine, and ondansetron were assessed. RESULTS: The median NRS scores at 0, 1, and 6 h after surgery were significantly higher in Group C than in Group PD (p < 0.001 for all). The 24-h consumption of tramadol and pethidine was significantly reduced in Groups P and PD compared to Group C (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01). The total tramadol consumption was decreased by 54.5 % in Group P and 81.9 % in Group PD compared to Group C (p < 0.001 for both). The incidence of nausea was higher in Group C than in Groups P and PD between the postoperative 0-2 and 0-24-h periods (p < 0.05 for both). The frequency of blurred vision was significantly higher in Groups P and PD than in Group C within the 0-24-h period (p < 0.05 for both). CONCLUSION: We found that the addition of a single dose of pregabalin and dexamethasone to multimodal analgesia in rhinoplasty surgeries provided efficient analgesia and thus decreased opioid consumption. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE I: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Attitudes of Doctors Working in Abant Izzet Baysal University Health Research and Application Center on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the attitudes of doctors about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in this research. METHODS: Overall, 234 doctors who were working in Abant Izzet Baysal University Health Research and Application Center and who accepted to participate in this research were included. Research data were obtained by a questionnaire containing questions about demographic characteristics of doctors and their knowledge about CPR. Questionnaires were applied between 27.02.2012 and 04.06.2012. The chi-square test was used for categorical variables. A value of p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: It was determined that 90% of the participants included in the study applied and/or observed CPR, and 62% of participants did not attend any CPR course. In addition, 64.1% of the doctors were found to be aware of guidelines prepared every 5 years. Although 65.2% of the doctors who attended a course previously gave a correct answer for the question about the number of cardiac compressions during adult CPR, 47.6% of the doctors who did not attend a course gave the correct answer (p=0.014). Additionally, 71.9% of participants who attended a course previously and 51.7% of participants who did not replied correctly to the question 'What should be done immediately after defibrillation during CPR?' And also the results for the question about how many joules is necessary to begin defibrillation with a monophasic defibrillator were statistically significant according to the attendance for a CPR course (p<0.005). CONCLUSION: In this study, we have identified the lack of knowledge of the doctors about resuscitation.

Colostomy with Transversus Abdominis Plane Block.

Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is one of the abdominal field block. The TAP block is used for both anaesthetic management and post-operative pain therapy in lower abdominal surgery. TAP block is a procedure in which local anaesthetic agents are applied to the anatomic neurofacial space between the internal oblique and the transversus abdominis muscle. TAP block is a good method for post-operative pain control as well as allows for short operations involving the abdominal area. In this article, a case of colostomy under TAP block is presented.

Ultrasound-guided femoral and sciatic nerve blocks combined with sedoanalgesia versus spinal anesthesia in total knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Although regional anesthesia is the first choice for patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA), it may not be effective and the risk of complications is greater in patients who are obese or who have spinal deformities. We compared the success of ultrasound-guided femoral and sciatic nerve blocks with sedoanalgesia versus spinal anesthesia in unilateral TKA patients in whom spinal anesthesia was difficult. METHODS: We enrolled 30 patients; 15 for whom spinal anesthesia was expected to be difficult were classified as the block group, and 15 received spinal anesthesia. Regional anesthesia was achieved with bupivacaine 62.5 mg and prilocaine 250 mg to the sciatic nerve, and bupivacaine 37.5 mg and prilocaine 150 mg to the femoral nerve. Bupivacaine 20 mg was administered to induce spinal anesthesia. Hemodynamic parameters, pain and sedation scores, and surgical and patient satisfaction were compared. RESULTS: A sufficient block could not be obtained in three patients in the block group. The arterial pressure was significantly lower in the spinal group (P < 0.001), and the incidence of nausea was higher (P = 0.017) in this group. Saturation and patient satisfaction were lower in the block group (P < 0.028), while the numerical pain score (P < 0.046) and the Ramsay sedation score were higher (P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-guided sciatic and femoral nerve blocks combined with sedoanalgesia were an alternative anesthesia method in selected TKA patients.

[Comparison of the effects of magnesium sulphate and dexmedetomidine on surgical vision quality in endoscopic sinus surgery: randomized clinical study]. / Comparação dos efeitos de sulfato de magnésio e da dexmedetomidina sobre a qualidade da visibilidade em cirurgia endoscópica sinusal: estudo clínico randomizado.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Even a small amount of bleeding during endoscopic sinus surgery can corrupt the endoscopic field and complicate the procedure. Various techniques, including induced hypotension, can minimize bleeding during endoscopic sinus surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the surgical vision quality, haemodynamic parameters, postoperative pain, and other effects of magnesium, a hypotensive agent, with that of dexmedetomidine, which was initially developed for short-term sedation in the intensive care unit but also is an alpha 2 agonist sedative. METHOD: 60 patients between the ages of 18 and 45 years were divided into either the magnesium group (Group M) or the dexmedetomidine group (Group D). In Group M, magnesium sulphate was given at a pre-induction loading dose of 50mgkg(-1) over 10min and maintained at 15mgkg(-1)h(-1); in Group D, dexmedetomidine was given at 1mcgkg(-1) 10min before induction and maintained at 0.6mcgkg(-1)h(-1). Intraoperatively, the haemodynamic and respiratory parameters and 6-point intraoperative surgical field evaluation scale were recorded. During the postoperative period, an 11-point numerical pain scale, the Ramsay sedation scale, the nausea/vomiting scale, the adverse effects profile, and itching parameters were noted. RESULTS: Group D showed a significant decrease in intraoperative surgical field evaluation scale scale score and heart rate. The average operation time was 50min, and Group M had a higher number of prolonged surgeries. No significant difference was found in the other parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Due to its reduction of bleeding and heart rate in endoscopic sinus surgery and its positive impacts on the duration of surgery, we consider dexmedetomidine to be a good alternative to magnesium.

Lower Extremity Tissue Defect Caused by Mobile Phone Charger Explosion: A Case Report.

As the usage of cell phones is markedly increasing worldwide, accidental injuries and even lethal damages caused by cellular phone explosions have been reported lately. Although, cell phone charger explosion related scalding and tissue loss is extremely rare, they generally cause severe damage to tissues and cause severe complications, ending up in hospitalization. We are presenting a case of 9-year old female patient who was admitted to our emergency service due to a phone charger explosion that resulted in a lower extremity tissue defect.

Predictive value of aortic knob width for postoperative atrial fibrillation in coronary artery bypass surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was determine whether aortic knob width (AKW) is associated with the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) after isolated coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). METHODS: In this retrospective observational cohort study, we evaluated 135 patients without hemodynamically significant valvular problems. AKW was measured on chest X-ray by digital system. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to find independent associates of postoperative AF (POAF). The diagnostic value of AKW was assessed using ROC analysis. RESULTS: POAF occurred in 43 (31.8%) of all patients. The age, AKW, left atrial (LA) diameter and C-reactive protein (CRP) were significantly higher in patients with POAF than without POAF (67.2 ± 8.6 vs 61.3 ± 9.8 years, p=0.004; 45.6 ± 5.8 vs 36.1 ± 3.8 mm, p<0.001; 37.9 ± 3.5 vs 35.8 ± 3.1mm, p=0.002 and 10.6 ± 8.5 vs 5.6 ± 6.5 mg/L, p=0.001 respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that AKW, LA diameter and CRP were independently associated with POAF (OR=4.527, 95% CI=1.315 -15.588, p=0.017; OR=2.834, 95% CI=1.091-7.360, p=0.032 and OR=1.300, 95% CI=1.038-1.628, p=0.022 respectively). ROC analysis has demonstrated that aortic knob of 36.5 mm constitutes the cut-off value for the occurrence of POAF with 84.4% sensitivity and 64.6% specificity (AUC=0.84, 95% CI=0.75-0.94, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated a significant association between the AKW and AF development after isolated CABG. PA chest radiography is a cheap and readily available clinical tool and it can be examined easily by every cardiovascular surgeons.

Technology and Information Tool Preferences of Academics in the Field of Anaesthesiology.

OBJECTIVE: Researchers use a large number of information technology tools from the beginning until the publication of a scientific study. The aim of the study is to investigate the technology and data processing tool usage preferences of academics who produce scientific publications in the field of anaesthesiology. METHODS: A multiple-choice survey, including 18 questions regarding the use of technology to assess the preferences of academicians, was performed. RESULTS: PubMed has been the most preferred article search portal, and the second is Google Academic. Medscape has become the most preferred medical innovation tracking website. Only 12% of academicians obtain a clinical trial registration number for their randomized clinical research. In total, 28% of respondents used the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials checklist in their clinical trials. Of all participants, 21% was using Dropbox and 9% was using Google-Drive for sharing files. Google Chrome was the most preferred internet browser (32.25%) for academic purposes. English language editing service was obtained from the Scribendi (21%) and Textcheck (12%) websites. Half of the academics were getting help from their specialist with a personal relationship, 27% was doing it themselves, and 24% was obtaining professional assistance for statistical requirements. Sixty percent of the participants were not using a reference editing program, and 21% was using EndNote. Nine percent of the academics were spending money for article writing, and the mean cost was 1287 Turkish Liras/year. CONCLUSION: Academics in the field of anaesthesiology significantly benefit from technology and informatics tools to produce scientific publications.

The importance of the mean platelet volume in the diagnosis of supraventricular tachycardia.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of palpitation can be difficult in the emergency department (ED) and the waiting time for a first appointment with an arrhythmia clinic can be very long. The inflammation is sufficient to facilitate the initiation of supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVT). The increased mean platelet volume (MPV) is closely correlated with inflammation and to reflect inflammatory burden in different condition. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to investigate the relation between MPV and SVT in patient with documented atrial tachyarrhythmia in ED. METHODS: Two study groups were compared; a SVT group with arrive at the ED with documented SVT (n=122) and 100 healthy adult without any palpitation symptom, arrhythmic disease, and with normal physical examination results that were brought for checkups to the cardiology polyclinic were classified as control group. Blood samples were obtained from all patients for determining the hematologic counts and MPV during first hour in ED period. RESULTS: In terms of the focus of the study, hemoglobin, neutrophil count, mean cell volume (MCV), red cell distribution width (RDW), platelet, white blood cell (WBC), and lymphocyte counts were similar in both group (p>0.05). MPV in the SVT group was signifi cantly higher than in the control group (9.12±1.22 fl vs 8.64±0.89 fl , p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that just MPV was independent predictor of SVT in patients with palpitation in ED (odds ratio [OR] 8.497, 95% confidence interval (6.181 to 12.325), p=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Our study described that MPV is helpful parameter for the diagnosis of SVT in emergency department, for the first time in the literature.

Effect of pregabalin and dexamethasone on postoperative analgesia after septoplasty.

Objectives. The aim of this study was to explore effect of a combination of pregabalin and dexamethasone on pain control after septoplasty operations. Methods. In this study, 90 patients who were scheduled for septoplasty under general anesthesia were randomly assigned into groups that received either placebo (Group C), pregabalin (Group P), or pregabalin and dexamethasone (Group PD). Preoperatively, patients received either pregabalin 300 mg one hour before surgery, dexamethasone 8 mg intravenously during induction, or placebo according to their allocation. Postoperative pain treatment included tramadol and diclofenac sodium 30 minutes before the end of the operation. Numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain assessment, side effects, and consumption of tramadol, pethidine, and ondansetron were recorded. Results. The median NRS score at the postoperative 0 and the 2nd h was significantly higher in Group C than in Group P and Group PD (P ≤ 0.004 for both). The 24 h tramadol and pethidine, consumptions were significantly reduced in Groups P and PD compared to Group C (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001). The incidence of blurred vision was significantly higher in Group PD compared to Group C within both 0-2 h and 0-24 h periods (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001, resp.). Conclusions. We conclude that administration of 300 mg pregabalin preoperatively may be an adequate choice for pain control after septoplasty. Addition of dexamethasone does not significantly reduce pain in these patients.

Woven coronary artery anomaly associated with acute coronary syndrome.

The woven coronary artery anomaly is a rare congenital anomaly in which a coronary artery is divided into thin channels that merge again into the distal lumen. Only a few cases of woven coronary artery have been reported in the literature. This anomaly is accepted as a benign condition. We describe a case of acute coronary syndrome in a patient with woven coronary artery anomaly.

Torsades de Pointes due to ischemic stroke.

Cardiac and cerebrovascular illnesses are among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity today. Thromboembolic cases, which are the result of cardiac arrhythmia, are one of the important causes of cerebral stroke. However, various abnormalities, especially ST-T wave changes on electrocardiography can be seen in patients who do not have any heart disease history but had ischemic cerebral stroke. In this study, we have presented an interesting case of Torsades de Pointes due to ischemic cerebral stroke.

Awake Fibreoptic Intubation for Forearm Injury in a Patient with Occipito-Cervical Fixator.

A 23-year-old male patient with occipitocervical fixator was scheduled for surgery due to injury to the right forearm. The patient's thyromental distance was 5 cm, mouth opening grade II, sternomental distance 10 cm and Mallampati score 4. Loss of extension and rotation movements of the head was assessed as difficult intubation criteria. Anaesthetic procedures are almost always difficult in patients with occipitocervical fixation; the limited cervical extension complicated both intubation and ventilation. In this report, application of general anaesthesia using awake fibreoptic bronchoscopic intubation (FOB) is described. After routine monitoring of vital signs and premedication, hypopharyngeal topical anaesthesia was accomplished by instilling 10% lidocaine spray twice via the appropriate nostril. Superior laryngeal nerve block was performed with local anaesthetic infiltration of tissues 1 cm below the greater horns of the hyoid bone. Lingual and pharyngeal branches of the glossopharyngeal nerve were blocked. Transtracheal block was performed. Following completion of local anaesthesia, the patient was intubated using the awake FOB technique, on 5 L min(-1) of 100% O2. After muscle relaxation, the patient underwent a microsurgical operation to repair eight tendons, one artery, and one nerve. Surgery lasted for 5 hours. When the extubation criteria were met, the patient was extubated. In cases of occipitocervical fixation, which causes severe limitation of neck movements, the use of awake fibreoptic intubation should be considered.

Anticholinergic Toxic Syndrome Caused by Atropa Belladonna Fruit (Deadly Nightshade): A Case Report.

Atropa Belladonna poisoning may lead to anticholinergic syndrome. Ingestion of high amounts of the plant may cause lethargy, coma, and even a serious clinical picture leading to death. In this case report, we aimed to present a case with anticholinergic syndrome that developed after ingestion of the fruit called "Deadly Nightshade" in our country.

Submental Orotracheal Intubation in Maxillofacial Fracture Surgery: Report of Two Cases.

Two patients, aged 18 and 28 years, with maxillofacial trauma due to motor vehicle accident, were operated upon by a team of plastic surgeons. In this report we aimed to present our experience with submental intubation procedure in these cases, in which orotracheal or nasotracheal intubation was impossible due to panfacial fracture.

The diagnostic significance of NT-proBNP and troponin I in emergency department patients presenting with palpitations.

OBJECTIVE: This prospective study investigated the diagnostic significance of the N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic (NT-proBNP) and troponin I peptides in emergency department patients presenting with palpitations. METHODS: Two groups of patients with palpitations but without documented supraventricular tachycardia were compared: a group with supraventricular tachycardia (n = 49) and a control group (n = 47). Both groups were diagnosed using electrophysiological studies during the study period. Blood samples were obtained from all of the patients to determine the NT-proBNP and troponin I levels within the first hour following arrival in the emergency department. RESULT: The mean NT-proBNP levels were 207.74±197.11 in supraventricular tachyarrhythmia group and 39.99±32.83 pg/mL in control group (p<0.001). To predict supraventricular tachycardia, the optimum NT-proBNP threshold was 61.15 pg/mL, as defined by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, with a non-significant area under the ROC curve of 0.920 (95% CI, 0.86-0.97, p<0.001). The NT-proBNP cut-off for diagnosing supraventricular tachycardia had 81.6% sensitivity and 91.5% specificity. Supraventricular tachycardia was significantly more frequent in the patients with NT-proBNP levels ≥61.15 pg/mL (n = 44, 90.9%, p>0.001). The mean troponin I levels were 0.17±0.56 and 0.01±0.06 pg/mL for the patients with and without supraventricular tachycardia, respectively (p<0.05). Of the 96 patients, 21 (21.87%) had troponin I levels ≥0.01: 2 (4.25%) in the control group and 19 (38.77%) in the supraventricular tachycardia group (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Troponin I and, in particular, NT-proBNP peptide were helpful for differentiating supraventricular tachycardia from non- supraventricular tachycardia palpitations. Further randomized, large, multicenter trials are needed to define the benefit and diagnostic role of NT-proBNP and troponin I in the management algorithm of patients presenting with palpitations in emergency departments.

Predictive value of total atrial conduction time measured with tissue Doppler imaging for postoperative atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) complicating coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) increases morbidity and stroke risk. Total atrial conduction time (PA-TDI duration) has been identified as an independent predictor of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to assess whether PA-TDI duration is a predictor of AF after CABG. METHODS: In 128 patients who had undergone CABG, preoperative clinical and echocardiographic data were compared between patients with and without POAF. The PA-TDI duration was assessed by measuring the time interval between the beginning of the P wave on the surface ECG and point of the peak A wave on TDI from left atrium (LA) lateral wall just over the mitral annulus. RESULTS: Patients with POAF (38/128, 29.6 %) were older (68.1 ± 11.1 vs. 59.3 ± 10.2 years; p < 0.001), had higher LA maximum volume, had prolonged PA-TDI duration, and had lower ejection fraction compared with patients without POAF. PA-TDI duration was found to be significantly increased in POAF group (134.3 ± 19.7 vs. 112.5 ± 17.7 ms; p = 0.01). On multivariate analysis, age (95 % CI = 1.03-1.09; p = 0.003), LA maximum volume (95 % CI = 1.01-1.06; p = 0.03), and prolonged PA-TDI duration (95 % CI, 1.02-1.05; p = 0.001) were found to be the independent risk factors of POAF. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, LA maximum volume and PA-TDI duration were found to be the independent predictors of the development of POAF after CABG. Echocardiographic predictors of left atrial electromechanical dysfunction may be useful in risk stratifying of patients in terms of POAF development after CABG.