Comparison of Airway Ultrasound Indices and Clinical Assessment for the Prediction of Difficult Laryngoscopy in Elective Surgical Patients: A Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound is evolving as a probable tool in airway assessment. The upper airway is a superficial structure and has sonographically identifiable structures which makes it ideal for evaluation with the ultrasound. AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of skin to hyoid and skin to thyrohyoid membrane distance in prediction of difficult laryngoscopy. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This is a prospective observational study included 150 patients aged 18-60 years of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status I and II scheduled to undergo surgery under general anesthesia requiring laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The modified Mallampati score, mouth opening, mentohyoid distance, thyromental distance were noted. Skin to hyoid bone distance and skin to thyrohyoid membrane distance were measured by ultrasound. Patients were clubbed retrospectively into easy and difficult laryngoscopy groups on the basis of Cormack Lehane grading, and the characteristics of both groups were compared. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, Version 23 was used for statistical analysis. Independent samples t-test was used to compare the means between difficult and easy laryngoscopy patients. Diagnostic accuracy of the significant (P < 0.05) variables between difficult and easy laryngoscopy patients was calculated using receiver operating characteristics curve in terms of their area under curve. Appropriate cutoff values (with corresponding sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy) were also identified. RESULTS: Out of 150 patients, 13 (8.7%) were identified as difficult laryngoscopy whereas 137 patients (91.3%) were identified as easy laryngoscopy. The demographics of both groups were comparable. Mentohyoid distance, skin to hyoid bone distance, and skin to thyrohyoid distance were statistically different between easy and difficult laryngoscopy patients, with lower mentohyoid distance and higher skin to hyoid bone distance and skin to thyrohyoid distance in difficult laryngoscopy patients. Diagnostic accuracy of the mentohyoid distance (70.3%) was slightly superior to skin to hyoid bone distance (67.1%) and skin to thyrohyoid distance (68.1%). CONCLUSION: Ultrasound measurements of skin to hyoid bone and skin to thyrohyoid membrane distance fail to eclipse clinical parameters in accurately predicting a difficult laryngoscopy.

Inhaled lidocaine for prevention of hemodynamic changes in laryngoscopy and intubation.

This study was undertaken to examine the efficacy of lidocaine aerosol pretreatment in attenuating hemodynamic (HD) responses secondary to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation in patients undergoing surgery for intracranial space occupying lesions (ICSOL). A semiclosed breathing system was improvised to generate aerosol of consistent density. Five percent lidocaine was nebulized in two different dosages (0.2 and 0.1 ml/kg in groups A and B, respectively); group C (control) received aerosol of normal saline. The average aerosol-treatment time was 24, 12, and 16 min in groups A, B, and C, respectively. Changes in heart rate (HR), systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), and rate pressure product (RPP) were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA). In group A, tracheal intubation did not cause significant HD changes. In group B, a significant increase was observed in each HD parameter which, when compared with control, was less severe. Lidocaine toxicity, regurgitation, nausea, vomiting, or aspiration did not occur in any patient. Patients accepted the procedure well. This study found efficacy of the technique to be related to duration of aerosol treatment.

Histo-functional status of kidney in leprosy.

A study of 64 cases of leprosy (44 lepromatous and 20 nonlepromatous) revealed that the duration of the disease has a significant relationship with renal involvement (chi 2 = 16.9, P less than 0.001). Proteineuria, microscopic haematuria, granular and hyaline casts are mainly seen in lepromatous cases and specially with lepra reaction (100%) while few of the non-lepromatous (2%) cases may show these abnormalities. Impaired renal functions are mostly observed in lepromatous leprosy (62.9%) specially those with lepra reaction (100%) while 2% nonlepromatous cases have these impaired renal functions. Histo-pathological studies revealed non-specific changes in 44.4% of cases and those of chronic pyelonephritis in 15.5% of the cases. Renal amyloidosis is less common occurrence (4.4%). The specific lesion, that is 'leproma kidney', is rare and seen in one patient only. Acid fast bacilli could not be seen in any of the kidney tissue. It is therefore, concluded that the renal involvement in the form of inflammatory lesions and non-specific changes in the glomeruli and tubules are very common in lepromatous leprosy specially during the reactive phase.

Clinical evaluation of the "T-Dagger": a new bedside percutaneous dilational tracheostomy device.

A number of percutaneous dilational tracheostomy devices are now available for clinical use. Recently, a new percutaneous dilational tracheostomy device, the "T-Dagger" (Criticure Invasives, India), has been introduced for rapid bedside percutaneous tracheostomy. In a prospective preliminary study, we have performed percutaneous dilational tracheostomy (PDT) using the T-Dagger in 20 adult ventilated patients in order to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the new device. The T-Dagger facilitated bedside PDT in about 3 min with no untoward incidents. There was no significant bleeding, pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, tracheal wall injuries or difficulty in ventilation in any of the patients. We conclude that the T-Dagger shows early promise in bedside percutaneous dilational tracheostomy. However, controlled studies are required in a larger patient population before it can be recommended for routine use.

Secular trend in birthweight in an industrial hospital in India.

Measurement of birthweight is an indicator of community health. The mean birthweight (MBW) of babies born in 1963, 1983 and 1986 were measured in 2254, 3550 and 3368 babies, respectively. Mean (SD) birthweight was found to be 2652 (553) g in 1963, 2724 (502) g in 1983 and 2726 (478) g in 1986. There was a rise in MBW (72 g) between 1963 and 1983 and a reduction in the percentage incidence of low birthweight from 34.29% to 26.06%. A change in birthweight distribution (was also seen, except in extreme weight groups. The improvement in birthweight is statistically significant (p less than 0.001). A trend for increase has been noticed in birthweights, and the mean birthweight values are the same as the national average.

Rapidly progressive (crescentric) glomerulonephritis in erythema nodosum leprosum: case report.

A middle aged man (48 years) with short duration of illness (7 days) was admitted in the state of acute renal failure with erythema nodosum leprosum. He had repeated episodes of erythema nodosum leprosum in the past. His blood pressure was normal (150/80 mmHg). During his hospital stay he was in the state of progressive anaemia (Hb = 8.8 g/dl to 7.2 g/dl), oliguria (urine out-put = 250-350 ml/day), azotaemia (blood urea = 198 mg/dl to 218 mg/dl) and impaired renal function tests with fatal outcome. Kidneys were smooth, congested and weighing 150 g each with histological features of rapidly progressive (crescentric) glomerulonephritis, a result of immune complex deposition from recurrent erythema nodosum leprosum episodes.

Rapidly progressive (crescentric) glomerulonephritis in erythema nodosum leprosum: case report

A autora faz a introduçäo do trabalho uma abordagem sobre o tabagismo como importante fator associado a doenças respiratórias, cardiovasculares e a alguns cânceres. Lembra também sobre as implicaçöes do tabagismo na gravidez e descreve alguns estudos sobre fumante passivo e refere algumas informaçöes epidemiológicas. Propöe-se a: 1- Estudar a prevalência de tabagismo entre estudantes da Universidade de Säo Paulo, campus de Ribeiräo Preto, em 1988. 2- Analisar a tendência desta prevalência no perído de 1980-1988. 3. Analisar a relaçäo entre escolhas das marcas e o custo das mesmas. Foi feito um levantamento em 1988, com questionário padronizado e com a mesma metodologia utilizada em 1980, 1981 e 1986. As principais conclusöes foram: 1- A prevalência do tabagismo nas diferentes unidades da USP, em dezembro de 1988 foi: FMRP, 11,9% EERP, 21,2%, FFRP, 8,7; FORP, 8,9%; e prevalência de extabagista foi respectimente: 6,8%; 9,3%; 7,5% e 6,5%. 2- As mulheres fumam tanto quanto os homens em 1988 entre os alunos inqueridos. 3- Até 1986, há tendência geral de declínio em todas as escolas; em 1988, esta tendência näo tem significado estatístico. 4- A tendência segundo o gênero alterou-se no período estudado, em 1980 e 1981 os homens fumam mais que as mulheres e em 1986 e 1988, homens e mulheres fumam igualmente. Foram levantadas e discutidas várias hipóteses no sentido de tentar explicar esta tendência geral de declínio e as mudanças ocorridas neste período quanto a prevalência nos dois gêneros