Marching Ahead through the Pandemic: Continuing Anesthesia Services in COVID Era-Our Experience from a Tertiary Care Cancer Centre.

Swati BhanIntroduction This paper aims to provide an overview of the administrative and clinical preparations done in a tertiary care cancer hospital in continuing operation theatre (OT) services through the COVID pandemic. Methods Retrospective data collection, data for the past 1.5 years (COVID period) March 2020 to August 2021 were compared to surgical output for a similar duration of time before the COVID era (September 2018-February 2020). Results A total of 1,022 surgeries were done under anesthesia in the COVID period as against 1,710 surgeries done in a similar time frame in the pre-COVID era. Overall, we saw a 40%drop in the total number of cases. Thorax, abdominal, and miscellaneous surgeries (soft tissue sarcomas, urology, and gyneconcology) saw a maximum fall in numbers; however, head and neck cases saw an increase in numbers during the pandemic. Surgical morbidity and mortality were similar in the COVID and pre-COVID era. No cases of severe COVID infection were reported among the healthcare staff working in OT. Discussion We could successfully continue our anesthesia services with minimal risk to healthcare staff throughout the pandemic by adopting major guidelines in a pragmatic and practical approach with minor changes to suit our setup.

Perioperative anaesthetic management in cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC): a retrospective analysis in a single tertiary care cancer centre.

Objectives: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We retrospectively analysed the perioperative anesthetic management in patients undergoing HIPEC surgery. Methods: After ethics approval, we reviewed the records of patients who underwent CRS/HIPEC from 2015 until 2020. We noted the peritoneal carcinomatosis index (PCI), blood loss, anastomoses done, total amount of fluid given, delta temperature and duration of surgery. These were correlated with the need for postoperative ventilation, length of ICU stay, Clavien-Dindo score and 30 day mortality. Results: Of the 180 patients reviewed, the majority were women (85%) with a mean age of 48 years who had ovarian tumors (n=114). The total amount of fluid given was associated with an increased length of ICU stay (p=0.008). Prolonged surgery resulted in increased length of ICU stay (p<0.001), need for postoperative ventilation (p=0.006) and a poor Clavien-Dindo score (p=0.039). A high PCI score correlated with increased ICU stay, 30 day mortality (p<0.001), and the need for postoperative ventilation (0.005). Conclusions: PCI, duration of surgery and blood loss were major predictors of postoperative morbidity. Additionally, the amount of fluid given and delta temperature affected patient outcome and should be individualized to the patient's needs.

Celiac Plexus Block - An Old Technique with New Developments.

BACKGROUND: Celiac plexus block (CPB) is an interventional technique known to be effective in the management of abdominal pain caused by pancreatic cancer. OBJECTIVE: To review the journey of CPB as an interventional analgesic technique from its inception to its current status in the field of cancer pain management. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive review. METHODS: PubMed database was searched for celiac plexus block, celiac plexus neurolysis, and pancreatic cancer pain relief. Randomized control trials and case series with more than 10 patients were included. A second search was done from the references of all the included articles to add studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria which were missed in the first broad search. RESULTS: A total of 44 studies were included in this literature review. Available evidence through the years was categorized based on the imaging technique used to guide needle insertion and studies were tabulated based on study design, the number of patients included, the technique of CPB, and the conclusions drawn. LIMITATIONS: Meta-analysis of the available studies was not done because of heterogeneous nature of studies. CONCLUSION: Over the years, the majority of clinical trials have focused on fluoroscopy-guided CPB. Computed tomography-guided blockade of celiac plexus is the next choice among pain physicians and percutaneous ultrasound-guided CPB is a relatively new technique. The data generated over the years does not point to a single technique being the gold standard for CPB and choice of technique may be guided by the individual's preference, familiarity with the technique, and institutional practice.

A Prospective Randomised Study to Assess the Analgesic Efficacy of Serratus Anterior Plane (SAP) Block for Modified Radical Mastectomy Under General Anaesthesia.

OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women and often requires surgery for the removal of the tumour. Uncontrolled pain after breast surgeries is a common problem. Serratus anterior plane (SAP) block is a recently designed technique to block the lateral cutaneous branches of the ventral rami of thoracic intercostal nerves and may cover the area of surgical dissection for modified radical mastectomy (MRM). The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of SAP block on the time to first rescue analgesic in the post-operative period in patients undergoing MRM. METHODS: A randomised, single-blind, parallel group trial was conducted in a single teaching hospital. A total of 100 patients undergoing MRM were randomised in a 1:1 ratio into 2 groups: MRM under general anaesthesia (GA) alone (group G, n=50) or GA with SAP block (group S, n=50). Blocks were performed under ultrasound guidance at the level of the 5th rib in the midaxillary line with 0.4 mL kg-1 of 0.375% ropivacaine. RESULTS: The time to request of first rescue analgesia was significantly prolonged in group S compared with group G (p=0.008). Median (interquartile range) for time to rescue analgesia in group S was 120 (60-300) min, whereas in group G, it was 60 (15-120) min. Post-operative pain scores and the number of patients requiring intra-operative additional fentanyl were significantly less in group S. No technique-related adverse events were observed. CONCLUSION: SAP block improved perioperative analgesia in patients undergoing MRM. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY NUMBER: CTRI/2017/11/010424. (http://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/regtrial.php?modid=1&compid=19&EncHid=45912.14862).

Hypercalcemia due to methadone-induced adrenal insufficiency in a case of oral cancer.

A 31-year-old patient of post-surgical recurrent buccal carcinoma (post-chemo and radiotherapy) on multimodal analgesia with methadone, paracetamol and gabapentin presented to pain clinic with occasional bleeding from tumor area and incidental hypercalcemia. The hypercalcemia was attributed to adrenal insufficiency due to methadone, with no other obvious reasons identified for hypercalcemia or adrenal insufficiency. The patient was managed with the change of opioid, regular aseptic wound dressings and management of hypercalcemia with hydration, calcitonin and steroid therapy. Hypercalcemia in a cancer patient can have multiple other causes like hypercalcemia of malignancy and primary or secondary parathyroid carcinoma. A strong clinical suspicion and appropriate battery of tests may be required to arrive at the diagnosis. Prompt management, including identification and management of the primary pathology along with aggressive hydration with hormonal therapy, may prove to be life-saving.

A Rare Case of Vincristine-Induced Neuropathy Presenting as Foot Drop in the Postoperative Period.

Patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy are at risk of neuropathy development. Many of them may have subclinical neuropathies, which may be missed before planning anesthesia, especially in emergency scenarios. This case report highlights the importance of a thorough neurologic examination in patients with subclinical neuropathy to avoid any complications and medicolegal issues. A patient with a diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma being treated with vincristine-based chemotherapy was scheduled for an emergency laparotomy. There was no history of any neurologic deficit before surgery. The surgery was done using general anesthesia, and intrathecal morphine was given for postoperative analgesia. This patient experienced bilateral foot drop postoperatively. A bilateral lower limb and upper limb sensory-motor neuropathy was detected on a nerve conduction study, probably due to vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy. The literature is deficient regarding manifestations of neurologic complications in previously asymptomatic patients in the immediate postoperative period. These patients pose a diagnostic dilemma perioperatively that may lead to medicolegal challenges to the anesthesia provider. Anesthesia providers should be wary of the possibility of exacerbation of any subclinical neuropathy in patients with cancer receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy and should probably avoid any neuraxial intervention in such patients if possible.

Effect of Perioperative Pregabalin on Incidence of Chronic Postmastectomy Pain Syndrome: A Prospective Randomized Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women. Chronic pain after breast surgeries is a well-known entity and is mainly neuropathic in nature. The primary aim of this study was to assess the effect of pregabalin given as preventive analgesic on the incidence of chronic postmastectomy pain. METHODS: A randomized control trial (RCT) was performed on 80 patients. Patients were allocated into two groups. Group 1 received pregabalin (Lyrica, Pfizer) 75 mg. BD starting from the morning of surgery and continued for 1 week. Group 2 received placebo capsules at identical time intervals. Patients were followed up for 3 months postoperatively. Incidence, severity, and location of chronic pain were recorded. The primary objective was to evaluate the effect of perioperative oral pregabalin on the incidence of chronic postmastectomy pain (at 3 months postoperatively). RESULTS: Of the 80 patients enrolled, 71 patients completed the study and were assessed for final outcomes. Incidence of chronic pain was comparable in both groups, with 16 out of 35 patients in Group 1 (44.7%) and 20 out of 36 patients in Group 2 (55.6%) reported chronic pain (P = 0.407). There was no difference between the severity of chronic pain (numeric rating scale ≥ 4) in both groups (P = 0.307). Incidence of adverse effects was comparable in both groups. CONCLUSION: This RCT shows that perioperative pregabalin may not have a role in the prevention of chronic pain after breast surgeries.

Serratus Anterior Plane Block for Post-Thoracotomy Analgesia: a Novel Technique for the Surgeon and Anaesthetist.

Post-thoracotomy pain is one of the most severe forms of post-operative pain. Anaesthetists usually manage post-thoracotomy pain with an epidural or paravertebral block. However, both of these techniques have their limitations. Ultrasound-guided interfascial plane block like serratus anterior plane block is a new concept and is proposed to provide analgesia to the hemithorax. We report our experience with 10 thoracotomy cases where this block was used as a post-operative analgesic technique. Patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy or lobectomy received ultrasound-guided serratus anterior plane block between the serratus anterior and the external intercostal muscles with 0.25% ropivacaine, and a catheter was inserted. Post-operatively, 0.125% ropivacaine with fentanyl (1 mcg/ml) was given as infusion at 5-7 ml/h. Other analgesics were paracetamol and diclofenac. Fentanyl infusion at 0.25 mcg/kg/h was the rescue analgesic if pain persisted. Four out of 10 patients required fentanyl infusion. Uncontrolled pain in two of these patients was at the intercostal drain site; in the third patient, two ribs were resected; and in the 4th patient, there was poor drug spread and the catheter could not be placed in the desired plane due to poor muscle mass. The catheter was kept in situ for a minimum of 48 h to a maximum of 6 days after surgery. Serratus anterior block could be an attractive option for post-thoracotomy analgesia. Further studies can take the help of the surgeon for catheter placement in the desired plane at the time of wound closure to ensure adequate drug spread.

Opioid toxicity with underlying tumour lysis syndrome in a patient with CMML: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.

Use of strong opioids like morphine as analgesics for painful conditions in haematological malignancies is a challenging task. We report a unique case of chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia presenting with opioid toxicity overlapping with tumour lysis syndrome. The patient was on hydroxyurea-based chemotherapy for the primary disease. She was receiving oral morphine for abdominal pain due to splenomegaly. She was brought to the emergency in unresponsive state with pinpoint pupils. Opioid overdose leading to unconsciousness was suspected as the first diagnosis. Further workup revealed a final diagnosis of tumour lysis syndrome overlapping with opioid overdose. The patient was ventilated and started on naloxone infusion, and supportive measures for managing tumour lysis were added. The patient gradually improved and was extubated on the fifth day of ventilation. This case presents several learning points for the treating physician. Haematological malignancies have a dynamic course of disease with waxing and waning tumour burden during the course of chemotherapy. This fact should be kept in mind when prescribing strong opioids like morphine on outpatient basis to these patients. Massive tumour cell lysis during the course of chemotherapy may precipitate tumour lysis syndrome and may lead to renal dysfunction which makes the patient susceptible to morphine-related adverse effects. Pain physician should keep a watch for therapy-related adverse effects to avoid diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma associated with coexisting features of these two fatal conditions.

Newer regional analgesia interventions (fascial plane blocks) for breast surgeries: Review of literature.

Surgical resection of the primary tumour with axillary dissection is one of the main modalities of breast cancer treatment. Regional blocks have been considered as one of the modalities for effective perioperative pain control. With the advent of ultrasound, newer interventions such as fascial plane blocks have been reported for perioperative analgesia in breast surgeries. Our aim is to review the literature for fascial plane blocks for analgesia in breast surgeries. The research question for initiating the review was 'What are the reported newer regional anaesthesia techniques (fascial plane blocks) for female patients undergoing breast surgery and their analgesic efficacy?.' The participants, intervention, comparisons, outcomes and study design were followed. Due to the paucity of similar studies and heterogeneity, the assessment of bias, systematic review or pooled analysis/meta-analysis was not feasible. Of the 989 manuscripts, the present review included 28 manuscripts inclusive of all types of published manuscripts. 15 manuscripts directly related to the administration of fascial plane blocks for breast surgery across all type of study designs and cases were reviewed for the utility of fascial plane blocks in breast surgeries. Interfascial blocks score over regional anaesthetic techniques such as paravertebral block as they have no risk of sympathetic blockade, intrathecal or epidural spread which may lead to haemodynamic instability and prolonged hospital stay. This review observed that no block effectively covers the whole of breast and axilla, thus a combination of blocks should be used depending on the site of incision and extent of surgical resection.