Emergency separation of conjoined twins in a tertiary hospital in Indonesia: three case reports.

BACKGROUND: Emergency separation of conjoined twins is performed when one twin is already dead or dying and threatens the survival of the other. The particular decision to perform an emergency separation of conjoined twins provides an ethical dilemma that needs special attention. Adding to the complexity of surgical and postsurgical management in emergency separation, ethical and sociocultural aspects further complicate decision-making. CASE PRESENTATION: From 1987 to 2022, 18 conjoined twin separations were performed in our centre. This paper describes three conjoined twin emergency separations. In the first case of thoracoomphalopagus babies at nine days of age, one baby was diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis with frequent desaturation and seizures, and the other baby was healthy. Emergency separation was performed on the twelfth day of age; unfortunately, neither baby survived the surgery. In the second case, emergency separation was performed on the 110th day of life due to sepsis in one baby. The nonseptic twin passed away six hours after surgery, while the septic twin died 12 days after surgery due to wound dehiscence and abdominal sepsis. The third case was of an omphalopagus conjoined twin with a parasitic twin. The healthy baby was deemed nonviable but found to be healthy upon birth. Immediate emergency separation was performed at 2 h of age. The living baby survived the surgery but passed away two months later. CONCLUSIONS: When separation is deemed necessary to save one twin, it becomes difficult to apply standard ethical medical reasoning. The decision to separate results in most cases in very high-risk surgeries with poor outcomes during surgery and postsurgery. Compounded by the complexity of the case, sociocultural and religious aspects further add to the dynamics of decision-making. A multidisciplinary team must work together with a health ethics committee and navigate through this ethical conundrum with the patient and family at its decision-making centre to decide on the best plan of care.

Effectivity of benzydamine hydrochloride gargle to reduce propofol consumption in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography procedure: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a complex endoscopic procedure that requires moderate to deep sedation. Propofol is the sedative agent of choice for sedation in ERCP due to its fast distribution and fast elimination time without a cumulative effect after infusion, resulting in shorter recovery time. Benzydamine hydrochloride is a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that has analgesic, local anesthetic, and anti-inflammatory effects that have been known to be effective in reducing postoperative sore throat. Combination of propofol and topical analgesic may provide adequate sedation and reduce propofol consumption. This study aimed to determine the effectivity of benzydamine hydrochloride gargling in reducing propofol consumption in the ERCP procedure. METHODS: This study was a single-blind randomized controlled trial for patients undergoing ERCP procedures at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital from August to September 2018. A total of 72 subjects were recruited consecutively and randomly assigned into two groups. The first group received 15 mL of 0.15% benzydamine hydrochloride mouthwash prior to the procedure, whereas the second group received 15 mL of water mouthwash. Additional propofol was administered when patient moved or Ramsay Sedation Scale rose above 4. Cumulative propofol consumption per kg body weight per minute and incidence of postoperative sore throat were recorded in each group. Incidence of desaturation, postoperative nausea vomitting, and dysphagia were also recorded. Data analysis was performed with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. RESULTS: Cumulative propofol consumption per minute per kg body weight in the benzydamine hydrochloride group was 152.7 (91.9-238.8) mcg/kg/minute, while in the control group was 200.05 (114.4-380.2) mcg/kg/ minute (p = < 0.001). The incidence of sore throat on the 0th, 2nd, and 4th hour for the benzydamine hydrochloride group was 11.4, 11.4, and 5.7%, while in the control group was 50, 52.8, and 36.1% (p = < 0.001, < 0.001, 0.003). Desaturation was found in control group whereas none in benzydamine hydrochloride group. Complaints of nausea and vomiting were comparable in both groups. CONCLUSION: Benzydamine hydrochloride gargling was effective in reducing cumulative propofol consumption in the ERCP procedure. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Study was registered retrospectively in ClinicalTrials.gov with NCT04167592 on November 8th 2019.

Perioperative Fluid Management in Paediatric Liver Transplantation: A Systematic Review.

Perioperative fluid management remains a challenging aspect of paediatric liver transplantation (LT) because of the risk of postoperative complications and haemodynamic instability. Limited research has specifically investigated the impact of fluid management and transfusion on mortality and morbidity in pediatric LT patients. This systematic review summarizes the evidence regarding perioperative fluid management and its clinical outcomes in paediatric LT patients. All primary studies published in English evaluating perioperative fluid management in paediatric LT patients were eligible. PubMed, EBSCOHost, Embase, Proquest, and Google Scholar databases were searched from inception to December 19, 2023. Risks of bias were assessed using the Joanna-Briggs Institute checklist. The results were synthesized narratively. Five retrospective cohort studies of good-excellent quality were included in this review. Two studies evaluated intraoperative fluid administration, one study compared postoperative fluid balance (FB) with outcomes, and two studies compared massive versus non-massive transfusion. A higher mortality rate was associated with intravenous lactated ringer's (LR) than with normal saline, but not with massive transfusion (MT). Longer hospital stays were correlated with MT, >20% positive FB in the first 72 hours, and greater total intraoperative blood product administration. Higher intraoperative fluid administration was associated with a greater thrombotic risk. Additionally, intraoperative MT and lR infusion were associated with an increased risk of 30-day graft loss and graft dysfunction, respectively. Fluid management may impact the outcomes of paediatric LT recipients. These findings underscore the need for more studies to explore the best fluid management and evaluation strategies for children undergoing LT.