Emergence delirium, pain or both? A challenge for clinicians.

BACKGROUND: Children commonly display early postoperative negative behavior (e-PONB) after general anesthesia, which includes emergence delirium (ED), discomfort, temperament, and pain. However, it is often difficult for the caregiver to discriminate between various aspects of e-PONB. OBJECTIVE: This prospective observational study evaluates the possibility to distinguish between ED and pain in young children using validated pediatric observational scales in the early postoperative phase. METHODS: Following institutional approval and written consent, children undergoing elective adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy were enrolled. Following standardized anesthesia, two trained observers simultaneously evaluated children's behavior with the Paediatric Anaesthesia Emergence Delirium Scale (PAED) and with the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability scale (FLACC) at extubation, and at 5, 10, and 15 min. RESULTS: Of 150 children that completed the study, 32 (21%) had ED, 7 (5%) had pain, and 98 (65%) had simultaneously both ED and pain. The association of 'No eye contact', 'No purposeful action' and 'No awareness of surroundings' (ED1) had a sensitivity of 0.96 and a specificity of 0.80 (PPV 0.97, NPV 0.78) to identify ED. 'Inconsolability' and 'Restlessness' (ED2) had a sensitivity of 0.69 and a specificity of 0.88 (PPV 0.83 and NPV 0.78) to identify pain. CONCLUSION: It is difficult to differentiate between ED and pain using FLACC and PAED scores. 'No eye contact', 'No purposeful action', and 'No awareness of surroundings' significantly correlated with ED. 'Inconsolability' and 'Restlessness' are not reliable enough to identify pain or ED in the first 15 min after awakening.

Effects of peritoneal ropivacaine nebulization for pain control after laparoscopic gynecologic surgery.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of peritoneal cold nebulization of ropivacaine on pain control after gynecologic laparoscopy. DESIGN: Evidence obtained from a properly designed, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (Canadian Task Force classification I). SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS: One hundred thirty-five women with American Society of Anesthesiologists disease classified as ASA I-III who were scheduled to undergo operative laparoscopy. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomized to receive either nebulization of 30 mg ropivacaine before surgery (preoperative group), nebulization of 30 mg ropivacaine after surgery (postoperative group), instillation of 100 mg ropivacaine before surgery (instillation group), or instillation of saline solution (control group). Nebulization was performed using the Aeroneb Pro device. MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS: Pain scores, morphine consumption, and ambulation time were collected in the post-anesthesia care unit and at 4, 6, and 24 hours postoperatively. One hundred eighteen patients completed the study. Patients in the preoperative group reported lower pain Numeric Ranking Scale values compared with those in the control group (net difference 2 points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3-3.1 at 4 hours, 1-3 at 6 hours, and 0.7-3 at 24 hours; p = .01) Patients in the preoperative group consumed significantly less morphine than did those in the control group (net difference 7 mg; 95% CI, 0.7-13; p = .02). More patients who received nebulization walked without assistance within 12 hours after awakening than did those in the instillation and control groups (net difference 15%; 95% CI, 6%-24%; p = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Cold nebulization of ropivacaine before surgery reduced postoperative pain and morphine consumption and was associated with earlier walking without assistance.

The effects of propofol and ketamine on the cytokine levels of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The immune system of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is affected by both the underlying disease and the chemotherapy. Children with ALL receive sedation for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, which may contribute to immune competence alteration. The effects of propofol-ketamine combination on the immune system of children with ALL have not been investigated. This cohort study was designed to assess the immunomodulatory activity of the propofol-ketamine combination on proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines of children with ALL undergoing painful procedures. We enrolled 20 children with ALL undergoing bone marrow aspiration (BMA) and lumbar puncture with methotrexate. All children received sedation with IV ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) and propofol (3±2 mg/kg). Plasma concentration of cytokines interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-8, IL-12p70, and interferon-γ before sedation for BMA was represented as T0, during lumbar puncture with methotrexate sedation 6 hours after T0 was represented as T1, and 24 hours after BMA was represented as T2. Sedation with propofol-ketamine combination did not modify the plasma concentration of the most measured cytokines and the T helper 1/2 ratio in children with ALL. There was a significant reduction in IL-8 concentration 24 hours after BMA associated with the concomitant administration of steroids and methotrexate. These data suggest that sedation with propofol-ketamine combination may not affect the immediate outcome of children with ALL.

Xenon anaesthesia produces better early postoperative cognitive recovery than sevoflurane anaesthesia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Xenon anaesthesia may have the potential to reduce postoperative cognitive impairment after general anaesthesia. This randomized double-blind controlled trial was designed to compare the early postoperative cognitive recovery after xenon and sevoflurane anaesthesia. METHODS: After institutional ethics approval, we obtained informed written consent from 60 adults, with American Society of Anesthesiologists I or II status, scheduled for elective surgery with an estimated surgery time between 60 and 360 min. Patients were randomized to receive xenon or sevoflurane anaesthesia. Both groups received a remifentanil infusion adjusted to clinical needs based on patients' haemodynamic and state entropy of less than 60. In cases of state entropy of at least 60 during the first 15 min after induction, patients in the xenon group received a propofol infusion targeted to state entropy of less than 60. The primary end-point of the study was the early postoperative cognitive recovery evaluated by the Short Orientation Memory Concentration Test. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the mean preoperative Short Orientation Memory Concentration Test values between groups (sevoflurane 2.7 +/- 3.2 and xenon 3.2 +/- 2.6; P, 0.53). Awakening was significantly faster in the xenon group (sevoflurane 8 +/- 4 min and xenon 3 +/- 1 min; P < 0.001). Patients receiving xenon presented significantly lower Short Orientation Memory Concentration Test scores at 30 min (sevoflurane 6.7 +/- 5.9 and xenon 3.3 +/- 3.1; P 0.003) and 60 min (xenon 2.1 +/- 3 and sevoflurane 5 +/- 4.1; P 0.003) after extubation. CONCLUSION: Xenon anaesthesia was associated with faster emergence and with better early postoperative cognitive recovery than sevoflurane anaesthesia.

Intraoperative motor speech mapping under general anesthesia using long-latency response from laryngeal muscles.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to determine any association between preservation of long latency response evoked by electrophysiological mapping of the caudal part of the pars opercularis (inferior frontal gyrus Broca area) and postoperative speech function after tumour removal in patients under general anesthesia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twelve native Turkish-speaking patients with tumors in the dominant left frontal lobe, near the Broca area, were included in a single-center prospective cohort study. Hooked-wire electrodes were placed in both cricothyroid muscles (CTHY) before anesthesia and a monopolar electrode was used to stimulate the caudal portion of the pars opercularis of the inferior frontal gyrus before and after tumor removal. A long latency response (LLR) elicited at the contralateral (CTHY) muscle was interpreted as a positive stimulation of the Broca area. Patients received one pre-op and two post-op cognitive assessments. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used to assess global cognition and a "Cookie Theft" picture description task from the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination test was used in assessing the language functions. RESULTS: Electrical stimulation elicited a long latency response (LLR) in 9 (75 %) out of the 12 patients. The mean latency of the LLR was 50 ± 11 ms. Four (33.3 %) of the 12 patients showed temporary impairment in fluent speech postoperatively and all had full recovery during the 3-month follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: The use of electrophysiological mapping methods by using EMG recording from laryngeal muscles may help to identify the opercular part of the Broca area under general anesthesia in order to preserve fluent speech functions.

[Our bronchial blocker experiences in one lung ventilation]. / Tek akciger ventilasyonunda bronsiyal bloker deneyimlerimiz.

Recent advances in surgical techniques for thoracic have led to an increased use of one lung ventilation techniques. One lung ventilation is performed by doubled lumen tubes, fogarty catheters, Univent tubes and bronchial blockers. In this paper our bronchial blocker experiences were presented in fifteen thoracic surgery patients. Bronchial blockers were placed in fifteen patients who needed one-lung ventilation during thoracic surgery between January-April in 2007. Type of the bronchial blockers were selected randomly and total eight Cohen and seven Arndt bronchial blocker were placed. Following endotracheal intubation some of the bronchial blockers were performed at supine and the others were in lateral position to patients. Fiberoptic investigation was performed in all of the patients following lateral position. Bronchial blocker were placed in fifteen patients. In one patient who had congenital tracheal bronchus, one lung ventilation could not have been achieved by bronchial blocker. Following lateral positioning bronchial blocker of two patients were malpositioned and they were repositoned. Successfull one lung ventilation was performed by both bronchial blocker type. While the patient's airway position, postoperative period and type of the surgery have been considered, bronchial blockers may be an alternative airway device for one-lung ventilation.

Sedation and analgesia in pediatric intensive care.

Almost all children in the pediatric intensive care (PICU) need analgesia and/or sedation. Analgesics drugs are used to control pain from surgical incisions, drainages, vascular access or endotracheal suctioning. Sedatives are used to facilitate the delivery of nursing care, to facilitate mechanical ventilation, prevent self-extubation and to minimize patient discomfort. A therapeutic plan for analgesia and sedation should be established for each patient and regularly reviewed. The most often used sedation agents in PICU patients are Morphine or Fentanyl alone or in combination with Midazolam. Several other drugs should be helpful to manage PICU patients therefore techniques like regional anesthesia and patient controlled analgesia to decrease the use of intravenous analgesia and sedation and to reduce the incidence of withdrawal syndrome. The therapeutic plan for analgesia and sedation should be established for each patient and regularly reviewed. Doses of sedative agents should be titrated to produce the desired level of sedation. The level of sedation should be regularly assessed and documented using few validated sedation assessment tool. However, behavioral evaluation tools based on patient responsiveness, cannot be used during the administration of neuromuscular blocking agents. Under this conditions it could be difficult to interpret the degree of sedation. EEG derived Monitoring devices may represents an useful tools of assessing the level of sedation, but there is insufficient evidence to support the routine use of the BIS monitor in PICU.