Inferior rectus paresis and medial rectus overaction following retrobulbar anesthesia for cataract surgery.

Strabismus is a well recognized complication of retrobulbar anesthesia for cataract surgery. This may manifest as either paresis or sometimes contracture (overaction) in the late stage. Management of the patient is tailored to the individual case. Herein, we report a patient with inferior rectus paresis and medial rectus overaction after retrobulbar anesthesia. The presenting symptom was diplopia increasing on downgaze, which improved with medial rectus recession and plication of the inferior rectus.

Effect of slow and fast pranayams on reaction time and cardiorespiratory variables.

We planned to undertake a comparative study of the effect of short term (three weeks) training in savitri (slow breathing) and bhastrika (fast breathing) pranayams on respiratory pressures and endurance, reaction time, blood pressure, heart rate, rate-pressure product and double product. Thirty student volunteers were divided into two groups of fifteen each. Group I was given training in savitri pranayam that involves slow, rhythmic, and deep breathing. Group II was given training in bhastrika pranayam, which is bellows-type rapid and deep breathing. Parameters were measured before and after three week training period. Savitri pranayam produced a significant increase in respiratory pressures and respiratory endurance. In both the groups, there was an appreciable but statistically insignificant shortening of reaction time. Heart rate, rate-pressure product and double product decreased in savitri pranayam group but increased significantly in bhastrika group. It is concluded that different types of pranayams produce different physiological responses in normal young volunteers.

Modulation of stress induced by isometric handgrip test in hypertensive patients following yogic relaxation training.

13 essential hypertensive patients aged 41 to 60 years were given yoga training for 60 min daily, Monday through Saturday, for a total duration of 4 weeks. Blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were measured with non-invasive semi-automatic blood pressure monitor. Measurements were recorded before the training and at weekly intervals during the 4 week training period. Results of our study show a significant (P<0.001) reduction in resting HR and rate-pressure-product (RPP) after 2 weeks of yoga training. Systolic pressure (SP), diastolic pressure (DP) (P<0.001) and mean pressure (MP) (P<0.05) showed a significant reduction at 3 weeks of training period. After 4 weeks of training, there was further fall in SP, DP, pulse pressure (PP) (P<0.05), MP (P<0.001), HR and RPP. Isometric handgrip test before yoga training produced a significant rise in SP and MP and insignificant rise in DP, HR and RPP. After yoga training, there was a significant rise in all these parameters. Our results show that yoga training optimises the sympathetic response to stressful stimuli like isometric handgrip test and restores the autonomic regulatory reflex mechanisms in hypertensive patients.

Effect of pranayam training on cardiac function in normal young volunteers.

Systolic time intervals (STI) are non-invasive and sensitive tests for measuring the ventricular performance. It has been reported that practice of pranayam modulates cardiac autonomic status and improves cardio-respiratory functions. Keeping this in view, the present study was designed to determine whether pranayam training has any effect on ventricular performance as measured by STI and cardiac autonomic function tests (AFT). Twenty four school children were randomly divided into two groups of twelve each. Group I (pranayam group) subjects were given training in nadishuddhi, mukh-bhastrika, pranav and savitri pranayams and practiced the same for 20 minutes daily for a duration of 3 months. Group II (control group) subjects were not given any pranayam training. STI (QS2, LVET and PEP) and AFT (RRIV and QT/QS2) were measured in both the groups at the beginning and again at the end of three months study period. Pranayam training produced an increase in RRIV and a decrease in QT/QS2, suggesting an enhanced parasympathetic and blunted sympathetic activity respectively. QS2, PEP and PEP/LVET increased significantly, whereas LVET was reduced significantly in pranayam group. In contrast, the changes in STI and AFT were much less marked in the control group. Our study shows that three months of pranayam training modulates ventricular performance by increasing parasympathetic activity and decreasing sympathetic activity. Further studies on a larger sample size may illustrate the underlying mechanism(s) involved in this alteration.

Depolarizing neuromuscular junctional blocking action of Parthenium hysterophorus leaf extracts in rat.

Electromyographic (EMG) and electrodiagnostic studies were made on sciatic nerve-anterior tibialis muscle in vivo in rats administered with a sublethal dose of Parthenium hysterophorus dry leaf powder 100 mg/100 g body weight of rat. Nerve-evoked and muscle-evoked compound muscle action potentials were recorded at different frequencies of stimulations and at different time intervals. The EMG studies revealed depolarizing neuromuscular junctional (NMJ) blocking effects of the leaf extract. The decrement-increment (D-I) phenomena and the EMG pattern in general showed a resemblance to an established anticholinesterase agent like neostigmine. The studies confirm that the leaf extract contains a proven and promising new depolarizing NMJ blocker.