Feasibility and outcomes of Desarda vs Lichtenstein hernioplasty by local anesthesia for inguinal hernia: a noninferiority randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: The Desarda autologous tissue repair is comparable to the Lichtenstein hernioplasty for inguinal hernia regarding recurrence, chronic groin pain, and return to work activities. This study was designed to establish the outcomes of Desarda's repair versus Lichtenstein's hernioplasty concerning post-operative recovery to normal gait and its feasibility under local anesthesia (LA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a single-center, prospective, double-blinded, non-inferiority, randomized trial. Patients undergoing open hernia repair for primary inguinal hernia were included. Patients were randomly assigned and followed up for 2 years. The primary endpoint was the time to return to normal gait post-surgery with comfort (non-inferiority margin fixed as 0.5 days). The secondary outcomes studied were post-operative pain score, the time required to return to work (all previously performed activities), and surgical-site occurrences (SSO). RESULTS: One hundred ten eligible patients were randomly assigned [56 patients (50.9%) in the Desarda group and 54 patients (49.1%) in the Lichtenstein group]. All the procedures were safely performed under LA. The median (interquartile range) time for resuming gait post-surgery with comfort was 5 days in the Desarda vs 4 days in Lichtenstein's arm (P = 0.16), thereby failing to demonstrate non-inferiority of Desarda against Lichtenstein hernioplasty. However, there were no significant differences in days to return to work, SSO, chronic groin pain, and recurrence within two years of surgery. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study could not demonstrate the non-inferiority of the Desarda repair versus Lichtenstein hernioplasty regarding the time taken to return to normal gait. Comparing the days to return to work, pain score, SSO, and chronic groin pain, including recurrence rate, Desarda repair faired equally with Lichtenstein hernioplasty, thereby highlighting its feasibility and efficacy under LA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03512366.

Effects of cognitive status on outcomes of groin hernia repair using various anesthesia techniques.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Because of increasing life expectancy, there is an increasing number of cognitively impaired older individuals undergoing surgeries such as groin hernia repair. Here, we evaluated the effects of cognitive status on postoperative complication rates in patients undergoing groin hernia repair using various anesthesia techniques. We also analyzed the rate of same-day hernia surgery in patients with cognitive decline. METHODS: Patients who presented to our general surgery clinic for unilateral or bilateral inguinal or femoral hernia were prospectively classified into general (group 1), local (group 2), and spinal (group 3) anesthesia groups. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used for preoperative evaluation of each patient's cognitive status. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate postoperative pain. Groups were compared in terms of age, MMSE and VAS scores, cognitive decline and complication rates, and surgery duration. RESULTS: In total, 33 (35.1%), 30 (31.9%), and 31 (33.0%) of 94 patients underwent surgery using general, local, and spinal anesthesia, respectively. The mean MMSE score did not differ among groups (p = 0.518). Cognitive decline was present in 18 (19.2%) patients, and the proportion did not significantly differ among groups. The complication rate did not differ between patients with and without cognitive decline. The mean surgery duration was similar among the three groups (p = 0.127). Group 2 had a lower mean postoperative VAS score, compared with the other groups (p < 0.001). Complications because of anesthesia and surgery were significantly more common in group 3 than in the other groups (p = 0.025). In the local anesthesia group, 7 patients had cognitive decline and 22 patients had normal cognition. There were no significant differences between patients with and without cognitive decline in terms of mean surgery duration (50.3 ± 15.4 min vs. 45.2 ± 10.7 min; p = 0.338) or mean VAS score (3.14 ± 0.90 vs. 3.13 ± 0.77; p = 0.985). Among the 22 and 7 patients without and with cognitive decline, 11 (50%) and 0 patients were discharged on the same day (p = 0.025). In the local anesthesia group, the respective median ages were 70, 52, and 59 years for patients with cognitive decline, patients with normal cognition discharged on the same day, and patients with normal cognition who were not discharged on the same day (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Groin hernia repair was successfully performed under local anesthesia in all patients, including older patients with cognitive decline. Patients with cognitive decline were not discharged on the day of surgery, although the mean surgery duration and postoperative VAS score did not differ between patients with and without cognitive decline. Prolonged hospitalization in patients with cognitive decline may be related to their advanced age. Further studies are needed to determine the safety of same-day surgery in patients with cognitive decline.

Laparoscopic total extra-peritoneal (TEP) inguinal hernia repair under local anesthesia by topical lidocaine injection.

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic total extra-peritoneal (TEP) inguinal hernia repair is usually performed under general anesthesia (GA) for muscle relaxation. However, TEP hernia repair may be reluctant in high-risk patients of GA. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of the TEP under GA and local anesthesia (LA). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients with inguinal hernia who underwent TEP under GA or LA in a single center from December 2016 to May 2018. The outcomes, such as demographics, duration of surgery, length of hospital stay, visual analog scale (VAS), and postoperative complications, were compared in each group. RESULTS: Seventy-six patients with inguinal hernia underwent TEP under GA (n = 52) or LA (n = 24). Total operation time (mean ± standard deviation; GA, 111.6 ± 23.0 min; LA, 76.3 ± 18.0 min; p < 0.001) and length of hospital stay (GA, 38.3 ± 11.6 min; LA, 30.3 ± 15.6 min; p < 0.014) were shorter in LA group compared to GA group. There were no significant differences in postoperative VAS (1 h, p = 0.247; 4 h, p = 0.086; 12 h, p = 0.469; 24 h, p = 0.411), postoperative adverse effects (vomiting, p = 0.570; urinary retention, p = 0.214; headache, p = 0.494), and postoperative complications (seroma, p = 0.348; scrotal edema, p = 0.178; recurrence, p = 0.822) between LA group and GA group. CONCLUSION: Compared with GA, there were no differences in postoperative pain and complications in patients who underwent TEP hernia repair under LA. Furthermore, in LA group, total operation time and length of hospital stay were shortened.

Intra-operative pain and patient satisfaction during lichtenstein repair under local anesthesia versus spinal anesthesia: an open-label randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To compare pain during surgery among patients undergoing Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repair (LIHR) under local anaesthesia (LA) and spinal anaesthesia (SA). METHOD: Patients were randomized to undergo LIHR under LA or SA. Both intra-operative and postoperative pain was measured by NRS (numerical rating scale). Postoperative pain was managed similarly in both groups using intravenous diclofenac and paracetamol. Postoperative recovery, time to discharge, and early complications were recorded. Postoperative pain was assessed at 2, 6 and 24 h from the time of skin incision. Patient satisfaction was recorded on 5-point Likert scale 24 h after surgery. RESULTS: Data of 30 patients of each group were analyzed. All patients successfully underwent operation using anaesthesia technique allocated. Median intra-operative pain was 0 (0,3) in SA and 2.5 (0,5) in LA group. In SA group, intra-operative pain did not exceed NRS 3, while in LA, pain greater than NRS 3 was reported in 30% patients. No patient required tramadol in either group during postoperative period. Minor postoperative complications were reported 9/30 (30%) in SA compared to 1/30 (3.33%) in LA group. The satisfaction rate was 67% in LA group, whereas 37% in SA group. CONCLUSION: LA should be strongly considered for all patients with unilateral inguinal hernia undergoing open repair. In spite of a slightly more severe pain during surgery, patient satisfaction was higher using LA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was conducted as a part of a postgraduate thesis research work. The protocol was submitted to the University of Delhi after approval of the IEC. Registration with the Clinical Trials Registry of India was not successfully done.

Postoperative clinical outcomes and inflammatory markers after inguinal hernia repair using local, spinal, or general anesthesia: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: No consensus has yet been reached regarding the best anesthetic technique for inguinal hernia repair. This study aimed to compare postoperative clinical outcomes and inflammatory markers among patients who were anesthetized using local, spinal, or general anesthesia for inguinal hernia repair. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial included patients scheduled to undergo elective unilateral inguinal hernioplasty at Siriraj Hospital during November 2014 to September 2015 study period. Patients were randomly assigned to the local (LA), spinal (SA), or general (GA) anesthesia groups. Primary outcomes were postoperative pain at rest and on mobilization at 8 and 24 hours after surgery. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients were included, with 18 patients randomly assigned to each group. Patient demographic and clinical characteristics were similar among groups. There were no significant differences among groups for postoperative pain at rest or on mobilization at 8 and 24 hours after surgery. No significant differences were observed for interleukin-1ß, interleukin-6, and interleukin-10 at any time points in any groups. Patients with local anesthesia was associated with less time spent in anesthesia (p = 0.010) and surgery (p = 0.009), lower intraoperative cost (p = 0.003) and total cost in hospital (p = 0.036); however, patient satisfaction in the local anesthesia group (94/100) was statistically significantly lower than the spinal and general anesthesia groups (100/100) (p = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: No statistically significant difference was observed among groups for postoperative pain scores, duration of hospital stays, complications, or change in inflammatory markers. However, time spent in anesthesia and surgery, the intraoperative cost and total cost for hernia repair, and patient satisfaction were significantly lower in the local anesthesia group than in the other two groups.

Occipital Nerve Stimulation for Refractory Pain after Occipitocervical Fusion.

Occipital nerve stimulation (ONS) is electric stimulation of the distal branches of the greater occipital nerve by cylindrical or paddle leads implanted in subcutaneous occipital tissue. This surgical option has emerged as a promising treatment for different types of disabling medical refractory headache and recently also for residual occipital and nuchal pain after previous occipitocervical fusion. The mechanisms of action have not yet been clearly explained: electrical stimulation of the occipital nerve has both peripheral and central effects on the nervous system, which may modulate nociception. ONS is a well-tolerated and safe procedure in comparison with other invasive modalities of treatment. Lead migration/dislodgement is a common complication, but use of new surgical techniques and leads may reduce the rate of this complication.

Systematic review of management of chronic pain after surgery.

BACKGROUND: Pain present for at least 3 months after a surgical procedure is considered chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) and affects 10-50 per cent of patients. Interventions for CPSP may focus on the underlying condition that indicated surgery, the aetiology of new-onset pain or be multifactorial in recognition of the diverse causes of this pain. The aim of this systematic review was to identify RCTs of interventions for the management of CPSP, and synthesize data across treatment type to estimate their effectiveness and safety. METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to March 2016. Trials of pain interventions received by patients at 3 months or more after surgery were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. RESULTS: Some 66 trials with data from 3149 participants were included. Most trials included patients with chronic pain after spinal surgery (25 trials) or phantom limb pain (21 trials). Interventions were predominantly pharmacological, including antiepileptics, capsaicin, epidural steroid injections, local anaesthetic, neurotoxins, N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists and opioids. Other interventions included acupuncture, exercise, postamputation limb liner, spinal cord stimulation, further surgery, laser therapy, magnetic stimulation, mindfulness-based stress reduction, mirror therapy and sensory discrimination training. Opportunities for meta-analysis were limited by heterogeneity. For all interventions, there was insufficient evidence to draw conclusions on effectiveness. CONCLUSION: There is a need for more evidence about interventions for CPSP. High-quality trials of multimodal interventions matched to pain characteristics are needed to provide robust evidence to guide management of CPSP.

Regional anaesthesia in thyroid surgery.

Thyroidectomy is usually performed under general anaesthesia with endotracheal intubation. Bilateral cervical plexus block has been occasionally used as sole anaesthesia technique for this operation in certain parts of world. Indications for regional anaesthesia elsewhere in the world are patient's preference and associated marked cardio-respiratory disease. This is the first report of thyroidectomy done solely under bilateral cervical plexus block in Pakistan. The patient had thyroid cancer and was medically compromised due to cardiac failure with ejection fraction of 25%. Bilateral cervical plexus block was performed to avoid the high risk with general anaesthesia. Total thyroidectomy was done while patient remained painfree during the procedure and top-up local anaesthetic infiltration was not required. Patient remained stable without any morbidity. Positive experience from this case indicates that regional anaesthesia with monitored anaesthesia care is safer than general anaesthesia in high risk patients and could be offered to selective thyroidectomy candidates.

Decreased narcotic use with an implantable local anesthetic catheter after deep inferior epigastric perforator flap breast reconstruction.

This study evaluated narcotic use after deep inferior epigastric perforator flap breast reconstruction when a local anesthetic catheter was used. A retrospective analysis was performed comparing 40 consecutive control patients (no catheter) to 40 consecutive study patients who had received a pain pump catheter. The catheter was left in the abdomen for 72 hours. Using an equianalgesic table, all narcotic doses (oral and intravenous) were converted to intravenous morphine equivalents. Initial average 24-hour morphine requirement for the control group was 42 mg compared with 33 mg for the study group (P = 0.04). Total hospitalization average morphine requirement for the control group was 71 mg compared with 55 mg for the catheter group (P = 0.03). The use of an implantable local anesthetic catheter placed in the abdomen can decrease narcotic use in the postoperative period after deep inferior epigastric perforator flap breast reconstruction.

Spinal cord stimulation for patients with failed back surgery syndrome: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Failed back surgery syndrome is common in the United States. Management of post lumbar surgery syndrome with multiple modalities includes interventional techniques, resulting in moderate improvement, leaving a proportion of patients in intractable pain. The systematic reviews of long-term benefits and risks of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for patients with failed back surgery syndrome showed limited to moderate evidence and cost effectiveness. However, with the exponential increase in surgery in the United States, spinal cord implants are also increasing. Thus, the discussion continues with claims of lack of evidence on one hand and escalating increases in utilization on the other hand. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of SCS in patients with failed back surgery syndrome. OBJECTIVES: This systematic review is undertaken to examine the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies to evaluate the effectiveness of SCS in post lumbar surgery syndrome and to demonstrate clinical and cost effectiveness. METHODS: Review of the literature was performed according to the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Review Group Criteria as utilized for interventional techniques for randomized trials and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) criteria for observational studies. The 5 levels of evidence were classified as Level I, II, or III with 3 subcategories in Level II based on the quality of evidence developed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Data sources included relevant literature of the English language identified through searches of PubMed and EMBASE from 1966 to December 2008, and manual searches of bibliographies of known primary and review articles. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was pain relief (short-term relief < or = one-year and long-term > one-year). Secondary outcome measures of improvement in functional status, psychological status, return to work, and reduction in opioid intake were utilized. RESULTS: The indicated evidence is Level II-1 or II-2 for long-term relief in managing patients with failed back surgery syndrome. LIMITATIONS: The limitations of this review included the paucity and heterogeneity of the literature. CONCLUSION: This systematic review evaluating the effectiveness of SCS in relieving chronic intractable pain of failed back surgery syndrome indicated the evidence to be Level II-1 or II-2 for clinical use on a long-term basis.

Revision peripheral nerve surgery.

The treatment of chronic neuropathic pain with revision surgical procedures can be beneficial. A thorough evaluation can help to guide treatment to optimize outcome. With an increasing understanding of the pain-generating mechanisms and the appropriate application of surgical interventions, quality of life and function continues to be improved in patients who have otherwise significant disability.

Hybrid alumina total hip arthroplasty using a press-fit metal-backed socket in patients younger than 55 years. A six- to 11-year evaluation.

Between 1990 and 1992, we implanted 71 hybrid alumina-on-alumina hip arthroplasties in 62 consecutive patients under the age of 55 years, with a mean age of 46 years at surgery. There were 56 primary and 15 secondary procedures. The prostheses involved a cemented titanium alloy stem, a 32 mm alumina head, and a press-fit metal-backed socket with an alumina insert. Three patients (four hips) died from unrelated causes. Four hips had revision surgery for either deep infection, unexplained persistent pain, fracture of the alumina head, or aseptic loosening of the socket. The nine-year survival rate was 93.7% with revision for any cause as the end-point and 98.4% with revision for aseptic loosening as the end-point. The outcome in the surviving patients (50 patients, 57 hips) with a minimum five-year follow-up (mean eight years) was excellent in 47 hips (82.5%), very good in eight (14%), good in one and fair in one. A thin, partial, lucent line, mainly in zone III was present in 38% of the sockets and one socket had a complete lucency less than 1 mm thick. One stem had isolated femoral osteolysis. There was no detectable component migration nor acetabular osteolysis. This hybrid arthroplasty gave satisfactory medium-term results in active patients. The press-fit metal-backed socket appeared to have reliable fixation in alumina-on-alumina hip arthroplasty. The excellent results using cemented fixation of the stem may be related to the low production of wear debris.

Conservative management of phantom-limb and amputation-stump pain.

The causes of pain in the amputation stump or in the so-called phantom limb are far from clear and a wide variety of methods of treatment have been used with varying degrees of success. Surgical techniques do not always give lasting relief and it is suggested that conservative methods such as vibration therapy and various forms of electrical stimulation may prove more helpful.