Anesthesia and surgery in very precarious conditions. Clinical cases.

We performed herniorrhaphy on 21 children (4 of them infants) and 3 adults, in very precarious conditions, in a hospital in a economically depressed area of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Anesthesia technique used in adults was subarachnoid and intravenous and intramuscular ketamine in children. Ketamine is an irreplaceable anesthetic in many parts of the world without resources, where the minimum safety means are not available. Knowing the simple anesthetic techniques, but with less risk, can also be useful in resourceful places, in unexpected situations. Greater solidarity is needed, both from anesthesia societies and from anesthesiologists, to alleviate the great deficiencies in well-trained professionals and means in places without resources.

Anestesia y cirugía en condiciones muy precarias. Casos clínicos / Anesthesia and surgery in very precarious conditions. Clinical cases

A 21 niños (4 de ellos lactantes) y 3 adultos les fueron realizadas herniorrafias inguinales, en condiciones muy precarias, en un hospital de un área económicamente deprimida de la República Democrática del Congo. Se empleó anestesia subaracnoidea en los adultos y ketamina por vía intravenosa e intramuscular en los niños.La ketamina es un anestésico insustituible en muchos lugares del mundo sin recursos, en los que no se dispone de los mínimos medios de seguridad. Conocer las técnicas anestésicas simples, pero de menor riesgo, puede resultar también útil en sitios con recursos ante situaciones inesperadas. De manera general, hace falta una mayor solidaridad, tanto de las sociedades de anestesia como de los anestesiólogos, para paliar las grandes carencias en medios y profesionales bien formados en lugares sin recursos.(AU)

We performed herniorrhaphy on 21 children (4 of them infants) and 3 adults, in very precarious conditions, in a hospital in a economically depressed area of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Anesthesia technique used in adults was subarachnoid and intravenous and intramuscular ketamine in children.Ketamine is an irreplaceable anesthetic in many parts of the world without resources, where the minimum safety means are not available. Knowing the simple anesthetic techniques, but with less risk, can also be useful in resourceful places, in unexpected situations. Greater solidarity is needed, both from anesthesia societies and from anesthesiologists, to alleviate the great deficiencies in well-trained professionals and means in places without resources.(AU)