Comparing Thoracic Epidural Anaesthesia to Rectus Sheath Catheter Analgesia for Postoperative Pain After Major Abdominal Surgeries: A Systematic Review.

Controlling postoperative pain is essential for the greatest recovery following major abdominal surgery. Thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) has traditionally been considered the preferred method of providing pain relief after major abdominal surgeries. Thoracic epidural analgesia has a wide range of complications, including residual motor blockade, hypotension, urine retention with the need for urinary catheterisation, tethering to infusion pumps, and occasional failure rates. In recent years, rectus sheath catheter (RSC) analgesia has been gaining popularity. The purpose of this review is to compare the effectiveness of TEA and RSC in reducing pain following major abdominal surgeries. Four randomised controlled trials (RCTs) reporting outcomes of the visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score were included according to the set criteria. A total of 351 patients undergoing major abdominal surgery were included in this meta-analysis. There were 176 patients in the TEA group and 175 patients in the RSC group. In the random effect model analysis, there was no significant difference in VAS pain score in 24 hours at rest (standardised mean difference (SMD) -0.46; 95% CI -1.21 to 0.29; z=1.20, P=0.23) and movement (SMD -0.64; 95% CI -1.69 to -0.14; z=1.19, P=0.23) between TEA and RSC. Similarly, there was no significant difference in pain score after 48 hours at rest (SMD -0.14; 95% CI -0.36 to 0.08; z=1.29, P=0.20) or movement (SMD -0.69; 95% CI -2.03 to 0.64; z=1.02, P=0.31). In conclusion, our findings show that there was no significant difference in pain score between TEA and RSC following major abdominal surgery, and we suggest that both approaches can be used effectively according to the choice and expertise available.

Appendiceal Foreign Bodies in Adults: A Systematic Review of Case Reports.

Adults can accidentally swallow foreign bodies (FBs) with food. In rare occasions, these can lodge in the appendix lumen causing inflammation. This is known as foreign body appendicitis. We conducted this study to review different types and management of appendiceal FBs. A comprehensive search on PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar was performed to detect appropriate case reports for this review. Case reports eligible for this review included patients above 18 years of age with all types of FB ingestion causing appendicitis. A total of 64 case reports were deemed to be eligible for inclusion in this systematic review. The patient mean age was 44.3 ± 16.7 years (range, 18-77). Twenty-four foreign bodies were identified in the adult appendix. They were mainly lead shot pellet, fishbone, dental crown or filling, toothpick, and others. Forty-two percent of the included patients presented with classic appendicitis pain, while 17% were asymptomatic. Moreover, the appendix was perforated in 11 patients. Regarding modalities used for diagnosis, computed tomography (CT) scans confirmed the presence of FBs in 59% of cases while X-ray only managed to detect 30%. Almost all of the cases (91%) were treated surgically with appendicectomy and only six were managed conservatively. Overall, lead shot pellets were the most common foreign body found. Fishbone and toothpick accounted for most of the perforated appendix cases. This study concludes that prophylactic appendicectomy is recommended for the management of foreign bodies detected in the appendix, even if the patient is asymptomatic.

Duodenal ulcer perforation and its consequences.

Duodenal ulcer perforation, a frequent surgical emergency, needs simple closure with indirect Graham's Omentopexy which is effective with excellent results in majority of cases despite patients' late presentation. The objective of the study was to determine the frequency of postoperative complications of perforated duodenal ulcer, conducted in the Surgery Department, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from March 20, 2018 to September 20, 2018. The study was a descriptive case series of 108 patients of both genders with perforated duodenal ulcer > 1 week old with ASA score I & II. Patients with trauma and comorbidities were excluded. The patients underwent laparotomy and peritoneal toilet, and after noting the site of perforation indirect Graham's Omentopexy was performed. Complications like duodenal fistula, peritonitis, and paralytic ileus, and patient's death within 10 days of surgery were noted. Age ranged from 18 to 50 years with mean age of 35.027±5.13 years, mean weight 71.120±12.77 kg, mean height 1.541 ±0.09 metres, mean BMI 29.975±4.99 kg/m2, and the mean duration of complaint was 4.194±1.30 weeks. Male predominance in 75 (69.4%) patients. Duodenal fistula was seen in 10 (9.3%) patients, peritonitis 12 (11.1%), paralytic ileus 14 (13%) and mortality was in 11 (10.2%) patients.