Cross-sectional Study on Assessment of First-pass Success of Video Laryngoscope Intubation in General Anesthesia Patients.

Traditional Direct laryngoscope (DL) has been used by anesthesiologist during intubation for general anesthesia patients for more than a century. Video laryngoscope (VL) helps in better visualization of laryngeal orifice during intubation and reduces intubation time. This was a cross sectional study conducted in two Asian Hospitals Queen Elizabeth II hospital of Kotakinabalu, Malaysia and King Faisal Hospital Taif of Saudi Arabia to assess the first-pass success of video laryngoscope and to compare with direct laryngoscope from July 2015 to December 2017. Random lottery technique was applied for sampling. Participants of both groups (VL and DL) were enrolled by simple lottery method. Total 146 patients were enrolled with a set inclusion criterion. Mallampati class, mouth opening, thyromental distance and mobility of atlantooccipital junction were set as predictors of first-pass success. The first-pass success was 98.7% in mallampati II patients and 92.8% in mallampati III patients. Average success rate was 95.75%. The mean success rate of VL and DL was compared and was found VL had a significantly better first-pass success rate than DL (p<0.05).

A quick and effective method of limb preparation with health, safety and efficiency benefits.

INTRODUCTION: Pre-operative limb preparation (PLP) usually involves lifting the limb and holding it in a fixed 'static' posture for several minutes. This is hazardous to theatre staff. Furthermore, 'painting' the limb can be time consuming and difficult areas such as between toes and fingers may remain unsterile. We demonstrate the time efficiency and asepsis achieved using the 'sterile bag' preparation technique. An additional advantage is the ability to prepare and anaesthetise a limb prior to theatre, increasing efficiency substantially for units with a large throughput of cases, such as day-case hand surgery lists. METHODS: We monitored the duration of PLP in 20 patients using the 'sterile bag' technique compared to 20 patients using a conventional 'painting' method. Additionally, microbiology samples acquired from prepared upper limbs of 27 sequential patients operated on by a single surgeon over a two-month period were sent for culture immediately prior to commencement of surgery. RESULTS: The mean duration of the 'sterile bag' PLP was significantly lower than that of the conventional method (24 seconds vs 85 seconds, p=0.045). The technique can take as little as ten seconds (n=1). Final microbiology reports showed no growth for any of the 27 patients from whom a culture sample was taken. CONCLUSIONS: The sterile bag technique is effective in achieving asepsis, has the potential to increase theatre efficiency and reduces manual handling hazards compared to the conventional method. It is now taught to all theatre staff in our hospital during manual handling training. It can be undertaken in approximately ten seconds with practice for the upper limb.

Congenital vascular malformation associated with multiple cranial, vertebral and upper limb skeletal abnormalities.

The association between congenital vascular malformations and altered bone growth, the so-called vascular bone syndrome, is well documented. Various eponymous syndromes each with their individual traits, such as Klippel-Trenaunay, Parkes-Weber and Servelle-Martorell syndrome have been described, along with variations. We report on a previously undescribed case of congenital vascular malformation associated with multiple skeletal abnormalities affecting the skull, vertebrae and right upper limb, and discuss the literature.

A pilot study of dental caries status in relation to knowledge, attitudes and practices in oral health in Myanmar.

This study was to determine the dental caries prevalence among the Myanmar population, and to investigate the correlations between oral clinical indices and knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) on oral health. Subjects were randomly selected from 140,000 people residing in the Kyauktan township in a cross-sectional community-based study. The present analysis was confined to 739 subjects (353 males and 386 females) aged 12, 35-44 and 65-74 years, who were divided into two specified groups based on urban or rural location. KAP on oral health data and social demographic information were collected, while dental caries status was assessed by DMFT. The mean number of decayed teeth (DT) in rural areas was higher than that in urban areas, while the mean number of filled teeth (FT) in rural areas was lower than that in urban areas. Mean knowledge and attitude scores for correct answers were also significantly higher for the urban than the rural subjects. There were statistically significant correlations between the correct/incorrect responses to knowledge and attitude questionnaires on oral health and the mean number of DMFT. KAP pertaining to oral health of Myanmar population, especially those of rural subjects, might not be satisfactory and related to threaten their dental caries status.

The use of legal action in New York City to ensure treatment of tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: After an increase in the number of cases of tuberculosis, New York City passed regulations to address the problem of nonadherence to treatment regimens. The commissioner of health can issue orders compelling a person to be examined for tuberculosis, to complete treatment, to receive treatment under direct observation, or to be detained for treatment. On the basis of a review of patients' records, we evaluated the use of these legal actions between April 1993 and April 1995. RESULTS: Among more than 8000 patients with tuberculosis, regulatory orders were issued for less than 4 percent. Among patients with a variety of social problems, only a minority required regulatory intervention: 10 percent of those with injection-drug use, 16 percent of those with alcohol abuse, 17 percent of those who were homeless, 29 percent of those who used "crack" cocaine, and 38 percent of those with a history of incarceration. A total of 150 patients were ordered to undergo directly observed therapy, 139 patients to be detained during therapy, 12 patients to be examined for tuberculosis, and 3 patients to complete treatment. These 304 patients had a median of three prior hospitalizations related to tuberculosis and one episode of leaving the hospital against medical advice. Repeatedly noncompliant patients and those who left the hospital against medical advice were more likely than others to be detained. The median length of detention was 3 weeks for infectious patients and 28 weeks for noninfectious patients. As compared with patients ordered to receive directly observed therapy, the patients who were detained remained infectious longer, had left hospitals against medical advice more often, and were less likely to accept directly observed therapy voluntarily. Altogether, excluding those who died or moved, 96 percent of the patients completed treatment, and 2 percent continued to receive treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. CONCLUSIONS: For most patients with tuberculosis, even those with severe social problems, completion of treatment can usually be achieved without regulatory intervention. Patients were detained on the basis of their history of tuberculosis, rather than on the basis of their social characteristics, and the less restrictive measure of mandatory directly observed therapy was often effective.

A multi-institutional outbreak of highly drug-resistant tuberculosis: epidemiology and clinical outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a multi-institutional outbreak of highly resistant tuberculosis and evaluate patient outcome. DESIGN: Epidemiologic investigation of every tuberculosis case reported in New York City. SETTING: Patients cared for at all public and nonpublic institutions from January 1, 1990, to August 1, 1993 (43 months). PATIENTS: We reviewed medical and public health records and conducted clinical, epidemiologic, drug susceptibility, and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses. A case was defined as tuberculosis in a patient with an isolate resistant to isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol hydrochloride, and streptomycin (and rifabutin, if sensitivity testing included it), and, if RFLP testing was done, a pattern identical to or closely related to strain W. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient survival and the conversion of sputum cultures from positive to negative. RESULTS: Of the 357 patients who met the case definition, 267 had identical or nearly identical RFLP patterns; isolates from the other 90 patients were not available for RFLP testing. Among these 267 patients, 86% were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected, 7% were HIV-negative, and 7% had unknown HIV status. All-cause mortality was 83%. Epidemiologic linkages were identified for 70% of patients, of whom 96% likely had nosocomially acquired disease at 11 hospitals. Survival was prolonged among patients who received medications to which their isolate was susceptible, especially capreomycin sulfate, and among patients with a CD4+ T-lymphocyte count greater than 0.200 x 10(9)/L (200/microL). Treatment with isoniazid and a fluoroquinolone antibiotic was also independently associated with longer survival. CONCLUSIONS: This outbreak accounted for nearly one fourth of the cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in the United States during a 43-month period. Most patients had nosocomially acquired disease, were infected with HIV, and unless promptly and appropriately treated, died rapidly. With appropriate directly observed treatment, especially combinations including an injectable medication, even severely immunocompromised patients had culture conversion and prolonged, tuberculosis-free survival.