Assessing knowledge of dental house officers regarding dosage calculation and complications of local anaesthesia, in three tertiary care dental hospitals of DUHS, Karachi.

Objectives: To assess the knowledge and awareness of dental house officers regarding calculation of local anaesthesia dosage, and to evaluate differences in practices at various tertiary care facilities. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted at three dental hospitals affiliated with Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi from July to December 2022, and comprised house officers of either gender currently enrolled at the participating centres. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire to assess knowledge and awareness of local anaesthesia dosage calculation, administration methods, and common complications. Data was analysed using SPSS 26. RESULTS: Of the 200 subjects approached, 136(68%) responded, and 89(65.4%) of them were females. Knowledge regarding the meaning of 2% lidocaine solution was low 45(33%), and 68(50%) subjects were knowledgeable about the maximum dosage of lidocaine with epinephrine. In terms of practice, lidocaine was the most commonly administered local anaesthetic 115(85%), followed by bupivacaine 15(11%). The majority of subjects administered local anaesthesia with vasoconstrictor 127(94%), but only 36(27%) performed aspiration during administration. Syncope 71(52%) was the most commonly reported complication, followed by lip/cheek/tongue biting by 35(26%). CONCLUSIONS: House officers' knowledge level of local anaesthesia administration indicated the need for adequate training.

Efficacy of intrauterine device procedural analgesics.

ABSTRACT: Nearly half of all pregnancies worldwide are unintended. Intrauterine devices are an effective, long-acting form of pregnancy prevention that require minimal maintenance, and also can be used in patients with menorrhagia. However, they are underused because of pain associated with their insertion. Topical and local anesthesia are good options for reducing procedural pain in select patients. IUD placement falls within the scope of practice for physician associates/assistants (PAs) practicing in family medicine, internal medicine, and women's health. PAs should be aware of these additional analgesia options available to patients in order to increase use of effective contraception.

Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus under general anesthesia versus local anesthesia in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) stands as the preferred treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD) patients manifesting refractory motor symptoms or when medication side effects outweigh the benefits. Though traditionally administered under local anesthesia coupled with sedation (LA + S), recent evidence hints at comparable outcomes under general anesthesia (GA). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to scrutinize post-surgical outcomes in randomized PD patients undergoing DBS surgery while GA versus LA + S. We searched PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases following PRISMA guidelines. We included randomized studies directly comparing DBS surgery under GA versus LA + S, delineating clinical outcomes. Safety outcomes assessed disparities in infection and hemorrhage risk. Mean differences (MD) and Risk Differences (RD) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were utilized to evaluate outcomes, under a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was evaluated through I² statistics, and in studies exhibiting high heterogeneity, exclusion analysis was performed. Evaluated outcomes encompassed motor improvement, complications, behavioral and mood effects gauged by the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire 39 (PDQ39), and daily levodopa equivalent dose (LEDD). A total of 3 studies, encompassing 203 patients, were reviewed. At a 6-month follow-up, in patients undergoing GA during surgery, there was no statistically significant difference compared to the LA + S group in terms of UPDRS III ON (MD 0.19; 95% CI -2.21 to 2.59; p = 0.88; I²=0%), UPDRS III OFF (MD 0.58; 95% CI -4.30 to 5.45; p = 0.21; I²=0%), UPDRS IV ON ( (MD 0.98; 95% CI -0.95 to 2.92; p = 0.32; I²=23%), PDQ39 (MD -1.27; 95% CI -6.31 to 3.77; p = 0.62; I²=0%), and LEDD (MD -1.99; 95% CI -77.88 to 73.90; p = 0.96; I²=32%). There was no statistically significant difference between groups in terms of infection (RD 0.02; 95% CI -0.02 to 0.05; p = 0.377; I²=0%) or hemorrhage (RD 0.04; 95% CI -0.03 to 0.11; p = 0.215; I²=0%). Our findings suggest, based on short-term follow-up, that GA is not inferior to LA + S in terms of benefits for the selected outcomes. However, further studies are needed to determine whether there are significant long-term clinical differences between these groups.

Patient-Experience of Trapeziectomy for Trapeziometacarpal Osteoarthritis in Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia no Tourniquet, 2-Year Follow-up.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this study was to assess the patient experience of trapeziectomy under WALANT for trapeziometacarpal joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis (OA) in a prospective study with 2-year follow-up. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 23 patients with TMJ OA undergoing trapeziectomy with WALANT. All patients were seen by a hand therapist preoperatively and at 3, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. At each visit, VAS pain scores, thumb range of motion, grip strength, and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score were assessed. The Picker Patient Experience (PPE-15) questionnaire was administered within 2 weeks of surgery. RESULTS: All 23 patients completed the PPE-15 questionnaire. Their mean age was 64 years. The 21 patients who remained at the 24-month follow-up all said they would choose the same anaesthesia method again. At this follow-up, VAS pain scores, thumb range of motion, key pinch grip and DASH scores had improved significantly, while thumb opposition and hand grip strength remained largely unchanged. The majority of patients felt well informed before and during the procedure, and all patients rated pain relief as good or satisfactory. Nearly 40% of patients reported receiving inadequate information about the postoperative medications. DISCUSSION: Patients have a positive attitude to trapeziectomy with WALANT, and seem to prefer WALANT over other methods of anaesthesia. Trapeziectomy with WALANT for TMJ OA is a safe procedure and appears to give a functional outcome similar to trapeziectomy under general anaesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: Trapeziectomy with WALANT for TMJ OA is safe, preferred by patients and has similar clinical outcome as trapeziectomy in general anesthesia. KEY WORDS: trapeziectomy, osteoarthritis, WALANT.

A comparative evaluation of the efficiency of warm local anesthetic solution delivered on precooled injection sites with the conventional local anesthetic technique in 7-9-year-old children: A randomized split-mouth cross-over trial.

BACKGROUND: Both precooling the site and injecting a warm anesthetic solution have proven to be efficient in reducing pain individually. However, there is insufficient data on evaluating the efficiency of precooling the site of injection along with the simultaneous administration of a warm local anesthetic solution on the same site in a single patient. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy, pain perception, hemodynamic changes, and adverse effects of a warm local anesthetic solution injected on precooled injection sites using 2% lignocaine with the conventional local anesthetic technique during inferior alveolar nerve block in 7-9-year-old children. METHODS: A split-mouth, double-blinded, randomized clinical trial was conducted on 70 children who received 2% lignocaine with either technique A or B during the first or second appointment of the treatment procedure. The pain perception, anesthetic efficacy, pulse rate, oxygen saturation levels, and adverse events were evaluated. RESULTS: Pain during injection and treatment after administration of the warm local anesthesia (LA) technique was less as compared to the conventional block technique. Anesthetic success was observed with a faster onset of action (212.57 ± 32.51 s) and shorter duration of LA (165.16 ± 33.09 min) in the warm local technique as compared to the conventional technique. No significant differences were found with regard to heart rate and oxygen saturation levels between the two techniques. Administrating warm LA solutions at precooled injection sites revealed fewer adverse events. CONCLUSION: Injecting warm LA solution on precooled injection sites causes less discomfort and anxiety in children, which makes it more suitable for the child as well as the pediatric dentist.

[Effects of cortical bone thickness and jaw bone density on pain during implant surgery].

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of different cortical bone thickness and jaw bone density at implant sites on intraoperative pain during implant surgery. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-seven patients(263 implant sites) who underwent implant placement surgery at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from August 2021 to August 2022 were selected to investigate the effects of different cortical bone thickness and jaw bone density HU values at implant sites on the anesthetic effect under local infiltration anesthesia with epinephrine in articaine. SPSS 26.0 software package was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The mean cortical bone thickness at the painful sites[(3.90±1.36) mm] was significantly greater than that at the non-painful sites [(2.24±0.66) mm], and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05). The differences in cortical bone thickness in the mandibular anterior, premolar, and molar regions were statistically significant in the comparison of pain and non-pain sites. The mean HU value of bone density was (764.46±239.75) for the painful sites and (612.23±235.31) for the non-painful sites, with significant difference(P＜0.05). The difference was not significant(P＞0.05) when comparing the HU values of painful sites with non-painful sites in the mandibular anterior teeth and anterior molar region, while the difference was significant(P＜0.05) when comparing the HU values of painful sites with non-painful sites in the mandibular molar region. CONCLUSIONS: Sites with large cortical bone thickness have a greater effect on blocking infiltrative anesthetic penetration and are more prone to intraoperative pain during implantation. In the mandibular anterior and premolar regions, the HU value of the implant sites had less effect on infiltrative anesthetic penetration, and the effect was greater in the mandibular molar region, and the implant sites with high HU values in the mandibular molar region were more likely to have intraoperative pain. When the cortical bone thickness in the planned implant site is greater than 3.9 mm and the mean bone density in the mandibular molar region is greater than 665 HU. If there is sufficient safe distance for hole operation, it is recommended to apply mandibular nerve block anesthesia combined with articaine infiltration anesthesia to avoid intraoperative pain and bad surgical experience for the patients.

Clinical value of ultrasound-guided full-needle path anesthesia in transperineal prostate biopsy: An observational study.

BACKGROUND: The pain sensation in a transperineal prostate biopsy was obvious. This study explored the clinical value of ultrasound-guided full-needle path anesthesia in transperineal prostate biopsy. METHODS: Two hundred patients who underwent ultrasound-guided transperineal prostate biopsy at our department were randomly divided into 2 groups. The control group received routine local infiltration anesthesia, and the experimental group received ultrasound-guided full-needle path anesthesia. Immediately after biopsy, visual analog scoring was used to evaluate pain during the biopsy process. Seven days postbiopsy, telephone follow-up revealed symptoms, such as hematuria and discomfort during urination. The measured data were expressed as x ±â€…s. The 2 groups were compared using the t test, and the differences were statistically significant (P < .05). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, or prostate volume between the 2 groups, and all patients underwent prostate biopsy. The pain score of visual analog score was (2.55 ±â€…0.88), urination discomfort was (1.86 ±â€…0.67) days and hematuria time was (2.87 ±â€…0.91) days in the experimental group after biopsy. In the control group, the pain score of visual analog scale was (4.32 ±â€…0.94), the urination discomfort was (2.3 ±â€…0.77) days, and the hematuria time was (2.85 ±â€…0.83) days. Pain scores and urination discomfort were compared between the 2 groups (P < .01). Pain and urination discomfort associated with prostate biopsy in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided full needle path anesthesia can alleviate pain sensation in patients undergoing transperineal prostate biopsy and has high clinical value.

The use of laser photobiomodulation as pre-anesthetic tissue management technique in reducing injection pain in children.

BACKGROUND: One of the main goals for pediatric dentists is to offer a painless anesthesia experience. Laser photobiomodulation is among the suggested strategies to decrease injection pain. So, this study aimed to assess the impact of laser photobiomodulation on local anesthesia (LA) injection pain in children and its effect on the efficacy of LA during pulpotomy and SSC procedures. METHODS: The research was carried out as a randomized controlled clinical trial with two parallel group design. It involved 64 cooperative healthy children, age range from 5 to 7 years, each having at least one maxillary molar indicated for pulpotomy. Children were randomly allocated to one of the two groups based on the pre-anesthetic tissue management technique used: test group received laser photobiomodulation, while control group received topical anesthetic gel. Pain during injection, pulpotomy, and SSC procedures was assessed using physiological measures (Heart Rate (HR)), subjective evaluation (modified Face-Pain-Scale (FPS), and objective analysis (Sound-Eye-Motor scale (SEM)). RESULTS: A total of 64 children with mean age 6.23 ± 0.78 participated in this research. The mean HR scores were significantly lower in the laser PBM group during buccal and palatal infiltration injections. The SEM mean scores were significantly lower in the laser PBM group during both injections. For the FPS scale, the number of children who recorded satisfaction during injection was significantly higher in laser PBM group. There was no statistically significant difference in mean HR as well as in SEM and FPS scores between the two groups during pulpotomy and SSC procedures. Comparisons between the two study groups were performed using independent samples t- and Mann-Whitney U tests. Significance was set at p value < 0.05. CONCLUSION: Laser photobiomodulation is a promising non-pharmacological pre-anesthetic tissue management technique in children that offered less painful injection compared to topical anesthetic gel without compromising the effectiveness of LA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05861154. Registered on 16/5/2023.

Retrospective Evaluation of the Effects of Local Anesthesia Before Tooth Extraction Procedures under General Anesthesia on Physiologic Parameters and Postoperative Bleeding in Children.

BACKGROUND: Studies have been conducted to evaluate changes in hemodynamics, postoperative bleeding, and pain in pediatric dental patients receiving general anesthesia (GA). However, a limited number of studies have evaluated the effects of local anesthetics (LA) on tooth extraction procedures during GA. There is no consensus in the literature regarding LA application in the perioperative period for dental treatments performed within the scope of GA. AIM: This study aimed to determine the retrospective physiologic effects of fluctuations in vital signs and postoperative bleeding in children who did or did not receive LA for tooth extraction under GA. METHODS: A retrospective evaluation of 77 patients aged 5.16 ± 1.85 years who had the extraction of primary posterior teeth with or without LA under GA were reviewed in the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) for postoperative bleeding and the effects of intraoperative LA on fluctuations in postoperative parameters such as mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), respiratory rate (RR), and the end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2). These were compiled from the patient records of the procedures. RESULTS: Significant differences between the baseline and peak MAP (P < 0.001), HR (P = 0.011), and EtCO2 (P = 0.002) were noted in children without LA compared to those who had LA. In addition, substantial variations were observed between the baseline and peak values for MAP (P < 0.001) and HR (P = 0.037) in children who had tooth extraction in the mandibular region. Statistically significant differences were noted between the baseline and peak values for patients who did not receive LA before the extraction of the first primary molar in terms of MAP (P < 0.02) and EtCO2 (P = 0.032). Similarly, significant differences in MAP (P < 0.02) and EtCO2 (P = 0.034) were noted in the extraction of the second primary molar. In addition, there was a significant difference in bleeding based on the number of tooth extractions in those who did not receive LA (P = 0.020). CONCLUSION: This study showed that in children who underwent tooth extraction under GA, additional LA application minimized changes in HR, MAP, and EtCO2, whereas a lack of LA application produced significant fluctuations from baseline to peak values of HR, MAP, and EtCO2. In addition, LA application reduced postoperative bleeding.

Polymeric Prodrugs using Dynamic Covalent Chemistry for Prolonged Local Anesthesia.

Depot-type drug delivery systems are designed to deliver drugs at an effective rate over an extended period. Minimizing initial "burst" can also be important, especially with drugs causing systemic toxicity. Both goals are challenging with small hydrophilic molecules. The delivery of molecules such as the ultrapotent local anesthetic tetrodotoxin (TTX) exemplifies both challenges. Toxicity can be mitigated by conjugating TTX to polymers with ester bonds, but the slow ester hydrolysis can result in subtherapeutic TTX release. Here, we developed a prodrug strategy, based on dynamic covalent chemistry utilizing a reversible reaction between the diol TTX and phenylboronic acids. These polymeric prodrugs exhibited TTX encapsulation efficiencies exceeding 90 % and the resulting polymeric nanoparticles showed a range of TTX release rates. In vivo injection of the TTX polymeric prodrugs at the sciatic nerve reduced TTX systemic toxicity and produced nerve block lasting 9.7±2.0 h, in comparison to 1.6±0.6 h from free TTX. This approach could also be used to co-deliver the diol dexamethasone, which prolonged nerve block to 21.8±5.1 h. This work emphasized the usefulness of dynamic covalent chemistry for depot-type drug delivery systems with slow and effective drug release kinetics.

Investigating visual preferences of clinical mechanical anesthetic vibration: a cross-sectional image survey.

While mechanical vibration lessens discomfort associated with injection site pain (ISP), many local anesthetic injectors (LAIs) do not use vibratory anesthetic devices (VADs). Injector preference of vibration device is influenced by functional concerns, but qualitatively there is an element of adoption that is driven by visual feedback. We sought to capture operator preferences of vibration device design elements to further understand why injectors do not use these devices. We conducted a survey of image preferences among nurses and medical assistants employed at 8 dermatological clinics to investigate barriers to VAD use. Images were electronically modified with features distinct from the original device (a VAD commonly used in clinical practice). Participants rated their likelihood and comfort of use of each VAD represented in the images. Two-sample t-tests were used to compare the rating of the unmodified VAD to each modified VAD within participants. A response rate of 100% was achieved with 35 participants (average age, 38.5 years; 6 (17.1%) male, 29 (82.9%) female). Despite 28 (80%) participants knowing that mechanical vibration reduces ISP, only 16 (45.7%) endorsed ever using mechanical vibration as topical anesthetic. Images modified by pattern, color, and sterility covering were rated significantly lower than the original, unmodified VAD image (plain white VAD), confirming that visual feedback does impact adoption. Through independent comment categorization, aesthetics were found to be important to LAIs. Aesthetic preferences opposing functional concerns may factor into the lack of VAD use. Defining these visual preference barriers to adoption may help promote VAD use during dermatologic procedures.

Comparison of outcomes for general and local anesthesia in the management of nasal bone fractures: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This meta-analysis aimed to perform a head-to-head comparison of the role of general anesthesia (GA) and local anesthesia (LA) in the management of patients with nasal bone fractures (NBFs). METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were comprehensively searched. Studies investigating the clinical outcomes of GA and LA in the management of NBFs were included. Pooled odds ratios (OR) with the respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Heterogeneity between the included studies was evaluated. The risk of bias in the included studies was assessed. RESULTS: Eight studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled ORs for cosmetic results, residual septal deformity, the need for further surgery, patients' satisfaction with the anesthesia procedure, and patients' satisfaction with the surgery results were 0.70 (95% CI 0.18, 2.64; z = - 0.53, p = 0.5957), 1.11 (95% CI 0.37, 3.30; z = 0.18, p = 0.8558), 1.19 (95% CI 0.65, 2.20; z = 0.56, p = 0.5760), 1.57 (95% CI 0.92, 2.69; z = 1.65, p = 0.0982), and 1.00 (95% CI 0.55, 1.80; z = - 0.00, p = 0.9974). CONCLUSIONS: Insignificant difference on clinical outcomes was observed between GA and LA in the manipulation of patients with NBFs, and the choice of anesthetic approach should be based on the tolerability of the methods and the severity of nasal fractures.

Efficacy of adding infiltration between the popliteal artery and the capsule of the posterior knee (IPACK) to adductor canal block and local infiltration analgesia in total knee arthroplasty: A retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Local infiltration analgesia (LIA), adductor canal block (ACB), and infiltration between the popliteal artery and the capsule of the posterior knee (IPACK) are popular multimodal analgesia techniques used during total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This study aimed to explore the efficacy of adding the IPACK technique to ACB and LIA in patients undergoing TKA. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, patients who underwent primary unilateral TKA were divided into two groups based on their date of admission. Sixty-three patients underwent IPACK, ACB and LIA (IPACK group) during surgery, while 60 patients underwent ACB and LIA (control group). The primary outcome was the postoperative administration of morphine hydrochloride as a rescue analgesic. Secondary outcomes included time to first rescue analgesia, postoperative pain assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS), functional recovery assessed by knee range of motion and ambulation distance, time until hospital discharge, and complication rates. RESULTS: The two groups were similar in average postoperative 0-to-24-h morphine consumption (11.8 mg for the control group vs 12.7 mg for the IPACK group, p = .428) and average total morphine consumption (18.2 mg vs 18.0 mg, p = .983) during hospitalization. There were also no significant differences in the secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of IPACK to ACB and LIA did not provide any clinical analgesic benefits. Orthopedic surgeons and anesthesiologists are justified in using ACB and LIA without IPACK for TKA.

[Effects of tramadol hydrochloride preemptive analgesia in kyphoplasty of thoracolumbar osteoporotic fractures under local anesthesia].

OBJECTIVE: To explore preemptive analgesic effect of preoperative intramural tramadol injection in percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) of vertebrae following local anesthesia. METHODS: From August 2019 to June 2021, 118 patients with thoraco lumbar osteoporotic fractures were treated and divided into observation group and control group, with 59 patients in each gruop. In observation group, there were 26 males and 33 females, aged from 57 to 80 years old with an average of (67.69±4.75)years old;14 patients on T11, 12 patients on T12, 18 patients on L1, 15 patients on L2;tramadol with 100 mg was injected intramuscularly half an hour before surgery in observation group. In control group, there were 24 males and 35 females, aged from 55 to 77 years old with an average of (68.00±4.43) years old;19 patients on T11, 11 patients on T12, 17patients on L1, 12 patients on L2;the same amount of normal saline was injected intramuscularly in control group. Observation indicators included operation time, intraoperative bleeding, visual analogue scale (VAS) evaluation and recording of preoperative (T0), intraoperative puncture(T1), and working cannula placement (T2) between two groups of patients, at the time of balloon dilation (T3), when the bone cement was injected into the vertebral body (T4), 2 hours after the operation (T5), and the pain degree at the time of discharge(T6);adverse reactions such as dizziness, nausea and vomiting were observed and recorded;the record the patient's acceptance of repeat PKP surgery. RESULTS: All patients were successfully completed PKP via bilateral pedicle approach, and no intravenous sedative and analgesic drugs were used during the operation. There was no significant difference in preoperative general data and VAS(T0) between two groups (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in operation time and intraoperative blood loss between the two groups (P>0.05). VAS of T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 in observation group were all lower than those in control group(P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in T6 VAS (P>0.05). T6 VAS between two groups were significantly lower than those of T0, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in incidence of total adverse reactions between two groups (P>0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the acceptance of repeat PKP surgery (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Half an hour before operation, intramuscular injection of tramadol has a clear preemptive analgesic effect for PKP of single-segment thoracolumbar osteoporotic fracture vertebral body under local anesthesia, which could increase the comfort of patients during operation and 2 hours after operation, and improve patients satisfaction with surgery.

Exploring the rationale of performing vaginal hysterectomy under local anaesthesia: A single-centre experience.

INTRODUCTION: Vaginal hysterectomy (VH) is usually performed under general (GA) or regional anaesthesia. In recent years, the possibility of performing vaginal hysterectomy under local anaesthesia (LA) has also been explored. Our aim was to compare intraoperative and early postoperative outcomes in women who underwent VH under LA with intravenous sedation or GA. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we collected data of patients who underwent VH at our department from June 2021 to December 2022. For every patient, the following data was obtained: hospitalisation duration, type of anaesthesia (LA or GA), accompanying procedures, the dosage of used local anaesthetic in the LA group, maximal pain score for each day of hospitalisation after the procedure, procedure duration, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative complication rate. Data was analysed using the SPSS Statistics programme. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Seventy patients were included in the study. The mean age was significantly higher in the LA group compared to GA group (73.8 ± 8.0 years vs. 67.1 ± 9.3 respectively, p-value = 0.003). LA was associated with statistically lower pain scores in the first two days after the procedure (p = 0.003), and shorter procedure duration (p-value <0.001) as well as hospitalisation duration (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the cumulative dosage of different analgesics used during hospitalisation was higher in the GA group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that LA is a feasible option for patients undergoing VH. Vaginal surgical procedures under LA could be especially beneficial for older patients with medical comorbidities in whom GA would be particularly hazardous.

Local Infiltration Anesthesia Versus Ultrasound-Guided Pectoralis (PEC1) + Serratus Anterior Plane (SAP) Blocks on Postanesthetic Care Unit Pain Control in Patients Undergoing Primary Submuscular Augmentation Mammoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound-guided regional field blocks are not widely used in outpatient plastic surgeries. The efficacy of truncal blocks (PEC1 + SAP) has not been established in plastic surgery. The purpose of this study was to analyze the outcomes of these newer anesthetic techniques compared with traditional blind local anesthetic infiltration in patients undergoing breast augmentation. METHODS: This retrospective institutional review board-approved cohort study compared the outcomes of the different practices of 2 plastic surgeons at the same accredited outpatient surgery center between 2018 and 2022. Group 1 received an intraoperative blind local infiltration anesthetic. Group 2 underwent surgeon-led, intraoperative, ultrasound-guided PEC1 (Pectoralis 1) + SAP (serratus anterior plane) blocks. Patients who underwent any procedure other than primary submuscular augmentation mammoplasty were excluded from the study. The outcomes measured included operative time, opioid utilization in morphine milligram equivalents (MME), pain level at discharge, and time spent in the post anesthetic care unit (PACU). RESULTS: Sixty patients met the inclusion criteria for each group for a total of 120 patients. The study groups were similar to each other. Patients receiving PEC1 + SAP blocks (group 2) had significantly lower average MME requirements in the PACU (3.04 MME vs 4.52 MME, P = 0.041) and required a shorter average PACU stay (70.13 minutes vs 80.38 minutes, P = 0.008). There were no significant differences in the pain level at discharge, operative time, or implant size between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Surgeon-led, intraoperative, ultrasound-guided PEC1 + SAP blocks significantly decreased opioid utilization in the PACU by 33% and patient time in the PACU by 13%, while achieving similar patient pain scores and operating times.

[Improving the effectiveness of local anesthesia in patients with arterial hypertension in the provision of emergency dental care]. / Povyshenie effektivnosti mestnogo obezbolivaniya u patsientov s arterial'noi gipertenziei pri okazanii neotlozhnoi stomatologicheskoi pomoshchi.

THE AIM OF THE STUDY: Was to evaluate the use of Ketorol Express as a preventive analgesia to increase the effectiveness of local anesthesia in providing emergency dental care to patients with arterial hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on the basis of the state autonomous healthcare institution of the Moscow region «Royal Dental Clinic¼ with the participation of 83 people. The patients were divided into two groups. In group 1, Ketorol Express was prescribed as a preventive analgesia in a dosage of 20 mg before local anesthesia. Patients of group 2 underwent dental interventions without the use of preventive analgesia. A 3% solution of mepivacaine was used as a local analgesic solution. For a subjective assessment of the effectiveness of anesthesia, use a visual analog scale. All patients had their blood pressure and heart rate measured before and after the interventions and hemodynamic parameters were continuously monitored during emergency dental care. RESULTS: In group 1, the effectiveness of combined anesthesia with the infiltration method of local anesthetic administration was 93±1.17%, according to the patient, 94±1.47%, according to the doctor, with the conductive method of anesthesia at the mandibular orifice - according to the patient it was 91±1.01%, according to the doctor 92± 1.36%. In group 2, when providing emergency dental care with the infiltration method of administration of 3% mepivacaine the anesthesia was effective in 80±1.97% of cases according to the patient and in 80±1.17% of cases according to the doctor, with the conductive method of anesthesia at the mandibular orifice, the effectiveness of anesthesia according to the patient was 82±1.11%, according to the doctor 85±1.23%. CONCLUSION: The results of the study demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the effectiveness of local anesthesia performed with a 3% solution of mepivacaine in patients with arterial hypertension due to the use of preventive analgesia with Ketorol Express at a dosage of 20 mg (2 tablets of 10 mg) in emergency dental care with registration and analysis of changes in hemodynamic parameters.