Assessment of the operating room efficiency by the real time of room occupancy.

BACKGROUND: The operating room is the most cost consuming area of hospitals. However, it still suffers from a non-optimized organization. AIM: To evaluate the performance of our operating rooms by the real room occupancy time (RROT), to identify the main causes of its alteration and to analyze the problem of deprogramming. METHODS: This is an observational and descriptive study conducted in two operating rooms in Sahloul teaching Hospital during August 2016. For the two studied rooms, a pre-established data sheet was filled during the days of scheduled activity. Collected parameters were  total RROT,  different periods of RROT, room occupancy rate, room overflow rate, incidence and causes of non-compliance with the surgical program and causes of RROT alteration. RESULTS:   The mean start time of the activity was 41.93 min/day. The mean overflow time was 11.51 min/day. The RROT was 246.56 min/day, corresponding to an average occupancy rate of 68.49%. On average 1.86 acts were performed per room and per morning with a total of 86 interventions. The deprogramming problem was noted in 38 cases. Its main causes were the overshoot of the vacation time offered to surgeons (36.84%), the emergencies (18.42%) and the non-respect of the anesthesia instructions (15.78%). CONCLUSION: The occupancy rate in our structures is relatively acceptable but should not hide the need to optimize the use of available resources. Corrective actions focusing primarily on delayed start-up and periodic reassessments are essential.

Effects of Gabapentinoids Premedication on Shoulder Pain and Rehabilitation Quality after Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: Pregabalin versus Gabapentin.

Introduction: Gabapentinoids are increasingly used in preoperative premedication despite controversial results. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of preemptive use of gabapentin or pregabalin on postoperative shoulder pain and rehabilitation quality after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods: This is a clinical trial comparing the effects of a preoperative premedication with 600 mg of gabapentin or 150 mg of pregabalin versus placebo on postoperative pain and recovery quality after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Premedication was taken 2 hours before the surgery beginning. Ninety patients were included and randomized into 3 groups (gabapentin, pregabalin, and placebo). The anesthetic protocol was the same for all patients. Primary endpoint was the shoulder pain intensity at the 48th postoperative hour. Secondary endpoints were postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), sleep quality during the first night, and the onset time for the first standing position. Results: During the first 48 postoperative hours, the gabapentin and pregabalin groups had significantly lower shoulder pain than the placebo group (p < 0.05). In gabapentinoids groups, the incidence of PONV was lower and the sleep quality during the first postoperative night was better with significant results. Mean Spiegel scores were 22.43 ± 1.45, 22.30 ± 1.44, and 17.17 ± 1.66, respectively, in pregabalin, gabapentin, and placebo groups (p < 0.05). The delay for the first standing position was 14.9 ± 4.9 hours in the pregabalin group, 9.7 ± 3.6 hours in the gabapentin group, and 21.6 ± 2.1 hours in the placebo group. No superiority was found between gabapentin and pregabalin. Conclusion: Preemptive premedication with gabapentinoids can enhance postoperative rehabilitation quality after laparoscopic cholecystectomy by reducing postoperative shoulder pain, decreasing PONV incidence, and improving sleep quality during the first postoperative night. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrial.gov (NCT03241875).

Intravenous lidocaine as adjuvant to general anesthesia in renal surgery.

The role of intraoperative intravenous lidocaine infusion has been previously evaluated for pain relief, inflammatory response, and post-operative recovery, particularly in abdominal surgery. The present study is a randomized double-blinded trial in which we evaluated whether IV lidocaine infusion reduces isoflurane requirement, intraoperative remifentanil consumption and time to post-operative recovery in non-laparoscopic renal surgery. Sixty patients scheduled to undergo elective non-laparoscopic renal surgery under general anesthesia were enrolled to receive either systemic lidocaine infusion (group L: bolus 1.5 mg/kg followed by a continuous infusion at the rate of 2 mg/kg/hr until skin closure) or normal saline (0.9% NaCl solution) (Group C). The depth of anesthesia was monitored using the Bispectral Index Scale (BIS), which is based on measurement of the patient's cerebral electrical activity. Primary outcome of the study was End-tidal of isoflurane concentration (Et-Iso) at BIS values of 40-60. Secondary outcomes include remifentanil consumption during the operation and time to extubation. Et-Iso was significantly lower in group L than in group C (0.63% ± 0.10% vs 0.92% ± 0.11%, p < 10-3). Mean remifentanil consumption of was significantly lower in group L than in group C (0.13 ± 0.04 µg/kg/min vs 0.18 ± 0.04 µg/kg/min, p < 10-3). Thus, IV lidocaine infusion permits a reduction of 31% in isoflurane concentration requirement and 27% in the intraoperative remifentanil need. In addition, recovery from anesthesia and extubation time was shorter in group L (5.8 ± 1.8 min vs 7.9 ± 2.0 min, p < 10-3). By reducing significantly isoflurane and remifentanil requirements during renal surgery, intravenous lidocaine could provide effective strategy to limit volatile agent and intraoperative opioids consumption especially in low and middle income countries.

[Burnout prevalence in Tunisian anesthesia and intensive care units]. / Prévalence du burnout en milieu d'anesthésie réanimation dans le centre tunisien.

INTRODUCTION: burnout is a particular cause of concern in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Units. In addition to its socio-economic impact, it alters the quality of care and patients prognosis. This study aims to assess its prevalence among the staff members of the Tunisian Anesthesia and Intensive Care Units. METHODS: we conducted a multicenter cross-sectional study in the Anesthesia and Intensive Care Units of seven Tunisian University Hospitals. The study included the medical and paramedical staff who gave consent. The measuring instrument used was the Maslach burnout Inventory. RESULTS: the study included 283 staff members (72.19%). The average age of subjects was 40.2 ± 9.38 years, with a female predominance. Maslach scale revealed that 94.71% of the participants had burnout. The mean emotional exhaustion score, depersonalization score and professional achievement score were 28.65 ± 11.92; 8.62 ± 6.65 and 34.58 ± 8.07 respectively. High to moderate burn-out level were found in 13.3% and 26.2% of cases respectively. Burn-out effects were dominated by additive behaviors (52.65%) and suicidal ideations (4.59%). CONCLUSION: burnout is becoming more and more a tangible reality for the staff members of the Anesthesia and Intensive Care Units, engendering serious social and personal consequences.

Post traumatic inferior vena cava thrombosis: A case report and review of literature.

INTRODUCTION: Post traumatic inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis is a rare and not well described entity with nonspecific clinical presentation. It remains a therapeutic challenge in traumatic context because of haemorrhagic risk due to anticoagulation. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We report a case of IVC thrombosis in an 18 year-old man who presented with liver injury following a traffic crash. The thrombosis was incidentally diagnosed on admission by computed tomography. The patient was managed conservatively without anticoagulation initially considering the increasing haemorrhagic risk. IVC filter placing was not possible because of the unusual localization of the thrombus. Unfractionated heparin was started on the third day after CT scan control showing stability of hepatic lesions with occurrence of a pulmonary embolism. The final outcome was good. DISCUSSION: The management of post traumatic IVC thrombosis is not well described. Medical approach consists in conservative management with anticoagulation which requires the absence of active bleeding lesions. Surgical treatment is commonly based on thrombectomy under extracorporeal circulation. Interventional vascular techniques have become an important alternative approach for the treatment of many vessel lesions. Their main advantages are the relative ease and speed with which they can be performed. CONCLUSION: Post traumatic IVC thrombosis is a rare condition. Its management is not well defined. Early anticoagulation should be discussed on a case-by-case basis. Other alternatives such IVC filter or surgical thrombectomy may be used when the bleeding risk is increased. The most serious risk is pulmonary embolism. Outcome can be favorable even with non surgical approaches.

Effects of music therapy under general anesthesia in patients undergoing abdominal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Music therapy, an innovative approach that has proven effectiveness in many medical conditions, seems beneficial also in managing surgical patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate its effects, under general anesthesia, on perioperative patient satisfaction, stress, pain, and awareness. METHODS: This is a prospective, randomized, double-blind study conducted in the operating theatre of visceral surgery at Sahloul Teaching Hospital over a period of 4 months. Patients aged more than 18 undergoing a scheduled surgery under general anesthesia were included. Patients undergoing urgent surgery or presenting hearing or cognitive disorders were excluded. Before induction, patients wore headphones linked to an MP3 player. They were randomly allocated into 2 groups: Group M (with music during surgery) and group C (without music). Hemodynamic parameters, quality of arousal, pain experienced, patient's satisfaction, and awareness incidence during anesthesia were recorded. RESULTS: One hundred and forty patients were included and allocated into 2 groups that were comparable in demographic characteristics, surgical intervention type and anesthesia duration. Comparison of these two groups regarding the hemodynamic profile found more stability in group M for systolic arterial blood pressure. A calm recovery was more often noted in group M (77.1% versus 44%, p < 10-3). The average Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score was lower in the intervention group (33.8 ± 13.63 versus 45.1 ± 16.2; p < 10-3). The satisfaction rate was significantly higher among the experimental group (81.4% versus 51.4%; p < 10-3). The incidence of intraoperative awareness was higher in group C (8 cases versus 3 cases) but the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Music therapy is a non-pharmacological, inexpensive, and non-invasive technique that can significantly enhance patient satisfaction and decrease patients' embarrassing experiences related to perioperative stress, pain, and awareness.

Comparison of two doses of hypobaric bupivacaine in unilateral spinal anesthesia for hip fracture surgery: 5 mg versus 7.5 mg.

INTRODUCTION: Hip fracture is a frequent and severe disease. Its prognosis depends on the perioperative hemodynamic stability which can be preserved by the unilateral spinal anesthesia especially with low doses of local anesthetics. This study aims to compare the efficacy and hemodynamic stability of two doses of hypobaric bupivacaine (7.5 mg vs 5 mg) in unilateral spinal anesthesia. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized, double-blind study, 108 patients scheduled for hip fracture surgery under unilateral spinal anesthesia were enrolled to receive either 5 mg (group 1) or 7.5 mg (group 2) of hypobaric bupivacaine. Spinal anesthesia was performed in lateral position. Patients' socio-demographic characteristics, hemodynamic profile, sensory and motor blocks parameters were recorded. RESULTS: Both groups were comparable regarding to demographic data. Two cases of failure occurred in group 1 and one case in group 2 corresponding to a comparable efficiency rates (96.29% and 98.14% respectively; p = 0.5). A higher mean onset and lower mean regression times of sensory block were significantly noted in group 1 (7.79±3.76 min vs 5.75±2.35 min, p < 0.001 and 91.29±31.55 min vs 112.77±18.77 min, p <0.001 respectively). Incidence of bilateralization (29.62% vs 87.03%, p < 0.001), incidence of hypotensive episodes (59.25% vs 92.59%, p < 0.001) and vascular loading (1481.48±411.65 ml vs 2111.11±596.10 ml, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in group 2. CONCLUSION: The dosage of 5mg of hypobaric bupivacaine in unilateral spinal anesthesia is as effective as the dosage of 7.5 mg with lower bilateralization incidence and better hemodynamic stability.

Wide local excision for anal GIST: A case report and review of literature.

INTRODUCTION: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are tumors of mesenchymal origin commonly detected in stomach and small bowel. GIST arising primarily from the anal canal is extremely rare. Due to the malignant potential, these tumors are treated with radical surgery like abdominoperineal resection. But with the advent of imatinib therapy and a better understanding of the tumor biology, some cases have been successfully treated with wide local excision. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We describe a case of a 70-year-old lady presenting with a 2cm mass in the anal canal. Endoanal ultrasound revealed a well-circumscribed solid nodule in the intersphincteric space. The patient was successfully treated by wide local excision and adjuvant therapy with imatinib mesylate. DISCUSSION: Only 14 confirmed cases of primary anal GIST have been reported in the literature. It appears as a well circumscribed hypoechoic mass arising from the intersphincteric space encroaching into the lumen on endorectal ultrasound. Lymphadenopathy is absent. Anal sphincters get involved as the lesion increases in size. Treatment is often planned based on the extent of the disease, the mitotic rate, patient's general condition and willingness for a permanent colostomy. CONCLUSION: Small lesions (<2cm) with low mitotic rate may be successfully managed by local excision. Radical surgery should be reserved for large, aggressive tumors.