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Background and Aims: To estimate the incidence of hypomagnesemia and identify the effectiveness of a calculated dose of intravenous magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) in correction of hypomagnesemia and its relationship with renal function in critically ill patients. Material and Methods: All patients admitted in the adult intensive care unit were enrolled in the study and magnesium levels were monitored. Patients with serum magnesium levels <1.7 mg/dL received calculated doses of Intravenous MgSO4. The average rise in serum magnesium levels per gram of MgSO4 administered was calculated and relationship with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was identified. Results: In total, 27.27% of patients admitted in our intensive care unit had an incidence of hypomagnesemia. The average rise of serum magnesium levels in patients with hypomagnesemia was 0.13 (±0.05) mg/dl. The average rise of serum magnesium levels was 0.10 (±0.04) mg/dL in patients with eGFR ≥ 90 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 0.15 (± 0.05) mg/dL in patients with eGFR < 90 mL/min/1.73 m2. This difference between the two groups (P-value = 0.002) and the trend of increasing average rise in serum magnesium levels with declining eGFR values (P-value = 0.013) were both statistically significant. Conclusion: Incidence of hypomagnesemia in the critically ill population is around 27.27%. Intravenous administration of 1 g of MgSO4 results in a rise of serum magnesium levels by 0.1 mg/dL in patients with normal eGFR and around 0.15 mg/dL in patients with eGFR values between 30 and 89 mL/min/1.73 m2.
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BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Supraglottic airway devices have several roles including maintenance of a clear upper airway during general anesthesia. We primarily compared the efficacy of Baska mask (BM) and laryngeal mask airway supreme (LMAS) for the rate of first time successful placement and the seal pressure. The secondary outcome measures included laryngopharyngeal morbidity and the correct positioning of the gastric port. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A sample size of 30 was calculated in each study group. A total of 70 study participants were included in the statistical analysis of which 36 patients were in the BM group and 34 patients were in the LMAS group. RESULTS: The BM was successfully inserted in 28 patients (77.8%), whereas LMAS was successfully inserted in 33 patients (97.1%) in the first attempt (P = 0.028). The mean oropharyngeal seal pressure in the BM group was higher (33.28 ± 6.80 cm H2O) than compared to the LMAS group (27.47 ± 2.34 cm H2O) with a P value <0.001. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the incidence of postoperative laryngopharyngeal morbidity both in the immediate postoperative period (P = 0.479) and that seen 24 hours post operatively (P = 0.660). The nasogastric tube could easily be inserted in the entire study population. CONCLUSION: From the present study, it is concluded that the BM creates a higher oropharyngeal seal pressure than the LMAS. However, the BM is more difficult to insert. The incidence of postoperative laryngopharyngeal morbidity is similar in both groups.
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Over the past few years, ultrasonography is increasingly being used to confirm the correct placement of endotracheal tube (ETT). In our study, we aimed to compare it with the traditional clinical methods and the gold standard quantitative waveform capnography. Two primary outcomes were measured in our study. First was the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography against the other two methods to confirm endotracheal intubation. The second primary outcome assessed was the time taken for each method to confirm tube placement in an emergency setting. METHODS: This is a single-centered, prospective cohort study conducted in an emergency department of a tertiary care hospital. We included 100 patients with indication of emergency intubation by convenient sampling. The intubation was performed as per standard hospital protocol. As part of the study protocol, ultrasonography was used to identify ETT placement simultaneously with the intubation procedure along with quantitative waveform capnography (end-tidal carbon dioxide) and clinical methods. Confirmation of tube placement and time taken for the same were noted by three separate health-care staffs. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Out of the 100 intubation attempts, five (5%) had esophageal intubations. The sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis using ultrasonography were 97.89% and 100%, respectively. This was statistically comparable with the other two modalities. The time taken to confirm tube placement with ultrasonography was 8.27 ± 1.54 s compared to waveform capnography and clinical methods which were 18.06 ± 2.58 and 20.72 ± 3.21 s, respectively. The time taken by ultrasonography was significantly less. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonography confirmed tube placement with comparable sensitivity and specificity to quantitative waveform capnography and clinical methods. But then, it yielded results considerably faster than the other two modalities.
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Ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks facilitate ambulatory anesthesia for upper limb surgeries. Unilateral phrenic nerve blockade is a common complication after interscalene brachial plexus block, rather than the supraclavicular block. We report a case of severe respiratory distress and bilateral bronchospasm following ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block. Patient did not have clinical features of pneumothorax or drug allergy and was managed with oxygen therapy and salbutamol nebulization. Chest X-ray revealed elevated right hemidiaphragm confirming unilateral phrenic nerve paresis.
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Tracheal compression due to any cause can lead to difficulty in either ventilating or intubating the patient. Most often, it is due to a large thyroid swelling. Often the anesthetist is completely guided by the radiological findings to plan the airway management, giving much less importance to the patient's clinical picture. We report two cases of large multinodular goiter that caused tracheal compression without any symptoms of breathing difficulty in the patients. In both the cases we were able to pass larger size endotracheal tubes beyond the site of compression without any resistance. The external diameter of the endotracheal tubes were much larger than the diameter at the narrowest part of the airway measured by computerized tomography. We conclude that along with the extent of tracheal compression, its cause and site is of paramount importance in anesthetic planning and management of airway. A thorough history on the severity of patient symptoms due to the swelling is also important.
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Unilateral-dependent pulmonary edema though reported in laparoscopic donor nephrectomies, has not been reported after laparoscopic non-donor nephrectomies. A 75-kg, 61-year-old man, a diagnosed case of right renal cell carcinoma was scheduled for laparoscopic nephrectomy. After establishing general anesthesia, the patient was positioned in the left-sided modified kidney (flank) position. During the 5.75-hour procedure, he was hemodynamically stable except for a transient drop in blood pressure immediately after positioning. Intra-abdominal pressure was maintained less than 15 mmHg throughout the procedure. Blood loss was approximately 50 mL and urine output was 100 mL in the first hour followed by a total of 20 mL in the next 4.75 hours. Total fluid received during the procedure included 1.5 L of Ringer's lactate and 1.0 L of 6% hydroxyethyl starch. After an uneventful procedure he developed respiratory distress in the postoperative period with a radiological evidence of dependent lung edema. Clinical and radiological improvement followed noninvasive ventilation, intravenous diuretics and oxygen therapy.