A randomized trial to compare the analgesic effect of pecto-intercostal fascial plane block with erector spinae plane block after mid-sternotomy incision for cardiac surgery.

Introduction: Most cardiac surgeries are performed through a median sternotomy, of which 49% of these patients experience severe pain at rest postoperatively and up to 78% on coughing and deep breathing. Regional thoracic wall blocks targeting thoracic nerve roots improve the analgesia quality and limit opioid use. Truncal blocks through the posterior approach can often be cumbersome in patients with multiple lines and catheters. Pecto-Intercostal Fascial Plane Block (PIFB) can be a convenient alternative for achieving comparable analgesia. Material and methods: The patients were randomly assigned to receive either an ultrasound-guided Pecto-Intercostal Fascial Plane Block (PIFB) or Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESPB). The outcomes measured and compared postoperative pain scores at rest and on deep breathing at 2, 6, 12, 24 h, total opioid (fentanyl) consumption in the postoperative period, time to rescue analgesia and total rescue analgesic doses required, between the two groups. Results: Data from 30 patients were analysed. Post-operative pain scores at rest and during deep breathing were found to be comparable in both groups. The total opioid consumed, time to rescue analgesia and total doses of rescue analgesia was not found to be statistically different in the two groups. Conclusions: PIFB was found to be comparable to ESPB in alleviating post-operative pain in patients who underwent cardiac surgeries through sternotomy. And it/PIFB can be a quicker alternative to posterior truncal blocks since it can be safely given in a supine position with an ultrasound.

Mode of Mechanical Ventilation in a Case of Venolymphatic Malformation: Spontaneous-Saves, Positive-Precludes.

Mediastinal venolymphatic malformations (VLM) are rare tumours, with very few reported cases in the literature. Arising often from the anterior mediastinum, VLM manifests symptoms based on invaded surrounding structures. Masses from the anterior and superior mediastinum pose an anaesthetic challenge for airway and hemodynamic management. A 7-month-old male child presented with a progressively growing mass over the left anterior chest wall for one month, about 4x4 cm, with diffuse margins and now expanded to involve the root of the neck and into the axilla. The patient was free from any apparent systemic illness. The breathing difficulty worsened in the past week with noisy respiration associated with feeding difficulty and hence sought medical admission to the paediatrics emergency unit. In conclusion, such huge mediastinal masses are managed better under spontaneous ventilation with an adequate surgical depth of anaesthesia to maintain appropriate respiratory compliance and necessitate lower peak inspiratory pressure. Given rare cases reported in the literature, similar topics would help choose the modus of ventilation and their safe management.

A Randomised Controlled Study Comparing Pulse Pressure Variation (PPV) and Pleth Variability Index (PVI) for Goal-Directed Fluid Therapy Intraoperatively in Patients Undergoing Intracranial (Supratentorial ICSOLs) Surgeries.

Fluid management in the perioperative period is a grey zone in clinical practice of late. Looking back on previous practices, static parameters were the only options. Now, dynamic parameters indicating fluid responsiveness have become a significant part of goal-directed fluid therapy (GDFT). However, the efficacy of this approach has yet to be established in neurosurgery cases where patients are already on lot of diuretics, thus making fluid management more challenging. The present study aims to determine the efficacy of the Pleth Variability Index (PVI) with pulse pressure variation (PPV) in guiding GDFT in patients undergoing neurosurgery for supra-tentorial intracranial space occupying lesions (ICSOLs), in the form of a randomised controlled trial. After randomisation, the patients were categorised into either PVI or PPV groups. Both received a baseline 2 ml/kg/h Lactated Ringer's (RL) infusion. Additional fluid boluses consisted of 250 ml of colloid infused over a 10 min period if PVI was > 15% or PPV was > 13% for at least five minutes. The primary outcome was to determine the serum lactate difference between preoperative and postoperative values, which could fairly predict fluid deficit leading to inadequate perfusion. A total of 74 patients were analysed. Both PVI- and PPV-guided GDFT strategies showed no significant difference in the postoperative lactate values, with a P-value of 0.18. Similarly, the mean total fluid administered, mean blood loss, length of CCU stay, and emetic and hypotension episodes also showed no significant differences among the groups with P-values of 0.41, 0.78, 0.25, 0.30, and 0.67, respectively. For patients undergoing neurosurgery (supratentorial ICSOLs), PVI seems to guide GDFT comparably to PPV regarding tissue perfusion and postoperative complications. However, both the parameters had low sensitivity and specificity, with an area of curve of 0.577 for PPV and 0.423 for PVI, as far as GDFT was concerned.

Transthoracic Migration of a Foreign Body into the Diaphragm from the Gunshot Injury and Its Management in a Child: A Case Report.

Intrapleural foreign bodies (FB) are rare and uncommon, while diaphragmatic FB secondary to gunshot injury in a child is still rarer. We now describe a 9-year-old male with a history of self-inflicted accidental air gun injury on the right side of the midline of the sternum with transthoracic migration of FB-lead bullet-measuring 1cm x1.4cm into the diaphragm managed initially with intercostal tube drainage for right hemopneumothorax at the different center underwent thoracoscopy followed by minithoracotomy and retrieval under C-arm guidance that has not been reported in the literature.

Bochdalek Hernia and Partial Diaphragmatic Agenesis: Pedicled Intercostal Muscle Flap and Mesh Repair in a Young Adult with Sickle Cell Disease.

Congenital Bochdalek hernia (BH) in an adult is rare and has an unusual presentation. They are confined to the pediatric age group with an incidence of 1:3,000 live births. It rarely persists asymptomatic until adulthood. Surgical repair by thoracic, abdominal, or thoraco-abdominal approach is the treatment of choice with diaphragmatic reconstruction in associated diaphragmatic agenesis. With only 10 cases of BH with partial diaphragmatic agenesis reported to date, we discuss the rarity, unusual presentation, and management of BH in a young adult with sickle cell disease that has not been reported in the literature.

Information technology-based joint preoperative assessment, risk stratification and its impact on patient management, perioperative outcome, and cost.

BACKGROUND:  Despite negative recommendations, routine preoperative testing practice is nearly universal. Our aim is to bring the healthcare providers on one platform by using information-technology based preanaesthetic assessment and evaluate the routine preoperative testing's impact on patient outcome and cost. METHODS: A prospective, non-randomised study was conducted in a teaching hospital during January 2019-August 2020. A locally developed software and cloud-computing were used as a tool to modify preanaesthesia evaluation. The number of investigations ordered, time taken, cost incurred, were compared with the routine practice. Further data were matched as per surgical invasiveness and the patient's physical status. Appropriate tests compared intergroup differences and p-value <0.05 was considered significant.  Results: Data from 114 patients (58 in routine and 56 in patient and surgery specific) were analysed. Patient and surgery specific investigation led to a reduction in the investigations by 80-90%, hospital visit by 50%, and the total cost by 80%, without increasing the day of surgery cancellation or complications. CONCLUSION: Information technology-based joint preoperative assessment and risk stratification are feasible through locally developed software with minimal cost. It helps in applying patient and surgery specific investigation, reducing the number of tests, hospital visit, and cost, without adversely affecting the perioperative outcome. The application of the modified method will help in cost-effective, yet quality and safe perioperative healthcare delivery. It will also benefit the public from both service and economic perspective.

Chondrosarcoma of the Rib: Atypical Presentation and Management.

Chondrosarcoma is an uncommon malignant tumor of the rib and can have an atypical presentation based on age, gender, and clinical manifestation with differential diagnosis of intrathoracic mass. Management is surgical as the tumor is resistant to chemoradiation. Access to chest wall reconstruction is limited in many low-income countries and forms a barrier to patient compliance. We report an atypical presentation and describe a simple, easy, and cost-effective chest wall reconstruction method for chondrosarcoma of the rib in any resource-constrained setting.

Le chondrosarcome est une tumeur maligne peu commune de la côte et peut avoir une présentation atypique en fonction de l'âge, du sexe et de la manifestation clinique avec un diagnostic différentiel de masse intrathoracique. La prise en charge est chirurgicale car la tumeur est résistante à la chimioradiation. L'accès à la reconstruction de la paroi thoracique est limité dans de nombreux pays à faible revenu et constitue un obstacle à l'adhésion des patients. Nous rapportons une présentation atypique et décrivons une méthode de reconstruction de la paroi thoracique simple, facile et rentable pour le chondrosarcome de la côte dans un contexte de ressources limitées.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) in Non-Apneic Asthma: A Clinical Review of Current Evidence.

The use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in asthma has been a point of debate over the past several years. Various studies, including those on animals and humans have attempted to understand the role and pathophysiology of CPAP in patients with either well controlled or poorly controlled asthma. The aim of this manuscript is to review the currently available literature on the physiologic and clinical effects of CPAP in animal models of asthma and on humans with stable asthma.

Practice Pattern of Fresh Gas Flow and Volatile Agent Choices among Anesthesiologists Working in Different Indian Hospitals: An Online Survey.

BACKGROUND: Fresh gas flow (FGF) during volatile inhalational agent-based anesthesia is a concern for many reasons. Advancement in anesthesia workstation (WS) and monitoring of anesthesia gas concentrations has led to the feasibility of lower flow safely. However, the practice pattern is not yet well known. The information can help us in better protocol formation. AIM: The survey was aimed to know the prevailing practice pattern of FGF and volatile agent choices and compare them among anesthesiologists of different working setups and experiences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: With approval, the present cross-sectional survey was conducted using SurveyMonkey® software from January 2018 to May 2018. Anesthesiologists working in different organizations across India were approached through E-mail and WhatsApp. Anonymous responses were collected, expressed in number and percentage scale, as well as compared using INSTAT software and appropriate tests; P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 251 (15.2%) responses were received and 249 were analyzed. Overall, 87% of respondents were using anesthesia WS and 71% were using nitrous oxide as balance gas. The FGF of <600 mL/min was highest with desflurane. Minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) monitoring was very poor in nonteaching (NT) hospitals as compared to teaching hospitals; P < 0.0001. The Boyle's machine was more common in use in NT hospitals as compared to medical colleges and corporate hospitals; P < 0.0001. CONCLUSION: Low-flow anesthesia (LFA) use is still suboptimal, and there are ample opportunities to increase and optimize the FGF used. The use of Boyle's machine is associated with higher flow use. MAC monitoring and LFA use are poor in NTs.