RESUMO
Objective To assess the effect of intravenous dexmedetomidine on subarachnoid anesthesia with the help of hyperbaric bupivacaine when administered as a bolus or as an infusion. Materials and methods This randomized control trial was conducted at the Department of Anesthesia, Nishtar Hospital, Multan, Pakistan, from January 2017 to December 2018. Seventy patients were enrolled in the study. Patients were segregated into three groups. At the T10 level, a sensory blockade was noted. The motor blockade was also periodically measured until a modified Bromage score of three was achieved. The depth of sedation was measured with the help of the Ramsay Sedation Scale score. Oxygen saturation and other factors were also measured and recorded. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and pruritus were the adverse effects noted during the study. To check and compare the statistical differences among the variables from different groups, the Chi-square test and analysis of variance test were performed. A probability (p) value of <.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The duration of the sensory blockade was shortest in the control group receiving only bupivacaine (Group B) and longest in the group receiving bupivacaine plus dexmedetomidine as a single bolus (Group BDexB; p: <.001). The time of complete sensory and motor recovery was longest in Group BDexB and shortest in Group B. The difference was statistically significant (p: <.001). The Ramsay score was >2 (i.e., 3 or 4) in five patients from Group B, 19 from Group BDexB, and 17 from the group receiving intrathecal bupivacaine plus dexmedetomidine as an infusion (Group BDexI). Between these groups, a statistically significant difference was found (p: <.001). Conclusions Intravenous administration of dexmedetomidine as either a bolus or infusion prolonged the duration of the sensory and motor blockade.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To see whether betamethasone gel or lidocaine gel is superior in reducing the incidence of post-operative sore throat after tracheal extubation. METHODS: This clinical study was conducted at the Nishtar Hospital and Medical College, Multan, Pakistan, from July to December 2015, and comprised patients who were set to undergo elective surgery under general anaesthesia. The patients were divided into two equal groups. In group 1, endotracheal tube was lubricated with betamethasone gel (0.05%). In group 2, endotracheal tube was lubricated with 4.0% lidocaine gel. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis. Generalised estimating equation was used to see the association between the treatment methods and severity of sore throat over time. RESULTS: Of the 120 patients, there were 60(50%) each in the two groups. The mean intubation time was 5.58±1.31 hours in group 1and 5.43±1.21 hours in group 2. Besides, 7(11.7%) patients developed mild sore throat and 3(5.0%) moderate sore throat in group 1,whereas 13(21.7%) patients developed mild sore throat, 7(11.6%) moderate and 2(3.3%) severe sore throat after one hour of extubation (p=0.04). After 6 hours, there were 2(3.3%) patients with moderate and 1(1.7%) with severe sore throat in group 1 compared to 8(13.3%) with moderate and 4(6.7%) with severe sore throat in group 2. After 24 hours,5(8.3%) patients developed mild and 2(3.3%) moderate sore throat in group 1 compared to 14(23.7%) patients with mild sore throat, 5(8.5%) with moderate and 1(1.7%) with severe throat in group 2. Generalised estimating equation analysis showed a significant positive association between application of lidocaine gel on endotracheal tube and severity of sore throat (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Local application of betamethasone gel was associated with reduced risk of post-operative sore throat as compared to local application of lidocaine gel on the endotracheal tube.
