Challenges of Pediatric Anesthesia Services and Training Infrastructure in Tertiary Care Teaching Institutions in Pakistan: A Perspective From the Province of Sindh.

BACKGROUND: Pakistan is a lower middle-income country located in South Asia with a population of nearly 208 million. Sindh is its second largest province. The aim of this survey was to identify the current setup of pediatric services, staffing, equipment, and training infrastructure in the teaching hospitals of Sindh. METHODS: The survey was conducted between June 2018 and September 2018. A questionnaire was designed with input from experts and pretested. One faculty coordinator from each of 12 of the 13 teaching hospitals (7 government and 5 private) completed the form. Information was exported into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. Frequency and percentages were computed for all variables. Confidentiality was ensured by anonymizing the data. RESULTS: Anesthesia services are provided by consultants with either membership or fellowship in anesthesia of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan (CPSP). All drugs on the World Health Organization (WHO) essential medication list were available, although narcotic supply was often inconsistent. Weak areas identified were absence of standardization of practice regarding premedication, preoperative laboratory testing, pain assessment, and management. No national practice guidelines exist. Pulse oximeters and capnometers were available in all private hospitals but in only 86% and 44% of the government hospitals, respectively. Some training centers were not providing the training as outlined by the CPSP criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Several gaps have been identified in the practice and training infrastructure of pediatric anesthesia. There is a need for national guidelines, standardization of protocols, provision of basic equipment, and improved supervision of trainees. One suggestion is to have combined residency programs between private and government hospitals to take advantage of the strengths of both. Recommendations by this group have been shared with all teaching hospitals and training bodies.

Recovery profile - a comparison of isoflurane and propofol anesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the recovery profile in terms of time of extubation, eye opening, orientation and mobility and frequency of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV) between propofol and isoflurane based anesthesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy with prophylactic antiemetic. STUDY DESIGN: Quasi-experimental study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Anesthesia, Civil Hospital and Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, from January to April 2007. PATIENTS AND METHODS: After informed consent, a total of 60 ASA I-II patients scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy were divided in two equal groups I and P. Anesthesia in all patients were induced by Nalbuphine 0.15 mg/kg, Midazolam 0.03 mg/kg, Propofol 1.5 mg/kg and Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg. Anesthesia was maintained with Isoflurane in group I and propofol infusion in group P, while ventilation was maintained with 50% N2O/O2 mixture in both the groups. All patients were given antiemetic prophylaxis. Hemodynamics were recorded throughout anesthesia and recovery period. At the end of surgery, times of extubation, eye opening, orientation (by modified Aldrete score) and mobility (recovery profile) were assessed. PONV was observed and recorded immediately after extubation, during early postoperative period (0-4 hours) and late period (4-24 hours). Antiemetic requirements were also recorded for the same periods in both the groups. RESULTS: Propofol provided faster recovery (extubation and eye opening times) and orientation in immediate postoperative period with statistically significant differences between the groups (p<0.0001). Recovery characteristics were comparably lower in group I. More patients achieved full points (8) on modified Aldrete score at different time until 30 minutes in group P. Postoperative nausea and vomiting in early and late periods were significantly reduced in group P. Moreover, requirement of rescue antiemetic doses were significantly lower in group P in 24 hours (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: In this series, recovery was much faster with earlier gain of orientation with propofol anesthesia compared to isoflurane in the early recovery periods. Propofol is likely to be a better choice of anesthesia because of its better antiemetic property that persists long into postoperative period and reduces the risk of PONV.

Single dose caudal tramadol with bupivacaine and bupivacaine alone in pediartic inguinoscrotal surgeries.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the postoperative analgesic effect of Tramadol when given with caudally administered Bupivacaine in children undergoing inguinoscrotal surgeries. STUDY DESIGN: Quasi-experimental study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Anaesthesia, Dow University of Health Sciences and Civil Hospital Karachi, from July 2005 to March 2006. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 60 children, undergoing inguinoscrotal surgeries, aged from 1 to 12 years, ASA 1 and 2, were included. The patients were divided into two equal groups. The group given Bupivacaine with Tramadol was called 'group BT' and the group which was given only Bupivacaine was labeled as 'group B'. Group BT was given 0.25%,0.8 ml/kg Bupivacaine and Tramadol 2 mg/kg while the other group B was given 0.25%, 0.8 ml/kg Bupivacaine through caudal route after induction of general anesthesia. No other analgesic was given intraoperatively. The postoperative pain was evaluated by using visual analogue scale/Ocher's face scale/CHEOPS and sedation was assessed by 5 points sedation score at immediate postoperative period 1, 2,3,4,6, 12 and 24 hours. Supplemental analgesia in the form of paracetamol suppositories and syrup Ibuprofen was given accordingly. SaO2, pulse, blood pressure, and motor block were monitored in all the patients. RESULTS: Addition of Tramadol with Bupivacaine resulted in meaningfully increased postoperative analgesic period (16.06 +/- 4.04 hours). No other side effects like respiratory depression, pruritus, urinary retention were found in both the groups except for nausea and vomiting. The demand for supplemental analgesia was more in the patients belonging to B group than BT group. The sedation scores were similar in both the groups. CONCLUSION: The use of Tramadol as an additive with local anesthetics can prolong the postoperative analgesic period when administered caudally. Its use is safe in children.

Efficacy of pre-incisional peritonsillar infiltration of ketamine for post-tonsillectomy analgesia in children.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of pre-incisional peritonsillar infiltration of two doses of ketamine on postoperative analgesia compared with peritonsillar normal saline in children undergoing tonsillectomy. STUDY DESIGN: Double blind, randomized controlled trial. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Anaesthesiology, Surgical Intensive Care and Pain Management, Civil Hospital, Karachi, Dow University of Health Sciences, from August 2008 to January 2009. METHODOLOGY: Seventy-five ASA physical status one patients, aged 5 - 12 years scheduled for tonsillectomy were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into three groups of 25 each. Group-A received normal saline, Group-B, ketamine 0.5 mg/kg while group-C ketamine 1 mg/kg respectively. All medications were 2 ml and were applied 1 ml per tonsil; 3 minutes before tonsillectomy incision. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained with standard technique. All patients were monitored throughout surgery. The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (CHEOPS) and Wilson sedation scale were used to evaluate pain levels and sedation respectively after operation. RESULTS: Mean duration of analgesia was significantly higher in group-C (17.28 ± 5.33 hours) as compared to group-B (11.36 ± 4.15 hours) and A (3.2 ± 0.71 hours) as well as group-B was also significantly higher than group-A (p < 0.05). Group-A had significantly higher pain scores than group-B and group-C. Both B and C groups had comparable pain scores, which were statistically significant at 6 and 8 hours. CONCLUSION: Single 0.5 or 1 mg/kg injection of ketamine given before surgical incision by peritonsillar infiltration provides efficient pain relief during postoperative period without significant side-effects in children undergoing tonsillectomy.

New single use supraglottic airway device with non-inflatable cuff and gastric tube channel.

OBJECTIVE: To assess ventilatory characteristics and airway complications associated with the use of I-gel in patients undergoing gynaecological surgeries. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Anaesthesiology, Surgical Intensive Care Unit and Pain Management, Civil Hospital, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, from July 2008 to June 2009. METHODOLOGY: One hundred adult female patients aged 15 - 75 years, ASA-I and II scheduled for elective gynaecologic surgical procedures under general anaesthesia with controlled ventilation were included in this study. After insertion of device, ease of insertion, time of insertion, peak airway pressure, leak pressure were noted. After proper placement of device, gastric tube was also passed in every patient. Pharyngolaryngeal morbidities (sore throat, dysphagia, dysphonia, neck pain and coughing at 1 hour and 24 hours postoperatively) were also noted. RESULTS: I-gel was inserted in the first attempt in 92% patients while second attempt was required in 8% of patients. Average time of insertion was 9.68 ± 2.69 seconds. Average leak pressure of 22.48 ± 2.07 cm H2O. After removal of I-gel no blood staining was found on any device. Coughing was noted in 6% patients after removal of device and mild sore throat was noted in only one patient after 24 hours of surgery. CONCLUSION: I-gel is a simple and easy to use supraglottic airway device. Its insertion do not require laryngoscopy and airway can be maintained in very short time in adult female patients.