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Purpose Increase in the antimicrobial resistance causes a concern globally. To mitigate the rapidly rising antimicrobial resistance in the health system globally antimicrobial stewardship programs (AMSP) have been advocated. Therefore, we aim to measure aggregate antibiotic consumption by both Defined Daily Dosage (DDD) and Days of Therapy (DOT) methods. Methods As a part of Indian Council of Medical Research initiative to develop local AMSP, this prospective study of six months was conducted at a level -1 Trauma Centre of AIIMS, New Delhi. In this, we have included all the patients of polytrauma and neurosurgical Intensive care units between April to October 2019. Consumption of antibiotics data were collected manually daily by infection control practitioners. Data were presented as Days of Therapy (DOT) and Defined Daily Dose (DDD). Results During the six months of study, antimicrobial consumption of ICU was compared with empirical therapy v/s culture-based therapy. Overall average antimicrobial consumption for the six months for both empirical therapy and culture-based therapy DDD/1000 patient days was 531.8 and 460.7 whereas DOT/1000 patient days 489.9 and 426.04 respectively. Conclusions Antimicrobial Stewardship activities aim to ensure judicious consumption of antimicrobials. Such data will be of value in establishing, evaluating and monitoring the function of the AMSP in the healthcare settings.

Background Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) can impact the outcome following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children. We undertook a retrospective observational study to see the incidence, risk factors, and microbiological profile for HAIs in pediatric TBI. We also studied the impact of baseline patient characteristics, HAIs on patient outcome, and antibiotic resistance of different types of bacteria. Materials and methods Data on pediatric TBI patients of age up to 12 years were collected via a computerized patient record system (CPRS) from January 2012 to December 2018. Descriptive Chi-square test and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used to characterize baseline parameters. General linear regression models were run to find an unadjusted and adjusted odds ratio (OR). Results HAIs were found in 144 (34%) out of 423 patients. The most commonly seen infections were of the respiratory tract in 73 (17.26%) subjects. The most predominant microorganism isolated was Acinetobacter baumannii in 188 (41%) samples. A. baumannii was sensitive to colistin in 91 (48.4%) patients. Male gender (OR 0.630; p-value 0.035), fall from height (OR 0.374; p-value 0.008), and higher injury severity scale (ISS) (OR 1.040; p-value 0.002) were independent risk factors for development of HAIs. Severe TBI, higher ISS and Marshall grade, and HAIs were significantly associated with poor patient outcome. Conclusion Severe TBI poses a significant risk of HAIs. The most common site was the respiratory tract, predominately infected with A. baumannii. HAIs in pediatric TBI patients resulted in poor patient outcome. How to cite this article Prasad C, Bindra A, Singh P, Singh GP, Singh PK, Mathur P. Healthcare-associated Infections in Pediatric Patients in Neurotrauma Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Analysis. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(11):1308–1313.

Human errors form a significant portion of preventable mishaps in healthcare. Even the most competent clinicians are not immune to it. Errors in the perioperative period can often have grave consequences, and hence, perioperative clinicians need to be aware of the impact of human errors and how to minimize them. Errors are broadly classified into two kinds: latent and active errors. While active errors need to be addressed at the individual level, latent errors indicate organizational inadequacies. This review describes common errors in perioperative settings, the impact of such errors on healthcare, and preventive strategies to minimize such errors in daily patient care.

Background Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) is a grave entity affecting patients following traumatic brain injury (TBI). It presents with cyclic and simultaneous fever, posturing, and other symptoms of sympathetic hyperactivity. Lack of diagnostic tests or biochemical markers and its propensity to mimic other common causes of fever in the neurotrauma intensive care unit (ICU) result in clinical dilemmas and management delay. Case Descriptions We present a case series of four patients (two adults and two pediatrics) with TBI who developed PSH during ICU stay. These patients presented with fever along with variable symptoms of sympathetic hyperactivity. However, the value of serum procalcitonin (PCT) was not elevated, and management of PSH was started. Serial monitoring of PCT helped in differentiating fever due to PSH from sepsis and thus the institution of appropriate and timely treatment of PSH and also helped to use antibiotics rationally. Conclusion The use of serum PCT in differentiating sepsis from systemic inflammatory reaction and its role in the initiation and titration of antibiotics are well described. PSH is a common entity after TBI, causing episodic fever and sympathetic hyperactivity, often confused with infectious pathology. Our report proposes the role of serum PCT in differentiating PSH from infectious etiology and management of two different clinical entities. How to cite this article Bindra A, Chowdhary V, Dube SK, Goyal K, Mathur P. Utility of Serum Procalcitonin in Diagnosing Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(5):580–583.

Background Direct measurement of intracranial pressure (ICP) is an invasive technique with potential complications, which has prompted the development of alternative, noninvasive, methods of ICP assessment. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between noninvasive ultrasound-based measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), transcranial Doppler-derived pulsatility index (PI), and invasive ICP measurements in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods Children aged 1 to 18 years undergoing invasive ICP monitoring following TBI were included in the study. Noninvasive ONSD and PI measurements were compared with simultaneous invasive ICP. Results In all, 406 measurements of ONSD and PI were obtained in 18 patients. ONSD and PI correlated with ICP (r=0.76 and 0.79, respectively), combining ONSD and PI resulted in an even stronger correlation with ICP (r=0.99). Formulas were derived from mixed-effect models that best fitted the data for noninvasive ICP estimation. A combination of ONSD and PI had the highest ability to detect ICP >20 mm Hg (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve=0.99, 95% confidence interval: 0.99-1.00). Optimal cutoff values for the prediction of intracranial hypertension were 5.95 mm for ONSD (sensitivity, 92%; specificity, 76%) and 1.065 for PI (sensitivity, 92%; specificity, 87%). Conclusions In children with TBI, a combination of ONSD and PI strongly correlates with invasive ICP and has potential to screen for intracranial hypertension noninvasively. ONSD and PI may be useful tools for assessing ICP where invasive monitoring is unavailable or contraindicated.

Nasal bridge is a common site suffering personal protective equipment-induced skin damages over face among first-line health care workers in this coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. We hereby report folliculitis as a complication following regular use of N95 respirator and goggles, unreported in literature till now.

Objective:This study was conducted to assess the feasibility of extended use of N95 masks in our hospital during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We also studied the use pattern, user satisfaction, and issues faced during extended use of the mask.Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted among health-care providers in a large tertiary care teaching hospital in northern India from April 1 to May 31, 2020. A list was prepared from the institute’s register, and participants were chosen by random sampling. The data collected from the physical forms were transferred to excel sheets.Results:A total of 1121 responses were received. The most common problem stated with reuse of N95 masks was loss of fit followed by damage to the slings, highlighted by 44.6% and 44.4% of the participants, respectively. A total of 476 (42.5%) participants responded that they would prefer “cup-shaped N95 mask with respirator”. The median scores regarding the satisfaction with the quality of masks and their fit was also 4 each.Conclusions:It was concluded that the extended use of N95 masks was acceptable, with more than 96% of the participants using these masks.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. OBJECTIVES: The primary aim was to identify the number of patients requiring vasopressors beyond the first week of cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). Secondary objectives were to note the type, duration and doses of vasopressors and any association between prolonged vasopressors use and outcome. SETTING: Neurosurgical intensive care of a tertiary trauma care centre. METHODS: After Ethical approval we retrospectively collected the data of patients of isolated cervical SCI admitted to neurosurgical intensive care from January to December 2017. Vasopressor requirement for sepsis or cardiac arrest was excluded. RESULTS: Out of 80 patients analysed, 54 (67.5%) received vasopressors. The prolonged requirement of vasopressors was observed in 77.7%. Our preferred agent was dopamine (64.8%). We found out that longer requirement (in days) of high dose of dopamine was associated with higher survival (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Our results describe a significant portion of cervical SCI patients need ongoing vasopressor to maintain a mean arterial pressure >65 mm of Hg beyond first week. We observed patients who required longer duration of high dose dopamine had a higher chance of survival suggesting some unknown mechanism of high dose of dopamine. This is first such observation, further studies are needed to substantiate.

Background Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) has distinctive pathophysiology and characteristics that differ from adults. These can be attributed to age-related anatomical and physiological differences and distinct patterns of injuries seen in children. Our aim was to identify the patient characteristics, clinical variables during intensive care and intraoperative management associated with poor functional outcome in a cohort of pediatric TBI patients. Methods Retrospective chart review of pediatric TBI patients admitted to neurotrauma intensive care unit (NICU) over a period of 1 year. Results A total of 105 children (< 12 years) with head injury were admitted in the NICU during the study period. The most common mechanism of injury was fall in 78% cases. Fifty-four patients (51.4%) presented with a severe head injury (Glasgow coma scale [GCS] ≤ 8), while 31 (29.5%) and 20 (19.1%) had a mild and moderate head injury. The most common finding was skull fractures (59%), contusions (36.2%), and subdural hematoma (SDH) (30.4%). Forty nine patients (46.7%) required surgical management. The median duration of anesthesia was 205 (interquartile range [IQR] 65, 375) minutes, and median blood loss during the surgery was 16.7 mL/kg body weight with 41% requiring intraoperative blood transfusions. Median duration of ICU and hospital stay was 5 (IQR 1, 47) and 8 (IQR 1, 123) days, respectively. GOS at discharge ≤ 3 representing poor outcome was present in 35 patients (33.3%). Mortality was seen in 15 (14.3%) patients. Multivariate analysis identified postresuscitation GCS ≤ 8 on admission as independent predictor of mortality, and postresuscitation GCS ≤ 8 on admission and NICU stay of > 7 days as independent predictor of poor outcome. Conclusion Despite advances in neurointensive care, mortality and morbidity remains high in pediatric head trauma and is mainly dependent on postresuscitation GCS and NICU stay of more than 7 days. Multidimensional approach is required for its prevention and management.

Objective: The detailed epidemiological and molecular characterization of an outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia at a neurotrauma intensive care unit of a level 1 trauma centre is described. The stringent infection control interventions taken to successfully curb this outbreak are emphasized. Methods: The clinical and microbiological data for those patients who had more than one blood culture that grew B. cepacia were reviewed. Bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done using automated Vitek 2 systems. Prospective surveillance, environmental sampling, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) were performed for extensive source tracking. Intensive infection control measures were taken to further control the hospital spread. Results: Out of a total 48 patients with B. cepacia bacteraemia, 15 (31%) had central line-associated blood stream infections. Two hundred and thirty-one environmental samples were collected and screened, and only two water samples grew B. cepacia with similar phenotypic characteristics. The clinical strains characterized by MLST typing were clonal. However, isolates from the water represented a novel strain type (ST-1289). Intensive terminal cleaning, disinfection of the water supply, and the augmentation of infection control activities were done to curb the outbreak. A subsequent reduction in bacteraemia cases was observed. Conclusion: Early diagnosis and appropriate therapy, along with the rigorous implementation of essential hospital infection control practices is required for successful containment of this pathogen and to curb such an outbreak. Keywords: Burkholderia cepacia, Outbreak, Neurotrauma unit, MLST typing, Novel ST type

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Postoperative central nervous system infections (PCNSIs) and antibiotic resistance profiles of causative organisms in trauma patients following neuroinvasive procedures. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted over a period of 4 years (2013–2017). All in-patients admitted under a neurotrauma unit meeting the inclusion criteria of PCNSIs were included in the study. Surgical site infections (SSIs) were defined according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2018 (CDC) criteria. We retrospectively examined the demographic characteristics, type of neurosurgery performed, laboratory data, causative organisms, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing results of patients who had positive cerebrospinal fluid cultures following craniotomy between January 2013 and December 2017. Results: Of total 2500 patients operated during the study, 961 patients were screened for PCNSIs. The estimated prevalence (95% confidence interval) of PCNSIs which is a type of organ/space SSI was 7.2% (6.3–8.3). Males were predominantly affected (85.0%). The mean age (standard deviation) of patients was 31.9 (16.5) years. Of all the cultures sent for microbiological examination, 18.6% were positive. The proportion of Gram-negative bacteria causing PCNSIs was 91.6%. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii (41%) was the most common organism isolated. Among Gram-positive bacteria, the most common organism was Staphylococcus aureus (5.5%). All the Gram-positive isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, teicoplanin, and linezolid. Conclusion: There is a high burden of PCNSI caused by MDR Acinetobacter baumannii can pose a major clinical challenge with only few antimicrobials left in the pipeline.

Background: Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is done for the management of intracranial hypertension due to severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). Despite DC, a number of patients die and others suffer from severe neurological disability. We conducted this observational study to assess functional outcome as measured by Glasgow outcome scale-extended (GOSE) in survivors of DC. The correlation between various factors at admission and hospital with functional outcome was also obtained. Materials and Methods: Patients (15–65 years) posted for cranioplasty following DC due to sTBI were prospectively enrolled. Demographic profile, clinical data, and GOSE were noted at the time of admission for cranioplasty from the patient or nearest relative or both. Retrospective data noted from hospital records included admission Marshalls grading, Glasgow coma score (GCS), motor response, mean arterial pressure (MAP), and timing of DC at the time of initial admission following sTBI. Results: A total of 85 patients (71 males and 14 females) were enrolled over a period of 2 years. The mean age of the patients was 33.42 ± 12.70 years. The median GCS at the time of admission due to head injury, at the time of discharge, and at the time of cranioplasty was 8 (interquartile range [IQR] 3–15), 10 (IQR 4–15), and 15 (IQR 7–15), respectively. Thirty-one patients (36%) had good functional outcome (GOSE 5–8) and 54 patients (64%) had poor functional outcome (GOSE 1–4). On univariate analysis tracheostomy (P = 0.00), duration of hospital stay (P = 0.002), MAP at admission (P = 0.01), and GCS at discharge (P = 0.01) correlated with outcome [Table 1]. On multivariate analysis MAP at admission (odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval {CI}]; 0.07 [0.01–0.40] and tracheostomy (OR [95% CI]; 15 [1.45–162.9]) were found to be the independent predictors of functional outcome. Conclusion: Significant disability is seen among the survivors of DC. Tracheostomy and MAP at admission were found to be independently associated with the patient outcome.

Background Device-associated infections (DAIs) are an important cause of excessive stay and mortality in ICUs. Trauma patients are predisposed to acquire such infections due to various factors. The prevalence of HAIs is underreported from developing nations due to a lack of systematic surveillance. This study reports the rates and outcomes of DAIs at a dedicated Trauma Center in trauma patients and compares the rates with a previous pilot observation. Methods The study reports the finding of ongoing surveillance and the use of an indigenous software at a level-1 trauma center in India. Surveillance for ventilator-associated pneumonia, central line-associated bloodstream infections, and catheter-associated urinary tract infections was done based on standard definitions. The rates of HAIs and the profile of pathogens isolated from June 2010 to December 2018 were analyzed. Results A total of 7485 patients were included in the analysis, amounting to 68,715 patient days. The rates of VAP, CLABSI, and CA-UTI were respectively 12, 9.8 1st 8.5/1000 device days. There was a significant correlation between device days and the propensity to develop infections. Of the 1449 isolates recovered from cases of DAIs, Acinetobacter sp (28.2%) was the most common isolate, followed by Candida sp. A high rate of multi-resistance was observed. Conclusion Automated surveillance was easy and useful for data entry and analysis. Surveillance data should be used for implementing preventive programs.

Human beings are homeothermic and tend to regulate their body temperature tightly within a narrow range of 36.5–37.3 °C. While thermoregulatory mechanisms are well developed in adults, they are relatively immature in children and infants, making them prone to fluctuations in body temperature. Exposure to anesthesia and surgery in pediatric patients further increases the incidence of temperature fluctuations. Understanding the thermoregulatory mechanisms in infants and children will help in the better perioperative care of these patients. This chapter discusses the physiology of thermoregulation in children, temperature monitoring, effects of anesthesia on body temperature, and methods to prevent perioperative temperature fluctuations.

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders and results in significant disability in individuals of all ages worldwide. According to recent literature, 11.2% of the world’s children and adolescent suffer from one of the disabilities, including childhood epilepsy, intellectual disability, and sensory impairments. The prevalence of pediatric epilepsy is high across the globe, and the treatment gap is wide. The incidence and prevalence of epilepsy in developing countries are not well documented due to irregular reporting, diagnostic difficulties, and lack of standardization. The prevalence of pediatric epilepsy in India is around 5.5 per 1000 population. The surgical treatment of drug refractory epilepsy varies from lesionectomy to disconnective surgeries which are carried under general anesthesia except in certain cases where awake craniotomy is indicated. The ideal anesthetic technique should causes minimal interference with electrocorticography and other neurophysiological recordings.

A 26-year-old male suffered a motor vehicle accident. He is conscious, oriented, and able to follow commands. His vitals are Blood Pressure—84/60 mm Hg, Heart Rate—55/m, Respiratory Rate—30/m. He has labored breathing and inability to move all four limbs.

Introduction and Aims: Recognizing and treating nonneurological complications occurring in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients during intensive care unit (ICU) stay are challenging. The aim is to estimate various nonneurological complications in TBI patients. The secondary aim is to see the effect of these complications on ICU stay, disability, and mortality. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective observational study at the neuro-ICU of a Level-I trauma center. A total of 154 TBI patients were enrolled. The period of the study was from admission to discharge from ICU or demise. Inclusion criteria were patients aged >16 years and patients with severe TBI (Glasgow coma score [GCS] ≤8). Nonneurological complications were frequent in TBI patients. Results: We observed respiratory complications to be the most common (61%). Other complications, in the decreasing order, included dyselectrolytemia (46.1%), cardiovascular (34.4%), coagulopathy (33.1%), sepsis (26%), abdominal complications (17.5%), and acute kidney injury (AKI, 3.9%). The presence of systemic complications except AKI was found to be significantly associated with increased ICU stay. Most of the patients of AKI died early in ICU. Respiratory dysfunction was found to be independently associated with 3.05 times higher risk of worsening clinical condition (disability) (P < 0.018). The presence of cardiovascular complications during ICU stay (4.2 times, P < 0.005), AKI (24.7 times, P < 0.02), coagulopathy (3.13 times, P < 0.047), and GCS

Background and Aims: Posterior vessel wall puncture (PVWP) is a common complication of ultrasound (US) guided central venous cannulation. We evaluated and compared the frequency of PWVP of internal jugular vein using short axis (SA) and long axis (LA) approach of US-guided needle cannulation. As a secondary objective incidence of carotid puncture was assessed. Material and Methods: Prospective, single-blinded, cross over, observational study at Urban Level I Neuroanesthesiology and Critical Care Department. Residents receiving standard education on ultrasound-guided central venous cannulation were asked to place an US-guided catheter using either short axis or long axis approach on a human torso mannequin. During the procedure, the path of the needle was carefully observed by the investigator for any PVWP and carotid puncture without interference with the placement procedure. The confidence level of the resident for the intraluminal placement of the needle tip was measured on a 10-point Likert scale. Results: Forty residents participated in the study. The incidence of PVWP in SA and LA group was 40% and 17.5% respectively and was statistically significant (p = 0.026). There was no incidence of carotid artery puncture in either of the group. The mean confidence of intraluminal placement of needle was significantly higher in the LA group (8.32) as compared to the SA group (5.95). Conclusion: Lower incidence of PVWP was seen in LA as compared to the SA approach during US-guided IJV cannulation in phantom in residents having previous experience of CVC (central venous cannulation) in landmark technique only. Participants were more confident about intraluminal needle placement in the LA group compared to the SA group.

Cryotherapy means treating with cold. Cold causes reversible ablation of peripheral nerves and provide pain relief. The utility of cooling therapy is known since the time of Hippocrates [1]. James Arnott (1797–1883), an English physician, first published work on use of cold for treatment of pain in breast, skin and uterine cancers. Due to makeshift agents used and vague technique of delivery, the modality remained less popular. Irving S Cooper, a neurosurgeon contributed enormously to cryosurgery by designing a cryoprobe utilizing liquid nitrogen. The probe could attain a temperature of −196 °C and was used to freeze thalamus for treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders [2]. Thereafter, liquid nitrogen became popular and was used across many specialities. The advent of cryoprobe enabled clinicians to precisely control area of lesion and also minimise destruction to neighbouring tissues. Lloyd et al. (1976) used it to treat facial pain and found it useful in patients with TGN [3]. Thereafter, its benefit for relieving chronic facial pain especially due TGN was reported by many clinicians [4, 5].

Temperature management in neurocritical care is important and has gained due importance in recent years. Targeted temperature management (TTM) includes deliberate reduction of core body temperature to a range of 32–34°C in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest after return of spontaneous circulation and also therapeutic hypothermia (33–35°C) in normothermic patients or controlled normothermia (cooling patients to 37°C) in hyperthermic patients. This review focuses on the practical aspects of cooling and temperature management in neurocritical care. An electronic search of Google Scholar, MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE and the Cochrane library was performed. The physiological changes, potential side effects along with significant research and clinical applications in the field of temperature management are main highlights. Currently, the research evidence is available for TTM in adults following cardiac arrest, neonatal hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy and raised intracranial pressure. Controlled normothermia in neurocritical care population is rapidly gaining popularity. However, data on disease specific therapeutic markers, therapeutic depth and duration and prognostication of this modality are limited. Overall in experienced hands, the technique is safe to execute without the major morbidity and a potential to improve the outcome. Though over the years, clinical applications are unable to consistently demonstrate its benefits, but TTM in neurological insult has become an established and promising concept.

Postoperative visual loss (POVL) is a rare but grave postoperative complication. It has been mainly reported in patients undergoing cardiac and spinal surgeries. Dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) is pain relieving procedure performed in patients with refractory neuropathic pain with minimal complication rate. We present a case of unilateral POVL following DREZ rhizotomy in prone position in a patient having brachial plexus neuropathy. Exact etiology of vision loss was though not clear; hypotension, use of vasopressors and hemodilution may have led to vision loss in this patient. This case report highlights the associated risk factors for development of this hazardous complication.

Glanzmann thrombasthenia is a rare inherited coagulation disorder, manifesting itself in early childhood as bleeding episodes. The patients with this disease may present with uncontrollable bleeding following trauma. We report a patient of Glanzmann syndrome with head injury, who presented to us following fall from stairs. Platelet transfusion is the mainstay of treatment in emergency situations. As patients generally have a history of platelet transfusion they may be refractory to the same. Leuko reduced or human leukocyte antigen matched platelets should be used. Recombinant factor VIIa can be used to control bleeding in refractory cases and in patients with antibodies against platelets. Anti-fibrinolytics can also be used as adjuvants. There is need of advanced perioperative coagulation screening spot tests in emergency trauma settings as routine coagulation tests may not be able to pick up the abnormality. Thromboelastography/thromboelastometry can be a great tool for perioperative management of such coagulation disorders.

Chest physiotherapy and tracheal suction cause sympathetic stimulation and increase heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and intracranial pressure (ICP) which may have deleterious effect in the head injured. We planned to compare the effect of intravenous dexmedetomidine and lidocaine on intracerebral and systemic hemodynamic response to chest physiotherapy (CP) and tracheal suctioning (TS) in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). Prospective, randomized study in patients with sTBI, 18–60 years of age, undergoing mechanical ventilation and intraparenchymal ICP monitoring. Patients were randomized to receive either iv dexmedetomidine 0.5 mcg/kg (group I; n = 30) or iv lidocaine 2 mg/kg (group II; n = 30) over 10 min. After infusion of test drug, CP with vibrator and manual compression was performed for 2 min and TS was done over next 15–20 s. The hemodynamic response was recorded before, during and at interval of 1 min for 10 min after CP and TS. A 20% change in hemodynamic parameters was considered significant. The baseline hemodynamic (HR, MAP), intracranial (ICP, CPP) and respiratory (SPO2, AWPpeak) parameters were normal and comparable in both the groups. After dexmedetomidine infusion, MAP and CPP decreased significantly from baseline value. In group II, there was no significant change in HR, MAP, ICP and CPP. At end of CP and TS, HR, MAP and CPP in group I was lower as compared to group II. During the 10-min observation period following CP and TS, MAP and CPP in group I remained significantly lower as compared to baseline and group II. There was no significant change in value of other measured parameters. Both dexmedetomidine and lidocaine were effective to blunt rise in HR, MAP and ICP in response to CP and TS in patients with sTBI. However, intravenous dexmedetomidine caused significant decrease in MAP and CPP as compared to the baseline and lidocaine.

Elizabethkingia meningoseptica is an infrequent cause of hospital-acquired infections. The clinical and microbiological profiles of infections due to E. meningoseptica over a seven-year period at a Level-I trauma centre are reported in this study. Medical records of patients from whose clinical samples E. meningoseptica was isolated on more than one occasion were reviewed. A total of 21 cases were observed during the study, 16 (76.2%) of which exhibited multidrug resistance. The observed in-hospital mortality rate was 47.6%. A high index of clinical suspicion and effective detection of E. meningoseptica in clinical samples are requisite for improved clinical outcome.

Central venous catheter (CVC) insertion is a commonly done procedure but associated with some potential complications. In our case, intraoperatively we placed a CVC into the right subclavian vein of the patient for a neurosurgical procedure. Subsequently, in the neurosurgical intensive care unit, on checking the patency of the CVC, only the distal and proximal lumens were working and no backflow of blood was detected from the middle port. A chest X-ray and ultrasound were done immediately, which did not reveal why the middle port was blocked. Later CVC was removed, and on examination of the catheter, we noted an intraluminal fibrin clot and a partial tear near the opening of the middle port. This is an uncommon complication of a CVC insertion that is catheter tear along with fibrin clot occluding the middle port of the CVC, which was detected in time and managed successfully.

Context: Improvement in perioperative care can reduce anesthesia-related morbidity. Noncompliance to protocols and poor working practices can compromise patient safety. Aims: The objective was to survey the working practices of anesthesiologists in India and find out the most commonly overlooked aspects in perioperative period. Setting and Design: Prospective cross-sectional survey involving practicing anesthesiologists in India, conducted over a period of 2 months. Methods: An online questionnaire, including questions pertaining to pre-, intra- and post-operative phases during conduct of anesthesia was mailed to anesthesiologists (members of the Indian Society of Anesthesiologists) over a period of 2 months through the online survey builder SurveyMonkey. The questionnaire was delivered to 13,700 anesthesiologists, of which 2055 responded. Results are expressed as numbers or percentages. Results: Checklist compliance, equipment check, and perioperative record-keeping are the most commonly overlooked aspects by anesthesiologists in perioperative period. The survey also highlights the shortage of postanesthesia care units across the country. Conclusions: Checklist compliance, equipment check, and record-keeping are potential areas for improvement. Professional societies should promote better practices, monitoring standards and should also formulate minimum standards for different setups where anesthesia can be delivered safely.

There are multiple causes of perioperative arrhythmias. Some have underlying cardiac disease while others accompany systemic pathology. Use of anaesthetic agents in the intraoperative period is also a known cause of rhythm abnormalities. Preoperative benign arrhythmias may progress to serious ones in intraoperative period. The trigger may be a transient insult such as hypoxemia, cardiac ischaemia, catecholamine excess or electrolyte abnormality. Thus, presence of arrthymia in the preoperative period adds to preoperative work-up and especially in the elective surgery settings, they call for additional opinion and patient evaluation. However, not all arryhthmias are amenable to drug treatment and modalities like pacing, some require just careful watch in the perioperative period. We report a patient with thoracic intramedullary space occupying lesion who presented to us with multiple ventricular ectopics on electrocardiography, which eventually disappeared with tumour removal. The case highlights the association of multiple ectopics with spinal tumour and their management.

Autologous blood transfusion as a cause of intraoperative anaphylaxis is very rare. We encountered one such life-threatening event in a 72-year-old patient undergoing laminectomy and pedicle screw fixation. The probable cause identified was the floseal mixed autologous blood transfusion. Review of literature has been done, and measures to avoid such an event in the future are discussed.

Traumatic cervical lesions compressing the spinal cord pose a significant risk of exacerbating the existing neurological condition during tracheal intubation and subsequent positioning. Preexisting ankylosing spondylitis with spinal column involvement renders the spinal column more rigid and introduces difficulty in airway management of the patient with traumatic cervical spinal cord. To improve ease and success, and reduce cervical spine movement, awake fibreoptic intubation (FOI) is considered the gold standard technique for airway management in such cases. Attaining appropriate position for intubation was challenge in this case due to rigid curvature of the ankylosed spinal column. To prevent neurological injury to the spinal cord and preserve spinal cord function, minimizing movement during intubation and attaining appropriate position was of prime concern. Optimal sedation with self-positioning by the patient in a comfortable posture is quite imperative and assures both airway as well as neurological protection in such expected difficult situations. We report the use of dexmedetomidine for self-positioning and awake FOI in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis having traumatic cervical spine who was otherwise neither able to co-operative nor able to give appropriate position for FOI.

The placement of central venous catheter using Seldinger's technique, remains a commonly performed procedure with its own risks and benefits. Various complications have been reported with the use of guide wire as well as catheter. We report a unique problem during subclavian vein cannulation due to guidewire malposition which led to its kinking and difficult retrieval requiring removal in fluoroscopy suit. The probable mechanism of guide wire entrapment and possible bedside management of similar problems is described.

Introduction: Central venous catheters are vital in critical care which can be associated with infectious and non-infectious adverse events. Materials and Methods: This case–control study was conducted over 1 year in trauma centre of India. All patients admitted in intensive care units (ICUs) having central line inserted during the study period (November 2013–October 2014) were included as cases. Historical controls with non-antibiotic-impregnated dressings were used as controls (November 2012–October 2013). Standard central line insertion and maintenance checklist was followed. Results: A total of 2034 patients were admitted in ICUs during study period, and the central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rate was 2.89/1000 catheter days. During the year 2012–2013, 2100 patients were admitted and CLABSI rate was 3.04/1000 catheter days. The mean central line insertion bundle compliance rate was 76.8% in 2012–2013 and 78.37% in 2013–2014. The compliance with scrubbing the access port was minimum 34% while that with change in dressing was the maximum 79%. Discussion: Since CLABSI rate reduction was not statistically significant, the use of biopatch in our setting could not be justified and its use was not found to be cost-effective. In maintenance bundle, compliance with scrubbing the hub was least only 35%. Thus, the use of effective maintenance bundle parameters could easily reduce CLABSI rate.