Search

Intravenous dexmedetomidine 30 µg reduces shivering after cesarean delivery but can result in sedation and dry mouth. We hypothesized that prophylactic administration of 10 µg of IV dexmedetomidine would reduce the patient-reported severity of shivering after cesarean delivery, without an increased incidence of side effects.After institutional review board approval and informed written consent, women undergoing scheduled cesarean delivery with spinal or combined spinal-epidural anesthesia were randomized to receive either intravenous normal saline or dexmedetomidine 10 µg immediately after delivery. The primary outcome was a patient-rated subjective shivering score using a 10-cm visual analog scale at 30 and 60 min after arrival in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit. Secondary outcomes included subjective scores for pain, nausea, itching, dry mouth, and sedation, as well as 24-h medication administration and investigator-rated observations of shivering, vomiting, pruritus, and sedation. Repeated measures ANOVA with Tukey-Kramer multiple-comparison test was applied for primary outcomes.One hundred patients were enrolled, and 85 completed the study and were included in analysis. The mean ± SD shivering score in the dexmedetomidine group was significantly lower by repeated measures analysis than among controls across the first 60 min (P=0.0002), and individually at both 30 and 60 min (placebo 1.8 ± 2.6 vs. dexmedetomidine 0.6 ± 1.4 at 30 min; 1.2 ± 2.1 vs. 0.3 ± 0.6 at 60 min; both P0.01). Patient-rated and observer-rated side effects did not significantly differ between groups.Prophylactic administration of intravenous dexmedetomidine 10 µg after delivery reduces shivering without notable side effects.

Number of deliveries is utilised to estimate obstetric anaesthesiologist workload; however, this may not reflect true workload. The goal of this analysis was to assess if including type of procedure, time required and length of each shift would better predict clinical workloads.We queried the electronic medical records at a high volume, academic centre for 12 consecutive months of maternal deliveries. Data extracted included delivery type, analgesic/anaesthetic procedure and whether delivery occurred during weekday, weeknight or weekend shifts. To generate an hourly comparison of shifts of varying duration, procedures were divided by the number of hours per shift. To calculate obstetric anaesthesiology time-based workload, delivery type was multiplied by estimated time associated with the analgesic/anaesthetic procedure.A total of 4,598 deliveries occurred in the 12-month study period. The caesarean delivery rate was 32%, and labour epidural rate was 85%. 1,564 anaesthetic procedures occurred during weekdays and 2,557 occurred during the weeknights and weekends. After accounting for the duration of each procedure and hours per shift, mean 6 standard deviation time-based workload ratio was 0.68 6 0.12 on weekdays versus 0.36 6 0.07 on weeknights and weekends.Relative workload based on deliveries alone suggests 41% less workload during the weekday, whereas accounting for duration of each procedure and hours per shift resulted in an 89% greater workload on weekday shifts. The study highlights the importance of considering analgesic/anaesthetic procedures and estimates of time taken to perform them, not just number of deliveries when considering obstetric anaesthesiology workload.

Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is commonly used for acute postoperative pain management. Clinicians may also use PCA in the management of acute pancreatitis (AP); however, there is limited data on its impact on patient outcomes. We aimed to characterize a cohort of patients receiving PCA therapy for pain management in AP compared to those patients receiving standard physician-directed delivery of analgesia.We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult patients admitted with AP at a tertiary care center from 2008 to 2018. Exclusion criteria included patients with chronic opioid use, chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Primary outcomes include length of stay (LOS) and time to enteral nutrition. Secondary outcomes include proportion of patients discharged with opioid and complications. Multivariate regression analysis and t-test were used for analysis.Among 656 AP patients who met the criteria, patients receiving PCA (n = 62) and standard delivery (n = 594) were similar in admission pain score, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and pancreatitis severity. There were significantly greater proportion of women, Caucasians and nonalcoholics who received PCA therapy (p 0.01) than standard delivery. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that patients in the PCA group have a longer LOS (7.17 vs. 5.43 days, p 0.007, OR 1.03; 95% CI 1.01-1.07), longer time to enteral nutrition (3.84 days vs. 2.56 days, p = 0.012, OR 1.11; 95% CI 1.02-1.20), and higher likelihood of being discharged with opioids (OR 1.94; 95% CI 1.07-3.63, p = 0.03).The use of PCA in AP may be associated with poorer outcomes including longer LOS, time to enteral intake and a higher likelihood of being discharged with opioids.

The majority of women undergoing cesarean delivery in the United States receive neuraxial morphine, the most effective form of postoperative analgesia for this surgery. Current American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) recommend respiratory monitoring standards following neuraxial morphine administration in the general surgical population that may be too frequent and intensive when applied to the healthy obstetric population receiving a single dose of neuraxial morphine at the time of surgery. There is limited evidence to support or guide the optimal modality, frequency, and duration of respiratory monitoring in the postoperative cesarean delivery patient receiving a single dose of neuraxial morphine. Consistent with the mission of the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP) to improve outcomes in pregnancy for women and neonates, the purpose of this consensus statement is to encourage the use of this highly effective analgesic technique while promoting safe practice and patient-centered care. The document aims to reduce unnecessary interruptions from respiratory monitoring in healthy mothers while focusing vigilance on monitoring in those women at highest risk for respiratory depression following neuraxial morphine administration. This consensus statement promotes the use of low-dose neuraxial morphine and multimodal analgesia after cesarean delivery, gives perspective on the safety of this analgesic technique in healthy women, and promotes patient risk stratification and perioperative risk assessment to determine and adjust the intensity, frequency, and duration of respiratory monitoring.

Currently, there is a concern at the national level of the overuse of both prescription and nonprescription opioid use. The purpose of this study was to identify whether the use of the intravenous (IV) formulation of acetaminophen (Ofirmev; Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Staines-upon-Thames, United Kingdom) is an effective tool in the reduction of postoperative pain, with a secondary goal of reduction of postoperative narcotic use.A total of 72 patients with previously diagnosed either partial bony or complete bony impacted third molars were selected with care to avoid long-acting local anesthetics or dissociative anesthetic agents. The patients' postoperative pain scores at 4 and 24 hours were collected via a verbal rating scale by the primary investigator. The exclusion criteria included administration of bupivacaine or ketamine, hepatic or renal impairment, pregnancy, or allergy to any of the normally administered sedation medications.At all postoperative increments (immediately, 4 hours, and 24 hours), there was no significant difference at P .05 between scores for either the IV acetaminophen or placebo group. Although there was a recorded difference in reduction of pain at both 4 and 24 hours postoperatively, these were not statistically significant variables.The use of IV acetaminophen showed no statistically significant decrease in patient pain at either 4 or 24 hours postoperatively. Although there are not representative data suggesting the routine use of IV acetaminophen, on the basis of the abundance of literature on the treatment of pain for other procedures, this medication should not be discarded as ineffective.

Transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange (THRIVE) maintains oxygenation and blunts the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) rise in nonpregnant subjects during apnea. Physiologic changes of pregnancy may attenuate the utility of THRIVE. We present a nulliparous patient at 31 weeks' gestation undergoing tracheal dilation requiring general anesthesia without intubation utilizing THRIVE. Our data confirms prior reports in nonpregnant patients showing markedly extended time to desaturation. However, PaCO2 rise more closely mirrors classic apneic oxygenation in nonobstetric patients. The PaCO2 elevation and subsequent acidosis may limit the utility of THRIVE for prolonged apnea in pregnant surgical patients.

OBJECTIVE: Prolonged preoperative fasting may lead to dehydration, hypoglycaemia, ketoacidosis and delayed recovery. We hypothesised that a patient educational initiative would decrease our preoperative fasting periods for elective caesarean delivery. METHODS: This was an observational quality improvement impact study. Elective caesarean patients who delivered during our study period were included in the study, 40 patients in the pre-intervention and 40 patients in the post-intervention groups. Only English-speaking patients were included. We developed a patient educational pamphlet outlining preoperative fasting and analgesic expectations for caesarean delivery that was given to every patient at her preoperative anaesthesia consultation. The pamphlet included the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ preoperative fasting and enhanced recovery carbohydrate drink recommendations. The primary outcome measure was intended fasting duration for liquids (defined as time from last reported liquid consumption to scheduled caesarean delivery) before and after the patient educational initiative. Secondary outcomes included solid fasting time, types of liquids and solids consumed. RESULTS: The intended median (interquartile range) fasting time for liquids decreased from 10 (8.9–12) h to 3.5 (2.5–10) h (p

The defining symptom of an overactive bladder (OAB) is urgency. OAB is a condition that 16% of Americans suffer from. There is a direct cost of more than $6 billion annually. Symptoms of an OAB affect both men and women in almost equal percentages, especially with advancing age. Most medical offices have the ability to offer state-of-the-art evaluations in a painless and efficient manner. There have been significant breakthroughs in minimally invasive technology that provide practitioners with specific data to help customize treatment for each individual patient. Over the past 15 years, there have been multiple advances in treatment options for OAB. We have seen several new medications that are more selectively geared toward the urinary bladder. There have also been advances in surgical and nonsurgical modalities. We see that most of these advances benefit patients who have refractory symptoms. The greatest advances have occurred in the area of neuromodulation. We now are able to improve our patients' quality of life, even in the most extreme cases. Many other symptoms are seen in patients with an OAB. Using state-of-the-art technologies, we can quickly evaluate most of these patients in the office setting. The medical history and physical remain the mainstays of evaluating these patients. As osteopathic physicians, we have the unique ability to focus our evaluations by fully understanding the neurologic and muscular physiology for this condition. The osteopathic physician has an advantage when applying a complete musculoskeletal examination as part of the physical. We can potentially uncover other contributing conditions that are perhaps easier to treat. As our research and the osteopathic profession expand, perhaps we can formulate newer treatment opportunities using manipulative medicine. This article focuses on the current and practical treatments available to our patients.

Objective To investigate the safety of daily coadministration of α-blockers with tadalafil 5 mg in men with lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia. The standard-of-care medical therapy for moderate to severe symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia is α 1 -adrenergic antagonist (α-blocker) therapy. Methods Men aged ≥ 45 years receiving stable α-blocker therapy were evaluated for eligibility before a 2-week single-blind, placebo lead-in period. Subsequently, 318 men were randomized to tadalafil 5 mg or placebo once daily for 12 weeks. Enrollment was monitored to ensure inclusion of men ≥75 years old and men taking nonuroselective α-blockers. The primary objective was to compare the proportion of men reporting treatment-emergent dizziness between the 2 treatment groups. Orthostatic vital signs, general safety, and the International Prostate Symptom Score were also assessed. Results The proportion of patients who reported treatment-emergent dizziness was not significantly different between the 2 treatment groups (tadalafil 7.0%; placebo 5.7%; P = .403). No difference between treatment groups was observed with respect to patients meeting the criteria for a positive orthostatic test (30 per treatment group, P = 1.00). The incidence of discontinuations was low among both treatment groups. Conclusion Recognizing the limitations of the present study, the changes in the hemodynamic signs and symptoms were similar for the tadalafil and placebo groups in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia receiving concomitant α-blocker therapy. However, consistent with the results of previous clinical pharmacology studies of healthy subjects, a trend was seen for increased hemodynamic signs and symptoms in men taking nonuroselective α-blockers, most notably those taking doxazosin.

Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) has been performed in Rochester, NY, since 2003. Currently, 10 area urologists perform RARP, and robotic training has become an important component of the residency. We present data describing the timeline for adoption, both in clinical practice and in the residency program.We reviewed the operating logs for all surgeons who were performing prostatectomies in all hospitals in Rochester, NY, from 2003 to 2007. We examined the influence RARP had on other treatments, including brachytherapy and cryotherapy. Surgical logs of graduating chief residents were also reviewed.Eleven surgeons in Rochester regularly perform radical prostatectomy (10 perform primarily RARP, one performs only open prostatectomy). Three of the city's four hospitals have robotic systems. In 2003-2004, there were 30 open prostatectomies performed monthly and fewer than 10 performed robotically. By 2006, the trend was reversed, with 50 robot-assisted prostatectomies performed each month and fewer than 10 open prostatectomies (P0.05). The rate of brachytherapy fluctuated, increasing in centers without a robot. The number of open prostatectomies in centers without a robot dropped significantly to fewer than 10 cases per year. There was also a significant decrease in the number of open prostatectomies performed by chief residents.Since the introduction of surgical robotics, significant changes have been seen. The volume of radical prostatectomies performed by surgeons at institutions with robotics has increased; the volume at robot-free institutions has become nominal. There is a trend toward increased radiation therapy at robot-free institutions. While radical prostatectomies logged by graduating chief residents have increased, open prostatectomy experience is now minimal.

We present 5 cases involving reinsertion of an artificial urinary sphincter after either erosion or infection. All 5 patients now have socially acceptable urinary continence.

Objectives To assess the efficacy and safety of the double-cuff artificial urinary sphincter over a long-term period. Methods Ninety-five patient charts were reviewed from December 1986 to November 1995. Data on the degree of urinary incontinence and complications were compiled and tabulated. Results There were 10 cuff erosions (10.5%) and one infection (1.1 %) requiring removal of the double-cuff system, with one death from unrelated causes. Two patients in the erosion group had a double-cuff system reinserted at a later date. Eighty-six patients have a double-cuff system, with 97.6% remaining dry. Conclusions A tandemly placed double-cuff artificial urinary sphincter is safe and effective in the treatment of severe postprostatectomy urinary incontinence.

Fracture of the penis is a relatively uncommon form of urologic trauma. Wereport an unusual case of rupture of both corpora cavernosa associated with partial disruption of the urethra. The patient underwent surgical repair using a Foley catheter as a urethral stent. The patient experienced excellent results with preservation of all functions.

Purpose: We reviewed our series of patients with an AMS700 Ultrex* penile prosthesis whose erectile deformities were corrected by replacement with AMS700CX cylinders.American Medical Systems, Minnetonka, Minnesota.Materials and Methods: Ultrex cylinders were replaced by AMS700CX cylinders in 7 men with erectile deformities.Results: Deformities were corrected successfully in all 7 patients. The penis is completely straight in 6 patients, while a mild 30-degree ventral curvature is present in 1.Conclusions: Erectile deformities with the AMS700 Ultrex penile prosthesis can be repaired successfully by replacement with the AMS700CX cylinders.

We report the first 3 cases of femoral nerve neuropathy after a psoas hitch vesicopexy, a technique commonly used with ureteroneocystostomy. The condition in 2 patients resolved with conservative therapy, and the third patient required reoperation with removal of an offending suture. All 3 patients recovered completely with no residual neurologic deficit. Urologists who use the psoas hitch must be familiar with this potential complication to prevent its occurrence.

Purpose: We reviewed the erosion rate of the double cuff artificial urinary sphincter.Materials and Methods: Charts of 95 patients were evaluated for erosions and underlying etiology.Results: Ten patients had erosion of the cuffs, for an erosion rate of 10.5 percent. Of the 10 erosions 4 (40 percent) were secondary to iatrogenic injuries.Conclusions: Addition of a second cuff to the artificial urinary sphincter remains a safe alternative for patients with severe urinary stress incontinence.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.27365.]., Competing Interests: No competing interests declared., (Copyright © 2022, Jerome et al.)