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A B S T R A C T Background: Establishing a definitive airway, defined as a tube placed in the trachea with cuff inflated below the vocal cords, is standard of care in pre-hospital airway management of the trauma patient. However, in this setting, and using manual in-line stabilisation of the neck, success rate of intubation by inexperience providers is suboptimal. The use of supraglottic airway devices that allow blind tracheal intubation has been suggested as an alternative method by the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) programme of the American College of Surgeons. We aimed to compare intubation with the standard intubation technique (direct laryngoscopy [DL]) with blind intubation through an intubating-laryngeal mask airway (I-LMA) during manual in-line stabilisation of the neck. Materials and methods: A randomised, crossover manikin study was performed with 29 emergency medical technicians undergoing training for paramedic status. Outcome measures were success rate in one intubation attempt, duration of intubation, and assessment of ease-of-use. Results: Study subjects had a higher success rate of tracheal intubation with I-LMA than with DL (27/29 vs. 18/29, p < 0.025), and I-LMA was assessed as easier to use (4 vs. 3, p < 0.0001). Longer duration of intubation was found with I-LMA compared to DL (54.2 vs. 42.8 s, p < 0.002). Success rate of correct placement of I-LMA within the airway was 28/29 (96.5%). Time to achieve correct placement of I-LMA within the airway was shorter than duration of tracheal intubation with DL (26.9 vs. 42.8 s, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Novice intubators had a higher success rate of intubation with I-LMA than with DL, but duration of intubation was longer with I-LMA. Time to achieve correct placement of I-LMA within the airway was shorter than duration of tracheal intubation with DL. Findings of this simulation study suggest that in the presence of manual in-line stabilisation of the neck, I-LMA-guided intubation is the preferred technique for novice intubators.

The difficult airway constitutes a continuous challenge for anesthesiologists. Guidelines and algorithms are key to preserving patient safety, by recommending specific plans and strategies that address predicted or unexpected difficult airway. However, there are currently no "gold standard" algorithms or universally accepted standards. The aim of this article is to present a synthesis of the recommendations of the main guidelines and difficult airway algorithms.

To discuss developments in paediatric anaesthesia and explore the factors which have contributed to improved anaesthetic-related patient outcomes.Narrative review of findings in the literature retrieved from MEDLINE/Pubmed and manual search.Adverse perioperative outcomes related to anaesthesia have been extensively debated over the past few decades, with studies implicating factors such as major human error and equipment failure. Case series and event registries have enlightened physicians on sources of error and patient risk factors such as extremes of age, comorbidity and emergent circumstances. Anaesthetic-related deaths in children fell from 6.4 per 10,000 anaesthetics in the early 1950s to as low as 0.1 per 10,000 anaesthetics by the end of the century. Advances in anaesthetic agents, techniques, monitoring technologies and training programmes in paediatric anaesthesia play a vital role in driving this downward trend.Despite substantial progress, there is still much room for improvement in areas such as adverse-event reporting, anaesthetic-related risk and late neurocognitive outcomes. Systematic reviews comparing paediatric patient outcomes after neuroaxial block versus general anaesthesia are currently unavailable. The future of paediatric anaesthesia will most likely be influenced by much-needed large prospective studies, which can provide further insight into patient safety and service delivery.

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2012; 22: 271–279 Background. Midazolam sedation poses a significant dilemma in paediatric dentistry, which is to find out the optimal dosing with minimal undesirable adverse events. In this study, we aimed to compare the effect of three doses of oral midazolam (0.5, 0.75, and 1 mg/kg) on the sedative state and cooperative behaviour of children during dental treatment. We further compared completion rates, parent satisfaction, and all adverse events. Design. Ninety children aged 3–10 years were randomised to three equal groups. Groups A, B, and C received 0.5, 0.75, and 1 mg/kg of oral midazolam, respectively. Levels of sedation, cooperative behaviour, procedures completion rates, parent satisfaction, and adverse events were prospectively recorded. Results. Sedation scores in B and C were higher (P

To evaluate the ease of use of two airway devices, the EasyTube (EzT) versus the esophageal-tracheal Combitube (ETC).Prospective, randomized controlled trial.University hospital.80 adult, ASA physical status 1 and 2 patients scheduled for elective surgery.Patients' tracheas were intubated with the EzT or the ETC in randomized fashion.Difficulty of insertion, time to achieve an effective airway, insertion success rate, maneuvers to achieve an effective airway, oropharyngeal leak pressure, intracuff pressure, ventilatory parameters, success rate of gastric tube insertion, and frequency of adverse effects were compared.Insertion was easier in the EzT than in ETC; insertion of the EzT was rated easy in 36 7 cases and moderately difficult in 4 cases versus 26 and 14 cases, respectively, for the ETC (P = 0.014). Less time was required to achieve an effective airway with the EzT than the ETC: 19.4 ± 5.3 sec versus 30.6 ± 4.1 seconds, respectively (P0.001). Oropharyngeal leak pressure was higher with the EzT than the ETC (34.3 ± 5.95 vs 31.6 ± 2.42 cm H(2)O; P = 0.011). Peak airway pressures for the EZT and the ETC were 22.2 ± 0.99 cm H(2)0 and 33.7 ± 1.82 cm H(2)O, respectively (P0.001). Gastric tube insertion was successful with both devices; however, the EzT allowed insertion of gastric tubes of wider diameter. No severe perioperative adverse events were recorded for either device.The EzT has distinct advantages over the ETC in airway management, including shorter time to achieve an effective airway and easier insertion.

Objective : The present study was designed to analyze vancomycin disposition in adult patients undergoing coronary bypass grafting during and following cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods : Coronary bypass surgery was performed on 11 adults with a mean age (SD) of 62.9 (9.0) years old, who received a mean (SD) vancomycin prophylactic dose of 12.7 (1.0) mg/kg in a mean period of 41 (0.7) min. Using a two-compartment open model for pharmacokinetic analysis, the following parameters were obtained: α half-life, minutes ( t 1/2α ); β half-life, hours ( t 1/2β ); apparent volume of distribution, ( V d l/kg); volume of the central compartment, ( V c l/kg), constant between the "central to the peripheral" compartment, (k 12 ); constant between the "peripheral to the central" compartment, (k 21 ); total area under the concentration–time curve, (AUC mg/l×h) and a vancomycin clearance, (Cl van ml/min), respectively. Results : The mean (SD) calculated pharmacokinetic parameters were: t 1/2α 17.6 (6) min, t 1/2β 8.4 (3.8) h, V d 0.803 (0.259) l/kg, V c 0.270 (0.162) l/kg, k 12 0.03 (0.015), k 21 0.012 (0.012), total AUC 10377.2 (3687.6) mg/l×h. The mean (SD) vancomycin clearance by the CPB machine was 9.51 (2.66) l/h, and the mean (SD) total vancomycin sequestrated by CPB was 331.7 (84) mg. A significant difference (6.3%; p =0.001) was measured between the mean measured AUC during CPB (1088.1±253.9) and the same calculated parameter (1160.2±282). Five minutes after starting CPB, a decrease in vancomycin level was detected; this difference was found to be nearly 11% in absolute values. Conclusions : This confirmatory study demonstrated that the vancomycin blood concentrations obtained during the study allow recommending a safety prophylactic dose of 12mg/kg in adults who undergo open-heart surgery under CPB conditions. Sequestration of vancomycin by the oxygenator or/and tubing system of the CPB machine had occurred and had been measured in this study.

The incidence of inguinal hernia is higher in premature infants, particularly in low birth weight neonates. This latter group may also incur increased postoperative respiratory complications and inpatient admissions. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of general and spinal anaesthesia on postoperative respiratory morbidity and on the length of hospital stay in high-risk infants undergoing inguinal herniorrhaphy. Forty patients, all high-risk infants who underwent unilateral or bilateral herniorrhaphies, were randomly assigned to receive general anaesthesia (n = 20) or spinal anaesthesia (n = 20). There was a significant difference in respiratory morbidity between the two groups, as well as a significant difference in the inpatient hospital stay. The present study suggests that spinal anaesthesia can be used safely for high-risk infants, preterm or formerly preterm, undergoing inguinal hernia repair.

Hymenoptera stings account for more deaths in United States that any other envenomation. Oropharyngeal stings, although rare, may produce life-threatening airway obstruction by way of localized swelling. We present 4 cases of bee stings in children that necessitated tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. Two children had breathing difficulties at admission; the other 2 presented with minimal symptoms but were preventively intubated and mechanically ventilated. Orofacial bee sting victims should be given parenteral treatment with epinephrine, steroids, antihistamines, and inhalational bronchodilators even when they initially present with minimal symptoms, with general anaphylaxis management in large envenomations, as well as immediate endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation for at least 24 hours in patients with signs of airway compromise.

Background Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have become a popular component of analgesia regimens, particularly in combination with narcotics. We questioned whether there might also be a place for their use in conjunction with regional anesthesia and whether there was a preferable route for NSAID administration. Methods Ilioinguinal and field blocks were performed preoperatively on seventy patients undergoing outpatient inguinal hernia repair. Patients were divided into a control group who received no ketorolac and four study groups who received a preoperative dose of 30 mg ketorolac by one of the following routes: i.v., i.m., p.o., or intrawound (i.w.). The ketorolac in the i.w group was mixed in the syringe with the local anesthetic used for the field block. i.v. and i.m. groups also received ketorolac at the time of the preoperative regional anesthesia and the PO group received the dose at least one hour preoperatively. All patients received a similar general anesthetic intraoperatively. Results Postoperative pain scores and analgesic requirements were lowest for the i.m., i.v., and i.w. groups. Pain scores and analgesic requirements for the PO group were less than for the control group but more than for the other three groups. Analgesic efficacy therefore ranked: i.m. = i.v. = i.w. > p.o. > control. Though no differences were found between groups in the time to discharge from the recovery room, the ease of nursing care paralleled the findings for pain scores and analgesia requirements. Conclusion Beyond the analgesia provided by the regional anesthesia of the ilioinguinal and field blocks, the preoperative use of ketorolac further reduced postoperative pain scores and the need for additional postoperative analgesic medication. Comparable outcomes for the i.v., i.m. and i.w. groups indicate the lack of any benefit to concentrating the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug at the wound (i.w.) or to achieving high blood levels rapidly (i.v.). In conclusion, ketorolac is a useful supplement to ilioinguinal plus field block regional anesthesia for hernia surgery and is most effective administered parenterally.

This study examined the relationship between the EEG (spectral edge frequency 90-SEF90) and the occurrence of awareness defined for the purpose of this study as responsiveness to verbal commands. Fifty women undergoing general anaesthesia for elective Caesarean section were examined. Responsiveness to verbal commands was detected every minute in the period from the induction of anaesthesia to the delivery of the newborn using the Tunstall isolated forearm technique and correlated with the SEF90 value. The patients were assigned by a randomized code to receive either thiopentone (4 mg.kg-1) or ketamine (1 mg.kg-1) for induction of anaesthesia. Before the administration of succinylcholine a tourniquet was applied to the free arm, and inflated to 200 mmHg, to maintain motor function to one arm. The EEG recordings started five minutes before induction and were recorded throughout anaesthesia. The incidence of responsiveness to verbal commands was lower in the ketamine group (24%) where the average SEF90 was 12.0 +/- 3 Hz, than in the thiopentone group (52%), where the average SEF90 was 18.09 +/- 3 Hz (P = 0.01). The results suggest that SEF values ofor = 8.6 Hz were sufficient to avoid responsiveness to verbal commands.

We report a catastrophic postoperative complication of a prolonged interscalene block performed under general anaesthesia. The course of the anaesthetic was uneventful and the patient remained stable during his stay in the recovery area with the operative extremity paralysed and insensate. No further local anaesthetic was administered until later that day when the patient received 10 ml bupivacaine 0.25% through the catheter. Upon completion of the top-up dose, no change in the patient's status was noticed. The patient was next assessed 6.5 h later when he was found dead in his bed. A postmortem CT scan revealed the catheter to be sited intrathecally, presumably the result of dural sleeve penetration.

The laryngeal tube (VBM Medizintechnic GmbH, Sulz, Germany) is a supraglottic device designed for airway management in spontaneous or positive-pressure ventilation during anesthesia or in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Currently, the tube is available in 4 versions: the standard laryngeal tube, the disposable tube (LT-D), the dual-lumen tube (with a tube for suction) (LTS II), and the disposable LTS (LTS-D). The design of the tube has been modified several times. It is easy to insert and the airway seal is more effective than that of the laryngeal mask. The incidence of complications is similar for both devices, though use of the laryngeal tube requires more adjustments. The standard tube is somewhat less effective than the ProSeal laryngeal mask, though the new LTS II has been improved considerably. The laryngeal tube is effective as an aid to management of the difficult airway. We reviewed the literature indexed on MEDLINE through December 2006 using the search terms laryngeal tube, anesthesia, equipment, and airway.

Hemodynamic changes were studied in 10 patients with severe coronary disease during routine transurethral prostatectomy (TURP) when performed in the lithotomy position with and without elevation of the legs. The patients undergoing the procedure in the lithotomy position with elevation of the legs exhibited significant hemodynamic changes as compared with those undergoing the procedure without elevation of the legs. This leads us to conclude that performing TURP in the lithotomy position without elevation of the legs benefited the patient by stabilizing hemodynamic factors.

Concern about the side effects of allogeneic blood transfusion has led to increased interest in methods of minimizing peri-operative transfusion. Technologies to minimize allogeneic transfusion include drugs such as aprotinin, desmopressin, tranexamic acid and erythropoietin, and techniques such as acute normovolemic hemodilution, cell salvage and autologous pre-donation.To survey the current use in Israel of these seven technologies to minimize allogeneic blood transfusion.Our survey was conducted in 1996-97 in all hospitals in Israel with more than 50 beds and at least one of the following departments: cardiac or vascular surgery, orthopedics, or urology. All departments surveyed were asked: a) whether the technologies were currently being used or not, b) the degree of use, and c) the factors influencing their use and non-use. The survey was targeted at the heads of these departments.Pharmaceuticals to reduce allogeneic blood transfusion were used in a much higher proportion in cardiac surgery departments than in the other three departments. Pre-operative blood donation was used in few of the cardiac, urologic and vascular surgery departments compared to its moderate use in orthopedic departments. The use of acute normovolemic hemodilution was reported in a majority of the cardiac departments only. Moderate use of cell salvage was reported in all departments except urology where it was not used at all.There is considerable practice variation in the use of technologies to minimize exposure to peri-operative allogeneic blood transfusion in Israel.

To compare the cardiovascular response during postural challenge of patients with fibromyalgia (FM) to those with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).Age and sex matched patients were studied, 38 with FM, 30 with CFS, and 37 healthy subjects. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded during 10 min of recumbence and 30 min of head-up tilt. Differences between successive BP values and the last recumbent BP, their average, and standard deviation (SD) were calculated. Time curves of BP differences were analyzed by computer and their outline ratios (OR) and fractal dimensions (FD) were measured. HR differences were determined similarly. Based on the latter measurements, each subject's discriminant score (DS) was computed.For patients and controls average DS values were: FM: -3.68 (SD 2.7), CFS: 3.72 (SD 5.02), and healthy controls: -4.62 (SD 2.24). DS values differed significantly between FM and CFS (p0.0001). Subgroups of FM patients with and without fatigue had comparable DS values.The DS confers numerical expression to the cardiovascular response during postural challenge. DS values in FM were significantly different from DS in CFS, suggesting that homeostatic responses in FM and CFS are dissimilar. This observation challenges the hypothesis that FM and CFS share a common derangement of the stress-response system.

The incidence of inguinal hernia is higher in premature infants, particularly in low birth weight neonates. This latter group may also incur increased postoperative respiratory complications and inpatient admissions. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of general and spinal anaesthesia on postoperative respiratory morbidity and on the length of hospital stay in high-risk infants undergoing inguinal herniorrhaphy. Forty patients, all high-risk infants who underwent unilateral or bilateral herniorrhaphies, were randomly assigned to receive general anaesthesia (n = 20) or spinal anaesthesia (n = 20). There was a significant difference in respiratory morbidity between the two groups, as well as a significant difference in the inpatient hospital stay. The present study suggests that spinal anaesthesia can be used safely for high-risk infants, preterm or formerly preterm, undergoing inguinal hernia repair.

Slow continuous quality improvement (SCQI) in anesthesia is a process that allows identification of problems and their causes. Implementing measures to correct them and continuous monitoring to ensure that the problems have been eliminated are necessary. The basic assumption of CQI is that the employees of an organization are competent and working to the best of their abilities. If problems occur they are the consequences of inadequacies in the process rather that in the individual. The CQI program is a dynamic but gradual system that invokes a slower rate of response in comparison with other quality methods, like quality assurance. Spectacular results following a system change are not to be expected an the ideal is slow and continuous improvement. A SCQI program was adapted by our department in May 1994, according to the recommendations of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. Problem identification was based on 65 clinical indicators, reflecting negative events related to anesthesia. Data were collected using a specially designed computer database. 4 events were identified as crossing previously established thresholds (hypertension, hypotension, hypoxia and inadequate nerve block). Statistical process control was used to establish stability of the system and whether negative events were influenced only by the common causes. The causes responsible for these negative events were identified using specific SCQI tools, such as control-charts, cause-effect diagrams and Pareto diagrams. Hypertension and inadequate nerve block were successfully managed. The implementation of corrective measures for the other events that cross the threshold is still in evolution. This program requires considerable dedication on the part of the staff, and it is hoped that it will improve our clinical performance.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a severe and potentially fatal reaction to neuroleptic drugs. Treatment requires withdrawal of the neuroleptic agent, metabolic and cardiovascular support, physical cooling and treatment with dantrolene sodium and bromcriptine mesylate. We report a therapeutic success of plasmapheresis in a case of neuroleptic malignant syndrome in which conventional therapy had failed. We postulate that plasmapheresis may prove to be a useful tool in treating this frequently fatal disease.

We have studied postoperative analgesia in 32 patients undergoing outpatient repair of inguinal hernia. All patients received a standardized general anaesthetic of thiopentone followed by halothane or isoflurane in 70% nitrous oxide and oxygen delivered by face mask or laryngeal mask with spontaneous ventilation. No patient received premedication, opioids or neuromuscular blockers. Before wound closure the surgeon infiltrated 20 ml of a study solution into the wound. The solution contained ketorolac 30 mg in saline, 0.25% bupivacaine and ketorolac 30 mg, 0.25% bupivacaine or saline (control group). The control group received ketorolac 60 mg i.m. at the same time. Pain scores were measured 2, 6 and 24 h after operation. Pain scores for all three active groups were significantly less (P < 0.05) than the control group at all times. There were no significant differences in pain scores at any time between the three study groups. Wound infiltration with ketorolac 30 mg in saline, 0.25% bupivacaine or ketorolac 30 mg with 0.25% bupivacaine provided equivalent analgesia. Wound infiltration with ketorolac 30 mg in saline provided analgesia superior to that of ketorolac 60 mg i.m.