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Background and Aims: The treatment for postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) continues to be challenging in clinical pain management. Paravertebral block (PVB) and erector-spinae block (ESPB) are two novel techniques for treating this distressing condition. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of PVB and ESPB in preventing the progression to PHN in patients with acute herpes zoster (AHZ)., Material and Methods: Sixty patients in pain due to AHZ were selected for a prospective randomized control study after approval from Institutional Ethical Committee. Written informed consent was taken. Patients were randomized and allotted into Control-group: standard treatment (oral antivirals, analgesics, neuropathic medicines); PVB-Group: standard treatment with PVB and ESPB- Group: standard treatment with ESPB. Under ultrasound guidance, both blocks were administered with 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine + dexamethasone 8 mg. Efficacy was evaluated on the 15 th , 30 th , and 60 th day post treatment. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with adequate relief from pain and allodynia post study., Results: The incidence of PHN post study was 45% in the ESPB group and 40% in the PVB group and 80% in the control group ( p = 0.022). The proportion of patients with pain relief was higher among the PVB group compared to the ESPB group but not statistically significant ( p 0.749). On day 60, the mean pain score was 2.45 (±3.05) and 2.15 (±2.7) in ESPB and PVB groups, respectively, and 4.3 (±2.27) in the control group ( p 0.003)., Conclusion: PVB and ESPB are effective approaches in treating patients suffering from pain due to acute zoster and help in preventing its progression to PHN., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Anaesthesiology Clinical Pharmacology.)

Background: STOP-BANG questionnaire is an established tool for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) screening. Its utility in predicting difficult airway has not been evaluated. We intend to assess difficulty in airway management and associated perioperative complications in patients with undiagnosed OSA using the STOP-BANG questionnaire., Materials and Methods: We performed a prospective observational study on 250 patients with the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Class I-II, aged 18-65 years STOP-BANG score were recorded. Occurrences of difficult mask ventilation (DMV), laryngoscopy, and intubation were assessed using mask ventilation grade, intubation difficulty score intubation difficult score (IDS), and modified Cormack-Lehane grading during induction of anesthesia. Hypoxic events, hemodynamic disturbances, laryngospasm, and bronchospasm were also recorded., Results: Overall, 250 patients completed the study (Group H: n = 102, with STOP-BANG questionnaire ≥3 and Group L: n = 148, with STOP-BANG criteria < 3). A total of 67 (26.8%) cases of DMV and 63 (25.2%) cases of difficult tracheal intubation (DIT) were encountered overall. The proportion of patients with DMV during induction was 59.8% in Group H versus 4.05% in Group L (P < 0.001). A higher incidence of difficult intubation was observed in Group H (56.9% vs. 11.5%, P < 0.001). More patients in Group H had airway complications such as bleeding and injury to the posterior pharyngeal wall or teeth (P < 0.001). Complications such as hypoxia, hypertension, and tachycardia were observed to be higher in Group H (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: STOP-BANG questionnaire is an effective bedside preoperative tool that helps in identifying unanticipated difficult airway., Competing Interests: None

Objective: This study aims to compare levobupivacaine 0.125% and ropivacaine 0.2% with fentanyl as epidural drugs for labor analgesia using combined spinal epidural (CSE) technique regarding time for onset, duration of analgesia achieved by first epidural bolus dose and to compare the quality of labor analgesia. In addition, the study is also designed to assess the maternal and fetal outcome, incidence of instrumental delivery, degree of motor blockade, and maternal satisfaction., Materials and Methods: Following approval from Institutional Ethical Committee, 50 American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status II pregnant women requesting labor analgesia, satisfying the inclusion criteria were randomly divided equally into Groups L and R. CSE performed, 0.5 ml hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% with fentanyl 25 mcg administered intrathecally. IEBs 10 ml of study drugs given through epidural catheter as demand dose., Results: The mean onset of analgesia with Group R and group L were 16.280 ± 1.59 min and 21.480 ± 1.32 min(P = 0.000) respectively. The total duration of analgesia in Group R = 72.08 ± 1.97 min, whereas Group L = 82.160 ± 2.07 min (P = 0.000). There was no difference between the groups in terms of maternal demographic traits, mode of delivery, maternal and fetal outcome, and maternal satisfaction. Both 0.125% levobupivacaine and 0.2% ropivacaine produce excellent-quality of analgesia., Conclusion: Ropivacaine produces an early onset of analgesia than levobupivacaine but levobupivacaine had significantly prolonged analgesia compared to ropivacaine. Both drugs were found to be safe for labor analgesia. Maternal satisfaction and fetal outcome were similar with both the drugs., Competing Interests: None

Background: Alleviation of labour pain is known to improve maternal and fetal outcome. Combined Spinal-Epidural (CSE) analgesia is an excellent method., Aim and Objectives: In view of reports of its concerns on labour, this study was conducted to evaluate the progress of labour, obstetric outcome in cases with and without CSE analgesia, the maternal pain relief and fetomaternal adverse effects., Materials and Methods: In this comparative study, 60 parturients were allocated into case and control groups of 30 each. CSE analgesia was administered utilizing 0.5 ml of 0.125% Levobupivacaine / 0.2% Ropivacaine with 2 mcg/ml fentanyl. Progress of labour was recorded in partogram including duration of labour, mode of delivery, pain relief - Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, development of motor block, maternal satisfaction and Apgar score. Data was analyzed by Descriptive and Inferential statistics., Results: Mean duration of first and second stage of labour among cases was 530±44.1 minutes, 61.5±12.7 minutes respectively and that of control was 526.6±64.9 minutes, 60±10.8 minutes respectively with no prolongation of labour P > 0.05. CSE analgesia did not alter the mode of delivery P=0.145 with rapid onset of pain relief. Apgar score was normal in both groups. Total 29 (97%) parturients experienced effective labour analgesia following CSE analgesia with VAS score 0. Maternal adverse effects included pruritus, transient initial motor blockade and post spinal headache., Conclusion: CSE analgesia did not affect the duration of labour, mode of delivery with minimal fetomaternal adverse effects and provides rapid onset of pain relief . CSE analgesia can be considered for safe and effective labour analgesia., Competing Interests: None

Congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) is a potentially reversible, though life-threatening cause of respiratory distress in neonates. It is a rare developmental anomaly of the lower respiratory tract. A 10-month-old child presented with fever, cough and difficulty in breathing. Respiratory system examination revealed tachypnea with intercostal retraction, decreased breath sounds over the left upper lobe and room air saturation of 95%. Chest radiograph and computed tomography showed hyperinflated left upper zones with mediastinal shift. Left thoracotomy, followed by left upper lobectomy was performed under general anesthesia with one lung ventilation. Oxygen saturation, blood pressure, electrocardiogram and capnogram were continuously monitored. During anesthesia, conventionally positive pressure ventilation is avoided until the diseased lobe is isolated, however we adopted gentle manual ventilation maintaining the airway pressure before thoracotomy as described by Coté and Payne et al. Successful anesthetic management of CLE can be achieved by proper understanding of pathophysiology, good perioperative monitoring, and adopting novel management strategies.