Tranversus Abdominus Plane Block with or without Magnesium Sulphate on Postoperative Pain Control after Open Appendectomy Operation

Background Patients undergoing Open Appendectomy experience pain postoperatively, requiring a multimodal approach to analgesia. The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block seems to be an ideal approach. This block may be achieved using bupivacaine with adjuvants such as magnesium sulfate, which we were used in this study. Aim of the Work to detect the efficacy and safety of magnesium sulphate as an adjuvant to the analgesia offered by local anesthetic in ultrasound guided TAP block in patients undergoing open appendectomy. Patients and Methods A prospective double blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted on 60 patients undergoing open appendectomy at Ain Shams University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. Results Our study concluded that co administration of 500mg MgSo4 to 0.5 % bupivacaine in US guided TAP block lead to: Significant decrease in VAS pain score especially at 4hrs, 6hrs and 12hrs,1st rescue dose of nalbuphine was delayed. And number of patients require rescue doses of nalbuphine in 1st 4 hrs, while only 2 patients require rescue doses of nalbuphine between 4&6 hrs.4 patients require rescue doses of nalbuphine between 6&12 hrs, while 26 patients require rescue doses of nalubuphine between 12&24hrs. we also cocluded that there were a significant decrease in HR and MABP especially at 4hrs and 6 hrs postoperative,. Conclusion MgSO4 as an adjuvant to bupivacaine in Ultra-sounded guided TAP block reduces post-operative pain scores, prolong the duration of analgesia and decreases demand for rescue analgesics.

Differences between preterm infants receiving a dose for lung maturation and those receiving an additional rescue dose of corticosteroids

it is unknown if there is a difference between preterm infants with a history of receiving pulmonary corticosteroid maturation or using an additional rescue dose of corticosteroid. This paper aims to determine the difference between infants with pulmonary maturation and infants who received a rescue dose of corticosteroid. We performed an epidemiological, observational, and cross-sectional study. We analyzed time of stay, the requirement of mechanical ventilation, the use of surfactant, and neurological complications in newborns hospitalized in Neonatology of the Isidro Ayora Gyneco-Obstetric Hospital, 2019. We analyzed 204 preterm infants of 28-37 weeks who received a total lung maturation dose versus an added rescue dose. We analyzed the information with the statistical program SPSS v 22.0. With rescue dose the stay time was 28.4±21.6 days (p <0.05), days of invasive mechanical ventilation 3±5.7 days (p <0.05); Surfactant use 33.3% (p>0.05). We found neurological complications in 6.9% of patients (p> 0.05). In group 2 with not rescue dose use, the stay time was 21.5±16.6 days (p<0.05), days of invasive mechanical ventilation 1.8 ± 4.1 days (p <0.05). Surfactant use was 24.5% (p>0.05), and neurological complications 2% (p> 0.05). Preterm males weighing <1000 g from 30 to 32 weeks, who used rescue doses of corticosteroids, showed an increase in intraventricular hemorrhage (13.7%), seizures (6.9%), and leukomalacia (13.7%), associated with the fact that in the group with rescue dose they are younger and had lower weight.

Comparison of intravenous and buccal caffeine for reversal of adverse effects of regadenason

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background/Introduction Regadenason is a common coronary vasodilator for myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). Use has been associated with side effects including dyspnea, gastrointestinal upset and chest discomfort. Aminophylline is a common reversal agent. Due to frequent shortages caffeine has emerged as an alternative treatment. Purpose Our study aimed to compare the efficacy of intravenous (IV) caffeine and buccal caffeine strips for reversal of regadenason adverse effects. Methods Consecutive patients undergoing regadenoson stress SPECT MPI were assessed for the occurrence of symptoms during testing over an 11 week period at a single metropolitan hospital. Adverse symptoms, including their severity and duration, were recorded at the time of testing. Patient satisfaction was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the most satisfied). Patients received reversal with caffeine if symptoms were felt to be significant enough by the patient and physician performing the test. The treatment received alternated week to week between IV caffeine (60mg) or 100 mg buccal caffeine strips. Caffeine was given at least 3 minutes after tracer injection. A rescue dose of IV caffeine was offered 10 minutes later if indicated. Results Of the 122 patients enrolled in the study, 70 (57%) were included during buccal caffeine weeks and 52 (43%) during IV caffeine weeks, and only 28 (23.9%) received reversal with a caffeine agent. Seven (5.7%) received IV caffeine and 21 (17.2%) received buccal caffeine. The most common adverse symptom reported was dyspnea, which occurred in 54 patients (44.3%). There was no significant difference in symptom duration between IV and buccal caffeine after treatment (152.8 vs 163.4 sec, p = 0.87). There was no significant difference in initial and final symptom severity between groups. Only 2 patients in the buccal group required rescue IV caffeine for ongoing symptoms and emesis. None of the IV group required rescue dose. There was no significant difference in patient satisfaction between the groups (2.8 vs 3.2, p = 0.38). Interestingly, patients were more likely to receive treatment on buccal caffeine weeks compared to IV weeks (30.0% vs 13.5%, p = 0.049) Conclusion(s) Buccal caffeine is an effective alternative to IV caffeine for the management of adverse effects from regadenason and may be a more cost effective option. Buccal caffeine is easier to store and prepare than IV caffeine, and compared to other oral caffeine alternatives provides consistent dosing and easier consumption.

Comparison of Postoperative Analgesic Effects Between Nalbuphine and Fentanyl in Children Undergoing Adenotonsillectomy: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Multicenter Study

Objective: There is no universal agreement on optimal pharmacological regimens for pain management during surgeries. The aim of this study to compare the postoperative analgesic effects of nalbuphine with fentanyl in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy.Design, Setting, Participants: We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority and multicenter trial in 311 patients admitted to four different medical facilities in China from October 2017 to November 2018.Main Outcome Measure: The primary outcome was postoperative pain score. The secondary outcomes were as follows: the numbers of patients who developed moderate or severe pain (FLACC ≥4 points); time to first rescue analgesic top up and the actual number of rescue pain medicine given in pain control in post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), and additional analgesics requirement (received ≥2 rescue analgesics or/and other analgesics except study medications administered in PACU and ward); emergence and extubation time; Waking up time; time of PACU stay, and other side effects (desaturation, nausea/vomiting etc.).Results: A total of 356 children were screened and 322 patients were randomized. The mean age was 5.8 (5.5, 6.1) in the nalbuphine group and 5.6 (5.3, 5.8) in the fentanyl group (p = 0.2132). FLACC score of nalbuphine group was lower than that of fentanyl group upon patients' arrival at PACU (p &lt; 0.05). The time to first required rescue dose of pain drug for nalbuphine group was longer than for the fentanyl group (2.5 vs 1.2 h, p &lt; 0.0001). Only one patient (0.6%) in nalbuphine group presented a slow respiratory rate (RR) at 9/min while 29 patients (18.5%) in fentanyl group developed slow RR ≤10/min in PACU. Meanwhile, SpO2 was lower in the fentanyl group at 10 min after patients’ arrival in PACU (p &lt; 0.05). The other profiles observed from these two drug groups were similar.Conclusion: Nalbuphine provided better pain relief with minimal respiration depression than fentanyl in children undergoing Adenotonsillectomy.

Ascorbic acid during the suckling period is required for proper DNA demethylation in the liver

Ascorbic acid (AA, vitamin C) serves as a cofactor for ten-eleven translocation (TET) enzymes and induces DNA demethylation in vitro. However, its role in DNA demethylation in vivo remains unclear. We previously reported that DNA demethylation in the mouse liver was enhanced during the suckling period. Therefore, we hypothesized that DNA demethylation is enhanced in an AA-dependent manner during the suckling period. To examine our hypothesis, we employed wild-type (WT) mice, which synthesize AA, and senescence marker protein-30/gluconolactonase (SMP30/GNL) knockout (KO) mice, which cannot synthesize AA, and analyzed the DNA methylation status in the livers of offspring in both the suckling period and adulthood. SMP30/GNL KO offspring showed DNA hypermethylation in the liver possibly due to low plasma and hepatic AA levels during the suckling period despite the administration of rescue-dose AA to dams. Furthermore, DNA hypermethylation of the fibroblast growth factor 21 gene (Fgf21), a PPARα target gene, persisted into adulthood. In contrast, a high-dose AA administration to SMP30/GNL KO dams during the lactation period restored DNA demethylation in the livers of offspring. Even though a slight increase was observed in plasma AA levels with the administration of rescue-dose AA to WT dams during the gestation and lactation periods, DNA demethylation in the livers of offspring was minimally enhanced. The present results demonstrate that AA intake during the suckling period is required for proper DNA demethylation in the liver.

The Physiologic Response to Rescue Therapy with Vasopressin versus Epinephrine during Experimental Pediatric Cardiac Arrest

Background: While epinephrine is the mainstay of therapy during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, it is potentially detrimental to the cerebral vasculature and ineffective in certain populations. This study compares a rescue dose of vasopressin to a rescue dose of epinephrine after ineffective initial doses of epinephrine in diverse models of pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest. 67 one- to three-month old female swine (10-30kg) in six experimental cohorts from one laboratory received hemodynamic-directed CPR, a resuscitation method where high quality chest compressions are provided and vasopressor administration is titrated to coronary perfusion pressure (CoPP) ³20 mmHg. Vasopressors are given when CoPP is <20 mmHg, in sequences of two doses of 0.02 mg/kg epinephrine separated by minimum one-minute, then a rescue dose of 0.4 U/kg vasopressin followed by minimum two-minutes. Invasive measurements were used to evaluate and compare the hemodynamic and neurologic effects of each vasopressor dose. Results: Increases in CoPP and cerebral blood flow (CBF) were greater with vasopressin rescue than epinephrine rescue (CoPP: +8.16 [4.35, 12.06] mmHg vs. +5.43 [1.56, 9.82] mmHg, p=0.022; CBF: +14.58 [-0.05, 38.12] vs. +0.00 [-0.77, 18.24] perfusion units (PFU), p=0.005). Twenty animals (30%) failed to achieve CoPP ³20 mmHg after two doses of epinephrine; 9/20 (45%) non-responders achieved CoPP ³20 mmHg after vasopressin. Among all animals, the increase in CBF was greater with vasopressin (+14.58 [-0.58, 38.12] vs. 0.00 [-0.77, 18.24] PFU, p=0.005).Conclusions: CoPP and CBF rose significantly more after rescue vasopressin than after rescue epinephrine. Importantly, CBF increased after vasopressin rescue, but not after epinephrine rescue. In the 30% that failed to meet CoPP of 20mmHg after two doses of epinephrine, 45% achieved target CoPP with a single rescue vasopressin dose.

Repeat Administration of Reversal Agents in Patients Receiving Neostigmine or Sugammadex: A Retrospective Observational Study

Background: Antagonism of neuromuscular blockade (NMB) induced by rocuronium and vecuronium can be achieved with either neostigmine or sugammadex. Compared to sugammadex, antagonism with neostigmine is more likely to result in incomplete reversal, i.e. residual neuromuscular blockade (rNMB). The administration of additional doses of a reversal agent following an initial reversal dose may be a marker for suspected rNMB. We studied the frequency and temporal patterns of repeat (rescue) administration of reversal agents in patients who received an initial dose of neostigmine vs. sugammadex. Methods: We analyzed retrospective data from electronic anesthesia records to identify surgical patients who received rescue dose reversal, defined as two or more doses of reversal agent, following administration of non-depolarizing NMB and extubation in the operating room. We assessed rates of rescue reversal over time following the introduction of sugammadex and compared rescue rates for patients receiving neostigmine vs sugammadex. Results: A total of 24,027 cases using cisatracurium, rocuronium, and vecuronium were analyzed. Following the addition of sugammadex to formulary in 2016, reversal with neostigmine decreased from 79% to 5.3% (p <0.001) and the use of rescue reversal after neostigmine increased from 6.0% to 18% (p<0.001). In contrast, rescue reversal after sugammadex was 2.5%, with no change over the study period (p=0.059). The percentage of patients who were not given any reversal agent following non-depolarizing NMB decreased from 20% to 13% (p<0.001). As neostigmine usage progressively decreased after introduction of sugammadex, there was a corresponding increase in rescue reversal dosing when initial reversal was attempted with neostigmine. Conclusions: Repeated administration of a reversal agent was 7 times more likely to occur in patients initially reversed with neostigmine compared to sugammadex. This finding likely reflects increased rates of observed weakness in patients reversed with neostigmine. The correlation between decreasing neostigmine use and increasing rescue reversal after neostigmine may indicate a progressive decline in the effective use of neostigmine (as knowledge and experience waned), and/or decreasing confidence in its efficacy.

A pediatric cancer patient with suspected chemical coping following high-dose opioid therapy: a case report

Background Chemical coping is an inappropriate method for dealing with stress through the use of opioids; it is considered the stage prior to abuse and dependence. In patients with cancer, it is important to evaluate the risk of chemical coping when using opioids. There are some pediatric opioid use-related tolerances and addictions; however, no mention of chemical coping has been found. Case presentation We present a case of an 11-year-old Japanese boy with acute lymphocytic leukemia. After transplantation, he complained of abdominal and articular pain, which are considered as symptoms of graft-versus-host disease; thus, opioid therapy was initiated, and the dose was gradually increased for pain management, resulting in a high dose of 2700 μg/day of fentanyl (4200–4700 μg/day including the rescue dose). After switching from fentanyl to oxycodone injections, he continued to experience pain, and there was no change in the frequency of oxycodone rescue doses. Physically, his pain was considered to have alleviated; thus, there was the possibility of mental anxiety resulting in the lowering of pain threshold and the possibility of chemical coping. Mental anxiety and stress with progress through schooling was believed to have resulted in chemical coping; thus, efforts were made to reduce the boy’s anxiety, and opioid education was provided. However, dose reduction was challenging. Ultimately, with guidance from medical care providers, the opioid dose was reduced, and the patient was successfully weaned off opioids. Conclusions When chemical coping is suspected in pediatric patients, after differentiating from pseudo-addiction, it might be necessary to restrict the prescription for appropriate use and to provide opioid education while taking into consideration the emotional background of the patient that led to chemical coping.

Dexmedetomidine Versus Ketamine Combined With Fentanyl for SedationAnalgesia in Colonoscopy Procedures: A Randomized Prospective Study

Abstract- Colonoscopy is a painful, embarrassing and short-term procedure that needs temporary sedation and rapid recovery. The aim of this study was to compare the sedation and analgesia effect and hemodynamic changes due to bolus intravenous injection of dexmedetomidine and ketamine during elective colonoscopy. This clinical trial was conducted on 70 patients aged 20-70 years, candidates for elective colonoscopy, who randomly divided into two equal groups. For all patients 0.03 mg/kg midazolam 10 min before procedure was injected. Fentanyl 1 µ/kg was administrated in both groups 5 min before procedure, and one min before colonoscopy. K group received 0.5 mg/kg ketamine and D group received 1 µ/kg dexmedetomidine. Then, the normal saline infusion was used as maintenance. Fentanyl 25-50 µg was prescribed as the rescue dose if needed during the procedure. Hemodynamic changes, sedation level during procedure, patients and colonoscopists satisfaction were recorded in recovery. The mean heart rate and mean blood pressure was significantly less in the dexmedetomidine group than in the ketamine group. All of the patients in the ketamine group were deep to moderately sedated during colonoscopy, and the amount of fentanyl required in this group is much less than dexmedetomidine group (68.02±25.63 vs 91.45±38.62 µg P-0.003). In terms of satisfaction, only 42% of patients in the dexmedetomidine group were completely satisfied with colonoscopy, while 65% of Ketamine group had complete satisfaction with colonoscopy (P=0.001). The level of colonoscopist satisfaction during colonoscopy was similar in both group, and complete satisfaction was 43%. In patients undergoing colonoscopy, IV bolus injection of dexmedetomidine in comparison with ketamine provides less patients satisfactory and low level of sedation with supplemental multiple doses of fentanyl during the procedure.