Anticoagulants after Discharge in Patients with COVID-19: What we Know at the End of 2021

This review discusses reasons for prolonged use of anticoagulants after discharge of patients with COVID-19 without additional indication for anticoagulation. Data regarding rate of thrombotic and thromboembolic complications in patients with COVID-19 after discharge from the hospital are presented. Large randomized controlled trials EXCLAIM, ADOPT, MAGELLAN, APEX and MARINER with prolonged use of anticoagulants in patients hospitalized with acute nonsurgical diseases before pandemia of COVID-19 are discussed. The first prospective randomized controlled trial MICHELLE with direct oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban in a dose 10 mg once daily after discharge of patients with COVID-19 with high risk at least venous thromboembolism are analyzed. It seems that the most relevant approach for the determination of indications for prolonged use of anticoagulants in doses dedicated for primary prevention of venous thromboembolism after discharge of patients with COVID-19 without apparent indication for anticoagulation is a modified IMPROVE VTE risk score with the addition of elevated in-hospital D-dimer level. And the most well-studied approach for anticoagulation in these patients is a direct peroral anticoagulant rivaroxaban 10 mg once daily for 35 (and possibly up to 45) days after discharge.

One day versus three days’ antibiotic prophylaxis in joint arthroplasty. A prospective randomized controlled trial

Objectives: The objectives of the study was to compare the effectiveness of 1 day versus 3 days post-operative antibiotic prophylaxis in decreasing surgical site infection (SSI) rate after arthroplasty surgery. Methods: A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted over 1 year, in Cairo University Hospitals. The study included adult patients, who were scheduled for arthroplasty. Sixty patients were divided into two groups, 30 patients in each. The first group of patients received cefazolin for 1 day postoperatively (1-day group) and the other group for 3 days postoperatively (3-days group). Patients were randomized using the sealed opaque envelope method. Results: There were 32 females and 28 males. The mean patient age was 52 years (range 20–85 years). Wound infection developed in four cases (one case from the 1-day group and three cases from the 3-days group). All infections occurred within the early post-operative period, and completely resolved after proper management. Correlating the SSI to the type of surgery, operative time, the associated medical co-morbidities, and the duration of antimicrobial prophylaxis was not statistically significant. Conclusion: This study suggests that there is no significant difference in the prevalence of SSI between 1 day and 3 days of antimicrobial prophylaxis after primary joint arthroplasty within the average post-operative follow-up period of 3 months.

Ultrasound navigation during retrobulbar blockade in children with retinoblastoma and enucleation of the eyeball

BACKGROUND: The retrobulbar block in children is used to enucleate analgesia in the intra- and postoperative period and prevent oculocardiac reflex (OCD), postoperative nausea, and vomiting. However, when the block is performed blindly, it results in serious complications. AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a retrobulbar block performed under ultrasound guidance compared with a retrobulbar block performed blindly during enucleation of the eyeball in children with retinoblastoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled trial was performed. The study included 40 patients who met the inclusion criteria. The patients were divided into two groups: 20 patients who underwent ultrasound-guided retrobulbar blockade (RBВ + ultrasound) and 20 patients who underwent blindly retrobulbar blockade (RBВ). RESULTS: There was an insignificant decrease in intraoperative opioid requirements in the RBB + ultrasound group, where the average dose of fentanyl was 41.4 g/kg, and in the RBB group, 4.70.8 g/kg (p 0.05). The time before the administration of the first dose of analgesic in the postoperative period was 4.70.8 h in the RBB group and 11.73.3 h in the RBB + ultrasound group (p 0.05). VAS and CHIPPS scores obtained 6 h after the end of surgery in the RBB + ultrasound and RBB groups were 1.8 (1.2; 2) and 2.5 (3.8; 4.5) points (p 0.05), respectively. CONCLUSION: There was no statistically significant difference between the time of the retrobulbar blockade under ultrasound guidance and the retrobulbar regional block performed blindly. Retrobulbar blockade performed under ultrasound guidance provides a decrease in intraoperative opioid requirements, stable intraoperative hemodynamics, and longer postoperative analgesia.