COMPARISON OF ULTRASOUND GUIDED MODIFIED PECTORAL NERVE BLOCK WITH LOCAL ANAESTHESTIC INFILTRATION FOR ANALGESIA IN BREAST CANCER SURGERY

Objective: To compare the frequency of pain and mean analgesia requirement after breast surgery under general anaesthesia when comparing pectoral nerve block with local anaesthesia infiltration. Study Design: Comparative prospective study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi from Mar 2018 to Sep 2019. Methodology: A total of 60 patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy were included in the study. Group A (n=30) received pectoral nerve blocks while Group B (n=30) received local anaesthetic infiltration. Outcome was assessed at 12 hours after injection of local anaesthetic. Results: Pain in 7 (23.33%) patients in Group A (Pectoral nerve blocks) and in 20 (66.67%) patients in Group B (Local anaesthetic infiltration), p-value of 0.001 which was considered statistically significant. Mean analgesic requirement was found to be 80 ± 33.73 mg in the Group A (pectoral nerve blocks) compared with 141.67 ± 47.50 mg in Group B (Local anaesthesia infiltration) patients with a p-value of <0.001 which was statistically significant. Conclusion: Pectoral nerve block significantly reduces early postoperative pain and analgesia requirement when compared with Local anaesthesia infiltration after breast surgery.

P-BN33 Should a three-port technique be the gold standard for laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

Background The four-port technique is currently considered the gold standard technique for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A three-port technique has been described but there is no consensus over the safety profile and efficacy of this technique compared to the four-port technique. Methods A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the three-port technique to the standard four-port technique in laparoscopic cholecystectomy for benign diseases of the gallbladder was performed. Two authors independently conducted an electronic database search of CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, WHO ICTRP and ClinicalTrials.gov. For each outcome, we calculated the risk ratio (RR), mean difference (MD) or standardised mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals. Results Eighteen trials were included which randomised 2085 participants. Length of hospital stay and postoperative analgesia requirement favoured the three-port group [(MD -0.29, 95% CI -0.43 – -0.16, p &lt; 0.0001) and (SMD -0.68, 95% CI -1.03 – -0.33, p = 0.0001) respectively]. There were no differences in length of procedure and success rate between the two groups [(MD 0.90, 95% CI -3.78 – 5.58, p = 0.71) and (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.97 – 1.01, p = 0.17) respectively]. There were no differences in the rate of any measured adverse events. There were no mortalities in either group. The GRADE quality of evidence was low. Conclusions The three-port technique for laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be chosen by experienced surgeons who perform it regularly. However, the decision to use three ports should not be at the expense of safe dissection.

Effect of intraperitoneal instillation of dexmedetomidine or fentanyl as adjuvants to bupivacaine on fast tracking discharge criteria in patients undergoing ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomised double-blind control trial

Background Postoperative analgesia in laparoscopic cholecystectomy significantly affects the ambulation and discharge of the patient. This study compares fentanyl and dexmedetomidine as adjuvants to bupivacaine in intraperitoneal instillation after LC, in terms of their impact on ambulation, analgesic efficacy and recovery profile. Ninety patients were randomised into three groups with thirty patients in each group; group BF was administered 20 ml of 2 μg/kg fentanyl + 0.25% bupivacaine, group BD received 20 ml of 1μg/kg dexmedetomidine + 0.25% bupivacaine and group B received 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine only. After 8 h, Post-Anaesthesia Discharge Scoring System (PADS) scored for determining home readiness. Analgesic profile was assessed using Verbal Rating Scale and rescue analgesia requirement seen. Sedation was scored using Ramsay sedation scoring. Results Group B had significantly higher VRS and rescue analgesia requirements whilst groups BF and BD had a similar analgesic profile. Ramsay sedation scores were significantly higher in group BD when compared to groups BF and B. However, the PADS score remained comparable in all three groups (P = 0.113). The trial was retrospectively registered with the clinical trial registry of India CTRI/2019/07/020466. Conclusion Intraperitoneal instillation of bupivacaine in combination with dexmedetomidine or fentanyl significantly reduces postoperative pain scores in comparison to bupivacaine alone, in patients undergoing ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy. However, fentanyl may be preferred over dexmedetomidine, because it causes less sedation and achieves a better PADS score.

Pain management and bupivacaine

Background: Pain is an unpleasant experience associated with tissue damage. Peripheral tissue injury results in functional disturbances in the nervous system. Modern anaesthesiologists are not only concerned about preoperative and intraoperative care of the patient but also with postoperative welfare of the patient.Methods: In present study we have compared the efficacy of injection bupivacaine 0.25% infiltration preoperatively versus postoperatively on duration of postoperative analgesia, VAS (visual analogue scale) at the onset of pain, total analgesia requirement in 24 hours. 150 patients belonging to ASA (American society of anesthesiologists) class I and II between the age of 15 and 75 who underwent lower abdominal surgeries belonging to either sex were included in the study. The patients were randomly allocated to three groups. Control group (C) received 20 ml normal saline, preoperative group (A) received 0.25% bupivacaine before incision, postoperative group (B) received 0.25% bupivacaine before closure.Results: Duration of analgesia, VAS score at the time of first request of analgesia and total doses of analgesia over 24 hours were recorded. The total analgesia requirement was reduced over 24 hours in the group B in which the infiltration was done postoperatively.Conclusions: The postoperative infiltration with 0.25% bupivacaine produces longer duration and better quality of analgesia as compared to preoperative infiltration.

Thoracolumbar interfascial plane block for postoperative analgesia in spine surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction Thoracolumbar interfascial plane (TLIP) block has been discussed widely in spine surgery. The aim of our study is to evaluate analgesic efficacy and safety of TLIP block in spine surgery. Method We performed a quantitative systematic review. Randomized controlled trials that compared TLIP block to non-block care or wound infiltration for patients undergoing spine surgery and took the pain or morphine consumption as a primary or secondary outcome were included. The primary outcome was cumulative opioid consumption during 0-24-hour. Secondary outcomes included postoperative pain intensity, rescue analgesia requirement, and adverse events. Result 9 randomized controlled trials with 539 patients were included for analysis. Compared with non-block care, TLIP block was effective to decrease the opioid consumption (WMD -16.00; 95%CI -19.19, -12.81; p<0.001; I2 = 71.6%) for the first 24 hours after the surgery. TLIP block significantly reduced postoperative pain intensity at rest or movement at various time points compared with non-block care, and reduced rescue analgesia requirement ((RR 0.47; 95%CI 0.30, 0.74; p = 0.001; I2 = 0.0%) and postoperative nausea and vomiting (RR 0.58; 95%CI 0.39, 0.86; p = 0.006; I2 = 25.1%). Besides, TLIP block is superior to wound infiltration in terms of opioid consumption (WMD -17.23, 95%CI -21.62, -12.86; p<0.001; I2 = 63.8%), and the postoperative pain intensity at rest was comparable between TLIP block and wound infiltration. Conclusion TLIP block improved analgesic efficacy in spine surgery compared with non-block care. Furthermore, current literature supported the TLIP block was superior to wound infiltration in terms of opioid consumption.

Preoperative oral melatonin can reduce preoperative anxiety and postoperative analgesia in a dose-dependent manner

Background Preoperative anxiety has deleterious effects on patients’ outcome through its influence on intraoperative requirements of anesthetics and analgesics (Bayrak et al., J Coll Physicians Surg Pak 29:868–873, 2019), postoperative (PO) pain intensity, and analgesia requirement, and may even increase PO morbidity and mortality after certain types of surgery. Melatonin is a methoxyindole synthesized and secreted principally by the pineal gland at night under control of an endogenous rhythm of secretion generated by the suprachiasmatic nuclei. The current study hypothesized that preoperative melatonin could reduce patients’ anxiety and reduce intraoperative (IO) and postoperative (PO) analgesic in a dose-dependent manner. Results Preoperative consultation was, to some extent, effective in reducing patients’ anxiety and apprehension. At 1 h after receiving premedication, Anxiety Specific to Surgery Questionnaire (ASSQ) scores were significantly lower in study groups in comparison to baseline scores and at 1 h scores of P group patients (patients who received 3 ml of plain distilled water), and this significant effect extended for 3-h PO. The reported ∆∆ASSQ between study groups was 25.9% between M2 (melatonin) and Z (midazolam) groups and 36.9% between groups M1 (received melatonin in a dose of 3 mg) and M2 (received melatonin in a dose of 6 mg). Preoperative anxiolytic therapy allowed reduction of PO pain scores and analgesia consumption with prolongation of duration till 1st request of rescue analgesia, and these effects were more pronounced with melatonin 6 mg in comparison to placebo, melatonin 3mg, or midazolam. Conclusion Preoperative melatonin is an appropriate policy for reduction of preoperative anxiety and provided reduction of PO anxiety, pain scores, and consumption of analgesia thus promoting early recovery and short PO hospital stay. Dose dependency was evident, and preoperative melatonin 6-mg dose provided satisfactory effect.

Efficacy of laparoscopic guided transversus abdominis plane block in post operative analgesia requirement in elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background: Minimal invasive surgery has many advantages. In order to maintain and control pain, one of the most effective technique is Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block technique. Aim of the study was to demonstrate the efficacy of laparoscopic guided transversus abdominis plane block in post-operative analgesia requirement in elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Methods: It was a hospital based prospective interventional study. Sample size was calculated at 0.05 α error and 80% study power assuming mean difference of VAS score between TAP block +/A group and TAP block- /B group is 1 and standard deviation of VAS score 1.3 among patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Results: A total of 60 patients were enrolled in this study. The mean age of group A was 48.56 years and for group B was 43.53 years. In group A 80% patients were females and for group B 83.3% patients were females. There was significant difference in VAS score at immediate post operation, at 1 hour, at 6 hours, at 18 hours and at 24 hours as p value was <0.0001 for all these groups. The mean VAS score was recorded less in group A at all the time duration compared to group B.Conclusions: With advantages like maximum safety, efficacy, potential for lower visceral injury risk and shorter operational time and other numerous advantages (decreased analgesic requirements, etc.) laparoscopic-guided TAP block counts as an ideal abdominal field block in the patients.

A comparative study of post-operative analgesia after caesarean section with intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine combined with different doses of buprenorphine

Background: Post-operative pain relief after caeserean section is challenging to both anesthetista and obstetricians. Injection buprenorphine can be used intrathecally for post operative analgesia. Aim: the aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of two different doses(30ug and 60ug) of buprenorphine intrathecally with hyperbaric bupivacaine for post operative pain relief in caserean section. Methods and Materials: A prospective randomised controlled study was done on 60 subjects undergoing elective casarean section where in two groups were made, Group A (n=30) and Group B (n=30) who received inj bupivacaine 0.5% hyperbaric 2ml plus inj buprenorphine 30ug and inj bupivacaine 0.5% hyperbric plus inj buprinorphine 60ug intrathecally respectively. Following parameters were observed, onset and duration of sensory block, postopertive pain measured on VAS(visual analogue scale),rescue analgesia requirement, maternal side effects. Results: Unpaired t test and Chi square test were used for statistical analysis. Duration of analgesia was longer significantly in group A compared to group B. rescue analgesia requirement and VAS were significantly lower in group A as compared to group B.No major side effects were seen. Conclusion: Increasing the dosage of buprenorphine intrathecally increased the duration and quality of post operative analgesia. with no major adverse effects.

Evaluation of Ropivacaine versus Ropivacaine with Fentanyl for Postoperative Epidural Analgesia in Patients Undergoing Elective Lower Abdominal Oncosurgeries- A Randomised Clinical Study

Introduction: Epidural analgesia has emerged as one of the preferred and convenient modes of intraoperative and postoperative management owing to advantage of not interfering with metabolic functions, better tolerability and decrease in reflex activity, similar analgesic properties, less motor blockade and decreased propensity of cardiotoxicity. Neuraxial opioids like fentanyl used in epidural analgesia offer advantage of augmenting local anaesthetic effect and reducing the anaesthetic and analgesic requirement. Aim: To compare the adequacy of analgesia, requirement of rescue analgesics between 0.2% ropivacaine and 0.2% ropivacaine with 2 mcg/cc fentanyl. Materials and Methods: The randomised clinical study was carried out from September 2016 to May 2018 in 70 patients (35 in each group) of American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) 1 and 2 scheduled for elective lower abdominal oncological surgeries. The anaesthetic intervention in group R was 0.2 % ropivacaine and group RF was 0.2% ropivacaine with 2 mcg/cc fentanyl. All data was statistically analyzed and compared using Student t-test, Chi-square/Fisher-Exact test. The p-value <0.05 was considered to be significant. Results: Both the groups were compatible with regard to demographic data and haemodynamic variables. The mean Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were higher in group R compared to group RF at 0, 2, 4, 12, 18 and 24 hours but the observed difference in both the groups was not statistically significant except at 1 and 6 hours. Number of rescue analgesics as epidural boluses (p-value=0.007) and paracetamol (p-value=0.022) requirement were more in group R compared to group RF respectively. Conclusion: On account of adequate postoperative analgesia, haemodynamic stability, ropivacaine with fentanyl is a better option than ropivacaine alone for epidural infusion.