An Update on Initial Epidemiological Profile, Clinical Course, and Outcome of COVID-19 Patients at a Tertiary Care Center in India.

Background And Aim: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic with the spectrum of disease from asymptomatic or mild disease to severe cases requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission. In India, it started with milder presentation affecting younger population. Later on, an increase in disease severity was observed involving older age group as well.

Comparison of the Efficacy of Intrathecal Isobaric Ropivacaine and Bupivacaine in Day Care Knee Arthroscopy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: The primary goal of ambulatory anesthesia is a rapid recovery with minimal side effects. Ropivacaine, due to its property of sensory-motor dissociation, maybe a useful agent when equivalent spinal anesthesia and quicker recovery of motor function is desirable.

Aim: The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of intrathecal isobaric ropivacaine with bupivacaine and to assess their postoperative recovery profile in patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.

Smoke Inhalation Injury: Etiopathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Management.

Smoke inhalation injury is a major determinant of morbidity and mortality in fire victims. It is a complex multifaceted injury affecting initially the airway; however, in short time, it can become a complex life-threatening systemic disease affecting every organ in the body. In this review, we provide a summary of the underlying pathophysiology of organ dysfunction and provide an up-to-date survey of the various critical care modalities that have been found beneficial in caring for these patients.

Hemodynamic, Airway Pressure, and Capnometric Changes and Perioperative Outcome in Pediatric Laparoscopic Inguinal Herniorrhaphy: A Comparison with Open Inguinal Herniorrhaphy.

Background: Laparoscopic procedures which are now established in pediatric population as well exposes the child to supplemental cardiorespiratory changes due to increase in intraabdominal pressure (IAP) and hypercarbia.

Aims: This study aims to analyze the effects of pneumoperitoneum and postural modifications on cardiorespiratory system (primary outcome) during pediatric laparoscopic herniorrhaphy (LH) and its comparison with open herniorrhaphy (OH) and assessment of overall perioperative outcome (secondary outcome).

Settings And Design: A prospective, observational study conducted in a tertiary care hospital.

Evaluation of the efficacy of desflurane with or without labetalol for hypotensive anesthesia in middle ear microsurgery.

Background And Aims: Hypotensive anesthesia technique is used to reduce intraoperative bleeding and to improve the visibility of the operative field. The aim was to evaluate the efficacy of desflurane with and without labetalol for producing hypotensive anesthesia.

Material And Methods: Sixty adult patients undergoing elective middle ear surgery were administered general anesthesia and randomly divided into two groups - Group D and Group L.

Sternomental distance and sternomental displacement as predictors of difficult laryngoscopy and intubation in adult patients.

Background: Several morphometric airway measurements have been used to predict difficult laryngoscopy (DL). This study evaluated sternomental distance (SMD) and sternomental displacement (SMDD, difference between SMD measured in neutral and extended head position), as predictors of DL and difficult intubation (DI).

Materials And Methods: We studied 610 adult patients scheduled to receive general anesthesia with tracheal intubation.

Attenuation of the hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation with fentanyl, lignocaine nebulization, and a combination of both: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: The present study was undertaken to compare and evaluate the efficacy of intravenous (IV) fentanyl and lignocaine airway nebulization and a combination of both in attenuating the hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation.

Materials And Methods: Ninety-six patients of either sex aged between 18 and 65 years of age, belonging to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) health status Classes I and II, undergoing elective surgery requiring general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation were included in the study. Patients were randomly divided into three groups.

Variability in plasma concentration of cefotaxime in critically ill patients in an Intensive Care Unit of India and its pharmacodynamic outcome: A nonrandomized, prospective, open-label, analytical study.

Background: Cefotaxime is a widely utilized cephalosporin in most intensive care units of India. However, no data are available about its pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic variability in critically ill patients of the Indian population.

Aim: To investigate the variability in the plasma concentration and pharmacodynamic profile of intermittent dosing of cefotaxime in critically ill patients, according to their locus of infection and causative organism.

Clinical evaluation of post-operative analgesia comparing suprascapular nerve block and interscalene brachial plexus block in patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopic surgery.

Background: Shoulder arthroscopic surgeries have a high incidence of severe post-operative pain significant enough to interfere with recovery and rehabilitation. A regional anaesthetic technique combined with general anaesthesia reduces intra-operative requirements of anaesthesia and provides a better post-operative pain relief. As the commonly employed technique of interscalene brachial plexus block (ISB) is associated with potential serious complications, suprascapular nerve block (SSB) can be used as a safer alternative.

Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profiling of imipenem in patients admitted to an intensive care unit in India: A nonrandomized, cross-sectional, analytical, open-labeled study.

Background And Aim: Widespread use of imipenem in intensive care units (ICUs) in India has led to the development of numerous carbapenemase-producing strains of pathogens. The altered pathophysiological state in critically ill patients could lead to subtherapeutic antibiotic levels. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the variability in the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of imipenem in critically ill patients admitted to an ICU in India.

Stellate ganglion block can relieve symptoms and pain and prevent facial nerve damage.

Ramsay hunt syndrome[1] is a varicella zoster virus infection of the geniculate ganglion of the facial nerve. It is typically associated with a red rash and blister (inflamed vesicles or tiny water filled sacks in the skin) in or around the ear and eardrum and sometimes on the roof of the mouth or tongue. Corticosteroid, oral acyclovir, and anticonvulsant are used for treatment of this.

A prospective observational study of skin to subarachnoid space depth in the Indian population.

Background And Aims: A pre-puncture estimate of skin to subarachnoid space depth (SSD) may guide spinal needle placement and reduce complications associated with lumbar puncture. Our aim was to determine (1) The SSD in Indian males, females, parturients and the overall population; (2) To derive formulae for predicting SSD and (3) To determine which previously suggested formula best suited our population.

Methods: In this prospective, observational study, 800 adult Indian patients undergoing surgery under spinal anaesthesia were divided into three groups: Males (Group M), females (Group F) and parturients (Group PF).

Cardiac dysrhythmia complicating total parotidectomy.

Sudden severe dysrhythmias during anaesthesia can be life- threatening for the patient. We describe a case in which ventricular dysrhythmias and severe bradycardia occurred during dissection and mobilization of the deep lobe of the parotid gland during total parotidectomy under general anaesthesia. We believe that these dysrhythmias were caused by a trigemino- vagal reflex similar to the oculocardiac reflex, but with afferent innervation from mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve.

Difficult laryngoscopy and intubation in the Indian population: An assessment of anatomical and clinical risk factors.

Background And Aim: Differences in patient characteristics due to race or ethnicity may influence the incidence of difficult airway. Our purpose was to determine the incidence of difficult laryngoscopy and intubation, as well as the anatomical features and clinical risk factors that influence them, in the Indian population.

Methods: In 330 adult patients receiving general anaesthesia with tracheal intubation, airway characteristics and clinical factors were determined and their association with difficult laryngoscopy (Cormack and Lehane grade 3 and 4) was analysed.

Granisetron versus ondansetron for post-operative nausea and vomiting prophylaxis in elective craniotomies for brain tumors: A randomized controlled double-blind study.

Context: Post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) pose unique challenges in neurosurgical patients that warrant its study separate from other surgical groups.

Setting And Design: This prospective, randomized, double-blind study was carried out to compare and to evaluate the efficacy and safety of three antiemetic combinations for PONV prophylaxis following craniotomy.

Materials And Methods: A total of 75 anesthesiologist status I/II patients undergoing elective craniotomy for brain tumors were randomized into three groups, G, O and D, to receive single doses of dexamethasone 8 mg at induction with either granisetron 1 mg, ondansetron 4 mg or normal saline 2 ml at the time of dural closure respectively.

A prospective, randomized, double-blind study to compare the efficacy of lidocaine + metoclopramide and lidocaine + ketamine combinations in preventing pain on propofol injection.

Purpose: Propofol injection is known to cause distressing pain, and various methods have been used to decrease this pain. We investigated the efficacy of the lidocaine + metoclopramide and lidocaine + ketamine combinations on modulating propofol injection pain.

Methods: Ninety ASA I/II patients aged 20-60 years were randomly assigned to three groups to receive lidocaine 20 mg (group L), lidocaine 20 mg + metoclopramide 10 mg (group LM), or lidocaine 20 mg + ketamine 5 mg (group LK), respectively, with venous occlusion for 1 min using a forearm tourniquet.

Randomized double-blind comparison of prophylactic ketamine, clonidine and tramadol for the control of shivering under neuraxial anaesthesia.

Background: Shivering is a common problem during neuraxial anaesthesia. Neuraxial anaesthesia impairs thermoregulatory control and up to a 56.7% incidence of shivering has been reported.

Intubating conditions following rapid sequence induction with three doses of succinylcholine.

Background: The aim of this prospective, randomized, double-blind study was to compare tracheal intubating conditions and the duration of apnoea following administration of 0.4, 0.6 and 1.