Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
Year:2018 | Volume:8 | Issue:3|Papers Count:9

Background: Hypnosis is a psychological method used for treatment of different types of disorders and illnesses. This technique is also used in surgical interventions. Many studies proved the efficacy of hypnosis in medical treatment. However, the mechanism of hypnosis is unclear for scientists. To find out if the peripheral nervous system has a role in hypnotic anesthesia, we aimed to investigate the effect of hypnotic anesthesia on nerve conduction velocity (NCV). Methods: In this study, healthy volunteers with high hypnotizability entered the study. First, The NCV test was performed in both hands of participants and then they all underwent hypnosis. Hypnotic anesthesia was induced in the right hand of all subjects followed by painful stimuli in their hand by vascular clasping. Then, the NCV test was repeated in both hands again. Data were analyzed by SPSS version16. Results: The group study consisted of 13 (65%) women and 7 (35%) men with their age ranging between 14 to 52 years. According to the results, the mean values of sensory latency, and NCV changed from 3. 225 ms and 54. 355 m/s before hypnotic anesthesia to 3. 32 ms and 55. 3 m/s after hypnotic anesthesia in right hand, respectively. Results showed that there was a significant difference between data before and after hypnotic induction (P < 0. 001). The covariance test also indicated a significant difference between the data obtained from both hands (P < 0. 001). Conclusions: In contrast to our hypothesis, the NCV test showed an increase after the hypnotic anesthesia. However, increase in NCV did not lead to experience pain after the painful stimuli. It seems that central nervous system should be involved in this process.

Background: Surgery is one of the stressors that cause physiological and psychological stress. Anxiety and pain and their complications are very important in anesthesiology and many researches have been done to decrease or eliminate them. This training was done to compare the effect of melatonin and gabapentin on pain and anxiety during lumbar surgery. Methods: This study was a double-blinded clinical trial conducted on 90 patients undergoing lumbar surgery with general anesthesia in Golestan Academic Hospital in 2017. Patients were randomly assigned into 3 groups: 30 patients received 6 mg melatonin, 30 patients received 600 mg gabapentin, and 30 patients were on placebo (control), 100 minutes preoperatively. All patients were given a fixed method of anesthesia. The pain intensity and patients' satisfaction from analgesia measured at 1, 2, 6, 12, and 24 h after surgery. The anxiety was measured 15 minutes before surgery and 1, 2, 6, 12, and 24 h after surgery. Results: In our study, there was a significant difference between mean Visual Analog Score between melatonin and gabapentin groups in comparison to placebo (P = 0. 02). The intensity of anxiety among the groups was lower in melatonin and gabapentin groups in comparison to placebo (P = 0. 01). Conclusions: The results show that pretreatment with melatonin or gabapentin decreases anxiety and pain in lumbar surgery.

Introduction: Despite high efficacy and safety of tramadol as a pain relieving analgesic, some minor side effects have been reported following its consumption. However, very rarely, serious and life-threatening side effects may appear following administration of tramadol. Case Presentation: This research describes a case of tramadol poisoning that appeared with acute seizure needing emergent and intensive cares. In the described case, using a low dose of tramadol (200 mg, orally), the patient experienced generalized tonic colonic seizure followed by loss of consciousness and shoulder dislocation due to trauma, requiring admission to the intensive care unit. Conclusions: As shown in the study, even using a low dose of tramadol might lead to acute generalized seizure with loss of consciousness and the need for intensive care.

Background: Applying the cardiopulmonary pump produces inflammatory responses and induces leukocytosis. White Blood Cell (WBC) count has a diagnostic value for detecting different infections. In this study, we want to redefine the normal value reference intervals of WBC count in Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) patients, to prevent misdiagnose leukocytosis as a sign of infection. Methods: In an observational study, 140 patients who underwent on-pump CABG were enrolled to find out normal values of the reference interval. WBC counts were evaluated for all of them one day before the operation, first 30 minutes of ICU entrance, after 24 hours, and 48 hours after operation. Normal values of reference intervals were calculated for each measurement by two different statistical methods. Results: There were 102 men and 38 women with age average of 61 years. There was no significant difference between genders' WBC counts before operation (P = 0. 151), ICU entrance (P = 0. 391), 24 hours after surgery (P = 0. 698), and 48 hours after surgery (P = 0. 523). The mean values of WBC after surgery were higher than the normal range of reference interval and had an increasing trend in the first 48 hours after surgery. The WBC values were significantly different between pre and post operation (before operation and ICU admission (P = 0. 001), ICU admission and 24 hours later (P = 0. 001), 24 hours after surgery, and 48 hours after surgery (P = 0. 001)). All post-operative reference values were significantly higher than the range for the general population. Conclusions: There is a significant increase in WBC count after on-pump CABG. The normal range of WBC should be revised and adjusted to prevent misinterpretation as a sign of infection.

Background: The most straightforward method of ascertaining arterial PO2, PCO2, and other components of blood gas is to measure them directly from a blood sample. In situations in which arterial puncture cannot be achieved or may be technically difficult, the venous blood sample can be used. Methods: In a prospective analytical study, 80 patients undergoing mechanical ventilation after open-heart surgery in the intensive care unit were evaluated. Simultaneous, matched arterial and central venous blood gas samples were taken from radial artery line and central vein, respectively, when the ABG (arterial blood gases) assessment was needed. Arterial and central venous blood samples were analyzed and data were expressed as mean and ± SD. Results: The Pearson correlation coefficient for pH, PCO2, HCO3, and SatO2 was 0. 898, 0. 940, 0. 840, and 0. 567, respectively. There was a significant correlation between arterial and central venous values of pH, PCO2, and HCO3 (P < 0. 0001). The mean difference between arterial and central venous PCO2 was-2. 44 ± 2. 6 mmHg, and the mean venous pH value was only 0. 021 ± 0. 037 units lower than the mean arterial value. In addition, the calculated mean bicarbonate concentration in venous blood was only about 0. 06 ± 1. 5 mEq. L higher than the mean arterial value. Conclusions: The central venous PCO2, pH, and HCO3 measured during mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit approximate arterial values closely enough to permit the estimation of the adequacy of ventilation and acid-base status. The central venous Sat O2 does not reliably parallel the arterial Sat O2. In conclusion, venous blood sampling can potentially reduce the requirement for ABG sampling in special situations.

Background: Open prostatectomy is still accompanied by some postoperative bleeding. Prescribing fibrinogen to promote clot formation in patients with bleeding is of critical importance. This research studied the effects of local injection of fibrinogen on level of postoperative bleeding in open prostatectomy. Methods: Overall, 44 patients were randomly entered in a study on open prostatectomy. Patients in the intervention group received local injections of 500 mg fibrinogen (20 mL) dissolved in distilled water, and the control group patients only received 20 mL of normal saline, where the injections were given by the surgeon at the prostatectomy operation site. All patients were tested for hemoglobin, hematocrit, PT, PTT, INR, and fibrinogen level. Also, the amount of blood loss and requirement for blood products were recorded. Results: The study groups showed no difference regarding baseline variables. One patient in the fibrinogen group (1. 66%) and four patients in the control group (6. 66%) received blood products (P < 0. 05), and the blood drainage tube at 24 hours after operation was 36. 50) 18. 70 (mL in the fibrinogen group and 151. 36) 120. 58 (mL in the control group (P = 0. 005). There were no differences in hemoglobin, hematocrit, PT, PTT, INR, and serum fibrinogen level between the groups at any time. Conclusions: The current study demonstrated that using fibrinogen in patients with high bleeding risk may effectively reduce the amount of bleeding and its subsequent blood transfusion requirement, after open prostatectomy surgery.

Dear Editor, I read, with great interest, the article that you published in your journal entitled; a comparative study of the amount of bleeding and hemodynamic changes between dexmedetomidine infusion and remifentanil infusion for controlled hypotensive anesthesia in lumbar discopathy surgery (1). . .

Masseter muscle rigidity is a known complication of drugs such as succinylcholine and volatile agents. However, muscle rigidity is an uncommon complication of propofol. We report the case of a 56-year-old ASA-PS class I woman refereeing for colonoscopy due to chronic constipation under deep intravenous sedation. She suffered masseter spasm after the injection of propofol. Masseter spasm should not be considered limited to special drug groups. In any case of difficult mouth opening, masseter spasm should be kept in mind and deepening of anesthesia or complete blockade of neuromuscular junction should be considered by the use of non-depolarizing muscle relaxants.

Background: Chronic use of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) antagonists (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor antagonists (ARAS)) can cause hypotension during anesthesia. In some studies hemodynamic instability, including hypotension and its effects on the clinical outcome in patients treated with these drugs during coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and need to excessive vasoactive drugs in these patient population, has been described. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chronic consumption of ACEIs and ARAS on blood pressure and inotrope consumption during coronary artery bypass graft under cardiopulmonary bypass. Methods: A total of 200 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery, who were treated with either ARAS or ACEIs (n = 100) over at least 2 months, or who were not treated with any RAS antagonists (control group, n = 100) were enrolled. The mean arterial blood pressure, central venous pressure, and need for vasoactive drugs, were measured after induction of anesthesia (T1) before cardiopulmonary bypass (T2) and after separation from (CPB), (T3). Results: There were no significant differences regarding the mean arterial pressure (case group: T1: 84 ± 7 mmHg, T2: 77 ± 6 mmHg, T3: 83 ± 8 mmHg), (control group: T1: 85 ± 7 mmHg, T2: 81 ± 7 mmHg, T3: 84 ± 6 mmHg) between two groups (P > 0. 05). Also there were no significant differences regarding mean central venous pressure, mean heart rate, and vasoactive drug consumption between the two groups during the time of intervals. Conclusions: We found that preoperative (RAS) antagonist's continuation have not profound hemodynamic changes during coronary artery bypass graft under cardiopulmonary bypass and so we conclude that omitting these drugs before surgery did not have a sufficient advantage to be recommended routinely.