Anesthesiology Commons^™

Anaesthetic Consideration In A Cannabis Addict, Karima Karam, Shemila Abbasi, Fauzia Anis Khan

Department of Anaesthesia

This case report describes the anaesthetic management of a patient addicted to Bhang(cannabis) for 20 years. Cannabis use has implication in the anaesthetic management of a patient because of its effects on the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, and central nervous system and its interaction with anaesthetic drugs.

A Report From The First Regional Pain Medicine Symposia In East, Central And Southern African Region. (Ecsa-R)-“The Rhino Model In Pain Education In Africa”, Thikra Sharif, John Bugo

Anaesthesiology, East Africa

The 1st Regional pain medicine symposia were held between the 14th and 18th of November 2011 in 3 cities (Nairobi, Mombasa and Dar-es-salaam), across 2 countries, Kenya and Tanzania. It was funded by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), through the IASP developing country education grant for 2011 and The Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi (AKUHN). It was organized by faculty from the Pain Management Unit (PMU) AKUHN. The Pain medicine educators were from PMU, AKUHN and from Specialists in Pain International Network (SPIN).

The aims of the symposia were to introduce the Rhino model concept, the …

Developing Local Guidelines For Management Of Sepsis In Adults: Sepsis Guidelines For Pakistan (Sgp), Madiha Hashmi, Fazal Hameed Khan, Sarwar Zubairi, S. Tipu Sultan, Saeeda Haider, Sadqa Aftab, Javed Husain, Anwar Ul Haq, Zahid Akhtar Rao, Amin Khuwaja, Syed Farjad Sultan, Zunairah Rais, Roohina Baloch, Naseem Salahuddin, Aslam Khan, Faisal Sultan, Kamran Chima, Amjad Ali, Gohar Ali

Department of Anaesthesia

Background: The purpose of developing ‘Sepsis Guidelines for Pakistan’ (SGP) is to provide clinicians practicing in local hospitals with a framework to aid timely recognition and management of adult patients in sepsis by adopting evidence-based recommendations of Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) tailored to available resources. These recommendations are not meant to replace the SSC Guidelines.
Methodology: SGP is an initiative of Pakistan Society of Critical Care Medicine (PSCCM). Four key decision points to be addressed in the guidelines were identified by a thirteen member multidisciplinary committee i.e., grading the hospitals in the country, recognition of sepsis and associated organ dysfunction, …

Job Stress Among Female Residents During Postgraduate Training At A University Hospital In Karachi, Pakistan, Madiha Hashmi, Fauzia A. Khan, Khan S, Ali S. K

Department of Anaesthesia

Background: Postgraduate medical training is a stressful experience for both male and female doctors but previous studies have shown that stress might be more prevalent amongst female residents. Since women make up 70-80% of medical graduates in Pakistan we conducted this study to determine the prevalence of stress among female residents during postgraduate training and identify the most common stressors.

Methodology: All female residents enrolled in postgraduate training programmes at the Aga Khan University meeting the inclusion criteria were recruited and informed written consent was obtained. Job Stress Inventory (JSI) was used to identify symptoms and sources of job stress. …

Perioperative And Acute Care Transesophageal Echocardiography (Toe), Madiha Hashmi

Department of Anaesthesia

In Pakistan perioperative transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) during cardiac surgery is available in a few centers with reliance on cardiologists and cardiac technicians and its use in noncardiac surgery and intensive care units is very limited. In view of the increasing popularity of TOE based on obvious benefits this review is presented with an aim to evaluate the current indications and potential benefits of using TOE during anesthesia for cardiac and non-cardiac surgery and the intensive care units and compare TOE with pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) as an hemodynamic monitor in the acute care setting.

The Effect Of A Preanaesthesia Clinic Consultation On Adult Patient Anxiety In Aga Khan University Hospital; A Cohort Study, Anthony Kamau

Master of Medicine in Anaesthesiology

Background: Preoperative anxiety is a common perioperative complication, according to studies done it is seen in approximately 11-80% of adults undergoing surgery. Various pharmacological and non pharmacological techniques have been used to reduce preop anxiety. One of the goals of the preanaesthesia clinic is to allay anxiety. Literature shows that a preanaesthesia clinic evaluation reduces anxiety however b current studies done on anxiety and the preanaesthesia clinic have not quantified this reduction. Objective: To determine the reduction in anxiety in patients evaluated in the clinic versus those evaluated in the ward. Study Design: A cohort and before – after study …

A Randomized Control Trial Comparing Weight Adjusted Dose Versus Fixed Dose Prophylactic Phenylephrine Infusion On Maintaining Systolic Blood Pressure During Caeserean Section Under Spinal Anaesthesia, Lucy Wambui Mwaura

Master of Medicine in Anaesthesiology

Background: Spinal anaesthesia is the standard of care for elective caesarean delivery. Its advantages over general anaesthesia include: decreased blood loss, reduced postoperative pain and faster recovery time. Despite these advantages, the sympathetic blockade induced by spinal anaesthesia results in 80 percent incidence of hypotension without prophylactic management. This hypotension can cause: nausea, vomiting, cardiovascular collapse or even loss of consciousness in the mother, and fetal acidosis. Current evidence supports co-loading with intravenous fluids in conjunction with the use of vasopressors as the most effective way to prevent and treat the hypotension. Phenylephrine is the accepted vasopressor of choice in …

Anesthesia For Cardiac Catheterization Procedures, A Hamid

Department of Anaesthesia

Anesthesiologist's involvement for the purpose of diagnostic and interventional procedures in cardiac catheterization laboratory has been evolving particularly since last two decades. Catheterization laboratory environment poses certain challenges for the anesthesiologist including unfamiliar remote location, exposure to radiation, limited help from colleagues and communication with cardiologists. Anesthesiologists working in catheterization laboratory are required to have adequate knowledge of the environment, personnel, fluoroscope, echocardiography and type of radio contrast dye during the procedure. Anyone who is exposed to radiation environment is expected to protect himself from the exposure and must also wear a dosimeter for cumulative exposure tracing.There is no ideal …

Rare Presentation Of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (Pres) And Neurogenic Stunned Myocardium In A Patient After Emergency Cesarean Section, Ausaf Ahmed Khan, Khalid Samad, Kashif Munshi, Madiha Hashmi

Department of Anaesthesia

Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) is clinically characterized by seizures, lethargy, nausea and visual impairment. These findings are thought to be due to vasogenic edema, predominantly in the posterior cerebral hemispheres and are reversible with appropriate management. Neurogenicstunned myocardium is a syndrome of reversible left ventricular dysfunction, associated with excessive sympathetic discharge states like pheochromocytoma, high-grade subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), status epilepticus and significant emotional stress. Here, we report a case of PRES and Neurogenic-stunned myocardium occurring simultaneously in a 25 year old primigravida at 34 weeks of gestation with twin pregnancy who presented to the emergency department with eclampsia and …

A Review Of Critical Care Management Of Maternal Sepsis, Madiha Hashmi, Fazal Hameed Khan

Department of Anaesthesia

Sepsis is a leading cause of preventable maternal mortality in developing countries due to poverty, home deliveries by untrained persons in unhygienic conditions, limited access to healthcare facilities and lack of availability of antibiotics. Recent confidential enquiries into maternal deaths from the developed nations have revealed an increase in maternal mortality secondary to genital tract sepsis and provision of suboptimal critical care. Early recognition of critical illness in obstetric patients, involvement of intensive care teams earlier and provision of same standard of critical care to pregnant women as non-pregnant patients while being mindful of the altered maternal physiology and fetal …

Apache Ii Analysis Of A Surgical Intensive Care Unit Population In A Tertiary Care Hospital In Karachi (Pakistan), Madiha Hashmi, Ali Asghar, Saima Rashid, Fazal Hameed Khan, Hameedullah

Department of Anaesthesia

Purpose: Performance of prognostic models deteriorates over time by changes in case-mix and clinical practice. This study was conducted to describe the case-mix of a surgical intensive care unit (SICU) and assess the performance of APACHE II scoring system in this cohort.
Methodology: We analyzed 213adult patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) of Aga Khan University Hospital, from January 2011 to December 2012 and the performance of APACHE II scoring system was assessed in this population.
Results: The mean age of patients was 46.31 years (SD ±18.43), 67.1% patients were male and mean length …

To Compare The Accuracy Of Prayer's Sign And Mallampatti Test In Predicting Difficult Intubation In Diabetic Patients, Mirza Mudassir Ali Baig, Fazal Hameed Khan

Department of Anaesthesia

Objective: To determine the accuracy of Prayer's sign and Mallampatti test in predicting difficult endotracheal intubation in diabetic patients.
Methods: The cross-sectional study was performed at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, over a period from January 2009 to April 2010, and comprised 357 patients who required endotracheal intubation for elective surgical procedures. Prayer's sign and Mallampatti tests were performed for the assessment of airway by trained observers. Ease or difficulty of laryngoscopy after the patient was fully anaesthetised with standard technique were observed and laryngoscopic view of first attempt was rated according to Cormack-Lehan grade of intubation. SPSS 15 was …

Right Ventricular Perforation: A Rare Complication Of Pulmonary Artery Catheterization, Khalid Ahsan, Mohammad Hamid, Saulat H. Fatimi, Ijaz Hidayat

Department of Anaesthesia

A 70 years old male underwent Coronary Artery Bypass and Graft (CABG) surgery. After induction, a Pulmonary Artery Catheter (PAC) was inserted via right IJV with some difficulty in achieving PA tracing. During distal RCA anastomosis, surgeon noticed PAC tip coming out of Right Ventricular (RV) surface. Resistance was felt on trying to pull PAC, so it was left there. Cardiac surgeon then opened the Right Atrium (RA) and pulled out the catheter. Multiple attempts during insertion of PA catheter should always raise the suspicion of PAC tip slipping back into the RV. It should be closely monitored during surgery …

Cardiac Arrest In A Child Following Cranioplasty, Asma Abdus Salam, Fauzia Anis Khan

Department of Anaesthesia

Craniofacial surgery in paediatric patients is associated with several complications, including severe bleeding and venous air embolism. We present a case of an 18 months, 10 kilogramme weight child who had cardiac arrest after completion of surgery, but before extubation. Possibility of both haemorrhage and venous air embolism is discussed.

The Prevalence Of Postoperative Pain In The First 48 Hours Following Day Surgery At A Tertiary Hospital In Nairobi, Gilbert Mwaka, Shariff Thikra, Vitalis Mung’Ayi

Anaesthesiology, East Africa

Background: Day case surgery services are increasing all over the world. The prevalence of postoperative pain after day surgery is found to be high. Little is known about the prevalence of postoperative pain, in Kenya, after day case surgeries.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of postoperative pain after day surgery at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Nairobi, to determine the severity/intensity of postoperative pain following day case surgery

Methods: Consecutive sampling was carried out until sample size of one hundred and fifty patients was achieved. The purpose and nature of the study was explained to patients before informed consent was …

Airway Management In A Patient With Bullous Pemphigoid, Mohammad Yasir, Fauzia Anis Khan

Department of Anaesthesia

Airway management in patients with pemphigoid lesions has anaesthetic implications. We report a case of a 23 years old female with bullous pemphigoid who presented with laryngeal stenosis and critical airway narrowing. The airway was initially managed with jet ventilation. Anaesthesia was maintained with propofol infusion and ventilation was performed by introducing a size 10 French gauge suction catheter through the stenotic laryngeal orifice. Thirty minutes into anaesthesia, she developed subcutaneous emphysema and decreased air entry on right side of the chest but remained hemodynamically stable. The airway was further managed by tracheostomy. This case report highlights complications that can …

Medical Errors Related To Look-Alike And Sound-Alike Drugs, Samina Ismail,, Arshad Taqi

Department of Anaesthesia

Despite recent developments in the inventory management, introduction of electronic drug trolleys and cabinets, color coding of the filled syringes and many more interventions, medication errors could not be eliminated. The most common of these are syringe swap and human errors regarding wrong drug administration due to look-alike drug containers or sound-alike names of the drugs belonging to diverse groups. Many of the fatalities, that occur in third world countries due to these causes, go unnoticed and unregistered. This special article complements two special editorials on the same topic by Professor Joseph D. Tobias et al and Professor Robert Stoelting, …

Comparison Of Hemodynamic Response To Tracheal Intubation With Macintosh And Mccoy Laryngoscopes, Mehtab A. Haidry, Fauzia A. Khan

Department of Anaesthesia

Background: Use of McCoy blade laryngoscope avoids the lifting force in the vallecula and theoretically should lead to a lower hemodynamic response related to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation. The available literature on the topic is conflicting.MATERIALS AND Methods: We studied the hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation in 60 ASA 1 AND 2 adult patients using either Macintosh or McCoy laryngoscopes. The change in systolic, diastolic, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate (HR) was observed for 10 min post intubation. Arrhythmias and ST changes were also observed.Results: The maximum change in HR was 18.7% in the Macintosh and 7.7% …

Intubation In Emergency Department Of A Tertiary Care Hospital In A Low-Income, Nadeem Ullah Khan, Uzma R. Khan, Kiran Ejaz, Humaid Ahmad, Nukhba Zia, Junaid Abdul Razzak

Department of Emergency Medicine

Objective: To study the indications, method, success rate and complications of intubation at the Emergency Department of a private, tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: The case series involved 278 patients above 14 years of age who underwent emergency intubation at the Emergency Department of Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi between 1998 and 2003. Descriptive statistics were used to compare rapid sequence intubation with crash intubation. The level of significance was p<0.05.
Results: Of the total 278 intubations performed, 37 (13.3%) had to be left out for incomplete information. The study population remaining for inferential analysis comprised of 241 …

A Randomized Control Trial To Assess The Effect Of Aketamineinfusion On Tourniquet Hypertension During General Anaesthesia In Patients Undergoing Upper And Lower Limb Surgery, Joyce Atieno Ongaya

Master of Medicine in Anaesthesiology

Background: Tourniquet hypertension arising from tourniquet inflation remains of primary concern to the anaesthetist. One drug commonly used to manage tourniquet hypertension is ketamine. Several studies show that ketamine attenuated the blood pressure rise associated with tourniquet inflation. None of the studies carried out examined the effect of ketamine on tourniquet hypertension for a period of more than one hour or an infusion of the same. Objective: To compare the effect of an intravenous infusion of ketamine, versus placebo on tourniquet induced hypertension in patients undergoing upper and lower limb surgery under general anaesthesia Study design: Single blinded Randomized Controlled …

A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing The Effect Of Adjuvant Intrathecal 2mg Midazolam To 20-Micrograms Fentanyl On Post-Operative Pain For Patients Undergoing Lower Limb Orthopaedic Surgery Under Spinal Anaesthesia, Francis Otieno Codero

Master of Medicine in Anaesthesiology

Background: Intrathecal adjuvants are added to local anaesthetics to improve the quality of neuraxial blockade and prolong the duration of analgesia during spinal anaesthesia. As an intrathecal adjuvant, fentanyl improves the onset and quality of spinal blockade as compared to plain bupivacaine and confers a short duration of postoperative analgesia. However, its use is associated with several adverse effects that range from pruritus to life threatening respiratory depression. Intrathecal midazolam as an adjuvant has been used and shown to improve the quality of spinal anaesthesia and prolong the duration of postoperative analgesia. No studies have been done comparing intrathecal fentanyl …

Effects Of Intravenous Diclofenac On Postoperative Sore Throat In Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Surgery At Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi: A Prospective, Randomized, Double Blind Controlled Trial, Thang'a P., Dorothy Kamya, Vitalis Mung’Ayi

Anaesthesiology, East Africa

Background: Postoperative sore throat is the commonest complication after endotracheal intubation. The efficacy of intravenous non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in alleviating postoperative sore throat has not been investigated.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of intravenous diclofenac sodium on the occurrence and severity of postoperative sore throat.

Methods: 42 in-patients scheduled for laparoscopic surgery were randomized into two equal groups to receive either a single dose of 75mg intravenous diclofenac sodium in addition to standard treatment taken at our hospital for the prevention of postoperative sore throat or to receive standard treatment only. All patients were interviewed postoperatively at 2, 6 and …

Induction Position For Spinal Anaesthesia: Sitting Versus Lateral Position, Khurrum Shahzad, Gauhar Afshan

Department of Anaesthesia

Objective: To compare the effect of induction position on block characteristics (sensory and motor nerves) and haemodynamic stability in elderly patients with isobaric bupivacaine. Patient comfort was also looked at.Methods: The randomized single blinded study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from September 2007 to August 2008. A total of 70 patients aged >60 years of both genders were included. Spinal anaesthesia was performed either in sitting or lateral position according to random allocation. Assessments of sensory, motor block and heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were recorded for 20 minutes. SPSS 16 was used for …

Pharmacological Agents For Preventing Morbidity Associated With The Haemodynamic Response To Tracheal Intubation, Fauzia A. Khan, Hameed Ullah

Department of Anaesthesia

Background: Several drugs have been used in attenuating or obliterating the response associated with laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation. These changes are of little concern in relatively healthy patients but can lead to morbidity and mortality in the high risk patient population.Objectives: The primary objective of this review was to determine the effectiveness of pharmacological agents in preventing the morbidity and mortality resulting from the haemodynamic changes in response to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation in adult patients aged 18 years and above who were undergoing elective surgery in the operating room setting.SEARCH Methods: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled …

Fiberoptic Intubation In A Paediatric Patient With Severe Temporomandibular Joint (Tmj) Ankylosis, Ali Asghar, Faisal Shamim, Asiyah Aman

Department of Anaesthesia

Craniofacial abnormalities are associated with mandibular hypoplasia, reduced mandibular space with overcrowding of soft tissues and maxillary hypoplasia. Decreased mouth opening and limitation in jaw protrusion are independent predictors of difficult airway in such patients. The relative difficult problem becomes even graver in the paediatric age group because of their small mouth opening and un-cooperativeness. A child with severe temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis presented with negligible mouth opening and required surgical correction under general anaesthesia. Successful intubation was performed with endotracheal tube size 5.5 mm using an adult 4.3 mm fiberoptic bronchoscope under inhalational as well as topical anaesthesia.

Anaesthetic Management Of A Young Patient With Homocystinuria, Ali Asghar, Faiza Mazhar Ali

Department of Anaesthesia

Homocystinuria is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disease. It is caused by a deficiency in cystathionine-b-synthase leading to a defect in methionine metabolism. High levels of plasma homocysteine are associated with vascular injury via mechanisms of oxidative damage, vascular smooth muscle proliferation, promotion of platelet activation and aggregation,and disruption of normal procoagulant-anticoagulant balance favouring thrombosis. This is a case of 8 years old boy, a known case of homocystinuria, who was scheduled for bilateral lensectomy and intraocular lens placement. The major anaesthetic considerations include the development of thromboembolism, need to avoid nitrous oxide in balanced anaesthesia regimen and hypoglycaemia.

Pain Assessment And Management In Different Wards Of A Tertiary Care Hospital, Anwar Ul Huda, Mohammad Hamid, Saboor Ahmed, Syed Muhammad Baqir, Aysha Almas

Department of Emergency Medicine

OBJECTIVE:

To assess the pain management by medical team, emergency room (ER) team and Acute Pain team in a tertiary care hospital.

METHODS:

The cross-sectional study was done in Medical Ward, Surgical Ward and Emergency Room of Aga Khan University, Karachi, in March-April 2010. The assigned research medical officer visited the three locations every day and selected patients by way of convenient sampling. The study comprised 75 patients; 25 each in three groups. Information was collected on patient's demographics, general characteristics, type of drugs and modalities used. Specific queries about pain were sorted out like adequacy of pain assessment done …

Anaesthetic Management Of Neonatal Primary Hyperparathyroidism, Anwar-Ul-Huda, Sanam Dost Mohammad, Tauseef Ahmed

Department of Anaesthesia

Neonatal primary hyperparathyroidism (NPHP) is a rare disease that presents in the first 6 months of life. It is almost invariably fatal unless a prompt diagnosis is made and urgent surgical intervention is instituted. Patients with hyperparathyroidism require special preoperative considerations. They require proper work-up from cardiac, renal and neurological point of view, correction of intravenous volume and electrolytes irregularities. We are presenting a case of an infant who started to have cyanosis and lethargy at 21st day of life. Initial diagnosis of pneumonia was made but later on diagnosed as hyperparathyroidism. He was planned for parathyroidectomy under general anaesthesia. …

Comparison Of Upper Lip Bite Test With Mallampati Test In The Prediction Of Difficult Intubation At A Tertiary Care Hospital Of Pakistan, Muhammad Asghar Ali, Muhammad Qamar-Ul-Hoda, Khalid Samad

Department of Anaesthesia

Objective: To determine the accuracy of the Upper lip bite test and Mallampati test in predicting difficult endotracheal intubation.Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, a tertiary care facility in Karachi, Pakistan. Between June 1,2007 and May 31, 2008, 324 adult patients undergoing elective surgeries requiring general anaesthesia with endotracheal intubations were enrolled. Pre-operatively upper lip bite test and Mallampati test were performed for the assessment of airway by a specifically trained observer. Laryngoscopic view was rated by using Cormack and Lehane laryngoscopic grading once the patient was fully anaesthetised using standard anaesthesia technique. Completed …

Spinal Anaesthesia For Caesarean Section: Plain Vs Hyperbaric Bupivacaine, Gurmukh Das Punshi, Gauhar Afshan

Department of Anaesthesia

Objective: To compare the clinical characteristics of sensory and motor block as well as haemodynamic stability using plain and hyperbaric bupivacaine in spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section.Methods: Two equal groups were formed from a total of 60 patients who were enrolled in this prospective randomised double-blinded study that was done at tertiary care hospital in Karach, during 2005 to 2006. Equal volume of plain and hyperbaric bupivacaine 10 mg with 25 mcg of fentanyl was used for spinal anaesthesia in the two groups that were formed on the basis of random allocation. Characteristics of sensory and motor block, episodes of …