Biomedical subjects

Sanjay M Bhananker

Publications and source records attributed to Sanjay M Bhananker.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Topical lidocaine and oral acetaminophen provide similar analgesia for myringotomy and tube placement in children.

PURPOSE: Preoperative oral acetaminophen (30 mg x kg(-1)) was compared with topical 2% lidocaine ear drops for postoperative analgesia following bilateral myringotomy and tube placement (BMT) in children. METHODS: In a randomized, prospective, double-blind trial, we studied 124 patients, six months to eight years, ASA physical status I or II, undergoing elective BMT under general anesthesia. The patients in Group I received acetaminophen 30 mg x kg(-1) orally in a grape flavoured syrup 30 to 60 min before surgery and 0.9% saline drops (placebo) in each ear upon insertion of tympanostomy tube. Patients in Group II received a placebo (grape flavoured syrup) before surgery and 2% lidocaine, 0.5 mL in each ear when ear tubes were inserted. Postoperative pain assessments were recorded every five minutes in the postanesthesia care unit, and every 15 min in the day care surgical unit (DCSU) using the modified Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario pain scale (mCHEOPS), a ten-point scale. Pain at home was documented by parents using a 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable) scale. RESULTS: The median (range) mCHEOPS scores in the DCSU at 15 and 30 min were similar, i.e., 5 (4-9) in the acetaminophen group and 4 (4-8) in the lidocaine group. The proportion of patients receiving supplemental analgesics in the 24 hr following surgery was similar in both groups (45% and 42% respectively). CONCLUSION: Topical lidocaine and oral acetaminophen in a dose of 30 mg x kg(-1) provide similar analgesia following BMT.

Acetaminophen↗

PubMed2006

Postoperative airway obstruction after airway tumor debulking.

Postoperative airway obstruction is a relatively common complication after anesthesia, occurring most often after head and neck surgery. We present a case of postoperative airway obstruction in a patient who underwent airway tumor debulking. This case demonstrates that, in high-risk patients, despite the traditional methods of determining eligibility for extubation, postoperative airway obstruction can still occur, and alternative means of extubation should be considered.

Airway Obstruction↗

PubMed2006

Injury and liability associated with monitored anesthesia care: a closed claims analysis.

BACKGROUND: To assess the patterns of injury and liability associated with monitored anesthesia care (MAC) compared with general and regional anesthesia, the authors reviewed closed malpractice claims in the American Society of Anesthesiologists Closed Claims Database since 1990. METHODS: All surgical anesthesia claims associated with MAC (n = 121) were compared with those associated with general (n = 1,519) and regional (n = 312) anesthesia. A detailed analysis of MAC claims was performed to identify causative mechanisms and liability patterns. RESULTS: MAC claims involved older and sicker patients compared with general anesthesia claims (P < 0.025), often undergoing elective eye surgery (21%) or facial plastic surgery (26%). More than 40% of claims associated with MAC involved death or permanent brain damage, similar to general anesthesia claims. In contrast, the proportion of regional anesthesia claims with death or permanent brain damage was less (P < 0.01). Respiratory depression, after absolute or relative overdose of sedative or opioid drugs, was the most common (21%, n = 25) specific damaging mechanism in MAC claims. Nearly half of these claims were judged as preventable by better monitoring, including capnography, improved vigilance, or audible alarms. On-the-patient operating room fires, from the use of electrocautery, in the presence of supplemental oxygen during facial surgery, resulted in burn injuries in 20 MAC claims (17%). CONCLUSION: Oversedation leading to respiratory depression was an important mechanism of patient injuries during MAC. Appropriate use of monitoring, vigilance, and early resuscitation could have prevented many of these injuries. Awareness and avoidance of the fire triad (oxidizer, fuel, and ignition source) is essential to prevent on-the-patient fires.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

The risk of anaphylactic reactions to rocuronium in the United States is comparable to that of vecuronium: an analysis of food and drug administration reporting of adverse events.

Published reports from France and Norway suggest a frequent incidence of anaphylaxis to rocuronium and have raised concerns about its safety. We hypothesized that the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System could be used to confirm whether there has been an unusual incidence of anaphylactic events for rocuronium in the United States (U.S.) and whether the reporting patterns differ within and outside of the U.S.. We queried the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System for 1999 through the first quarter of 2002 for all adverse events for the drugs rocuronium and vecuronium and then searched on the terms considered to represent possible anaphylaxis using proprietary software. We compared the frequency of these terms in data both for rocuronium and vecuronium. We then assessed the occurrence of reports of anaphylaxis-related terms in reports from the U.S. compared with reports originating outside of the U.S.. For rocuronium, the database contained 311 reports, 166 domestic and 145 from foreign sources. Fifty percent of the foreign reports contained an anaphylaxis term versus 20% of the domestic reports (P < 0.001). For vecuronium, the comparable figures were 17% and 19% (not significant) and the total number of reports was 243. The incidence of the reports containing anaphylaxis terms did not differ between vecuronium and rocuronium in the U.S. but were significantly different for foreign reports (P < 0.001). These data confirm that U.S. anesthesia providers have not observed a significant difference in anaphylactic reactions between the two commonly used intermediate-acting muscle relaxants and suggest that frequency of reports of anaphylaxis may be significantly influenced by the area from which the reports originate.

Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems↗

PubMed2004

Water intoxication and symptomatic hyponatremia after outpatient surgery.

UNLABELLED: Severe hyponatremia is associated with a mortality rate of more than 50%, primarily from cerebral edema and central nervous system dysfunction. Water intoxication is an unusual but potentially lethal cause of perioperative hyponatremia. We report a patient with severe postoperative hyponatremia resulting from excessive perioperative water consumption. Anesthesiologists should maintain an index of suspicion for hyponatremia from water intoxication in patients with neurologic symptoms during the perioperative period. Routine preoperative instructions regarding maximum perioperative water intake and inquiry into any concurrent alternative medical therapies may help to avoid this preventable complication. IMPLICATIONS: Water intoxication is an unusual but potentially lethal cause of perioperative hyponatremia. We report a patient with severe postoperative hyponatremia resulting from excess perioperative water consumption.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Resident work hours.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has mandated new requirements for work hours for all US resident physicians that became effective in July 2003. Member countries of the European Union are also implementing a reduction in work hours for trainee physicians as per the European Work Time Directives. The following review provides a summary of the basis of limiting work hours for residents, steps taken towards limiting the working hours for resident doctors, and implications to residents, institutions, and states. RECENT FINDINGS: Reduction of work hours for physicians in training is a much awaited and necessary change. Though the framework for such a reduction is in place in most countries, implementation of the policies has been slow thus far, mainly due to financial and manpower constraints. Setting of deadlines for compliance and legislation to penalize the defaulting institutions and programs may help to put the recommendations on work hours into practice. SUMMARY: Long work hours contribute to stress, fatigue, and mood changes in trainee physicians that are potentially deleterious to the physician and patients. Recommendations have been made across the globe to reduce resident doctor work hours and legislation is in place to monitor institutional compliance with these recommendations. Once these regulations are complied with, follow-up studies will be needed to evaluate their effects on physician well-being and patient care.

Journal Article↗