Ramsay Sedation Scale Score Research Articles

Bispectral index in hypercapnic encephalopathy associated with COPD exacerbation: a pilot study.

BackgroundHypercapnic encephalopathy is relatively frequent in severe exacerbations of COPD (ECOPDs), with its intensity usually being evaluated through clinical scales. Bispectral index (BIS) is a relatively new technique, based on the analysis of the electroencephalographic signal, which provides a good approximation to the level of consciousness, having already been validated in anesthesia.ObjectiveThe objective of the study was to evaluate the utility of BIS in the assessment of the intensity of hypercapnic encephalopathy in ECOPD patients.Patients and methodsA total of ten ECOPD patients were included, and the level of brain activity was assessed using BIS and different scales: Glasgow Coma Scale, Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS), and Richmond Agitation–Sedation Scale. The evaluation was performed both in the acute phase and 3 months after discharge.ResultsBIS was recorded for a total of about 600 minutes. During ECOPD, BIS values ranged from 58.8 (95% CI: 48.6–69) for RSS score of 4 to 92.2 (95% CI: 90.1–94.3) for RSS score of 2. A significant correlation was observed between values obtained with BIS and those from the three scales, although the best fit was for RSS, followed by Glasgow and Richmond (r=−0.757, r=0.701, and r=0.615, respectively; P<0.001 for all). In the stable phase after discharge, BIS showed values considered as normal for a wake state (94.6; 95% CI: 91.7–97.9).ConclusionBIS may be useful for the objective early detection and automatic monitoring of the intensity of hypercapnic encephalopathy in ECOPD, facilitating the early detection and follow-up of this condition, which may avoid management problems in these patients.

Does co-treatment with ultra-low-dose naloxone and morphine provide better analgesia in renal colic patients?

ObjectiveThis study attempted to evaluate the efficacy of ultra-low-dose intravenous (IV) naloxone combined with IV morphine, as compared to IV morphine alone, in terms of reducing pain and morphine-induced side effects in patients with renal colic. MethodsIn this double-blind clinical trial, 150 patients aged 34 to 60 years old who presented to the emergency department (ED) with renal colic were randomly allocated to either an intervention group that received ultra-low-dose IV naloxone combined with IV morphine or to a control group that received morphine plus a placebo. The severity of pain, sedation, and nausea were assessed and recorded for all patients at entrance to the ED (T1), then at 20 (T2), 40 (T3), 60 (T4), 120 (T5), and 180 (T6) minutes after starting treatment. The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) was used for the assessment of pain and nausea intensities, and the Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS) was used to assess sedation. ResultsA GEE model revealed that patients in the naloxone group had non-significantly reduced pain scores compared to those in the morphine group (coefficient = −0.68; 95% CI: −1.24 to −0.11, Wald X2 (1) = 5.41, p = 0.02). The sedation outcome demonstrated no statistically significant differences at T1 to T4 among patients with renal colic compared to the ones who only received morphine. At T5 and T6, 1.5% vs. 20% and 1.5% vs. 16.9% of subjects from the naloxone group versus the morphine group obtained RSS scores equal to 3, respectively (p = 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively). ConclusionsCompared to patients who only received IV morphine, co-treatment of ultra-low-dose naloxone with morphine could not provide better analgesia and sedation/agitation states in renal colic patients.

Evaluation of the compliance between EEG monitoring (Bispectral IndexTM) and Ramsey Sedation Scale to measure the depth of sedation in the patients who underwent procedural sedation and analgesia in the emergency department.

This study aimed to investigate the compliance between electroencephalogram monitoring (Bispectral Index, BIS) and Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS) to measure the depth of sedation in patients who underwent procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) in an emergency department. This study also aimed to investigate the usefulness of this compliance for early diagnosis of complications. A total of 54 consecutive patients during PSA in the emergency department were included in this study. The BIS and RSS scores at regular intervals and also all complications and interventions of these patients were evaluated. The compliance between the BIS and the RSS score was evaluated. The BIS scores of cases with complication and without complication were compared. The BIS and RSS scores exhibited a high correlation was detected between the average BIS and RSS scores at each time interval (r=-0.989, p<0.001). The BIS scores of the complicated and uncomplicated cases were different at 15 min after the procedure (p=0.019). The cases were divided into two groups according to the BIS scores <70 and ≥70; complication rates were higher in the BIS score <70 group during the procedure (p=0.037). In our study, a high correlation was detected between BIS monitoring and RSS scores. BIS monitoring for PSA can be used as a full-time, objective, and an alternative technique for person-dependent clinical scales and also as an indicator for early diagnosis of complications.

Clinical evaluation of combination of dexmedetomidine and midazolam vs. dexmedetomidine alone for sedation during spinal anesthesia.

BackgroundDexmedetomidine is a useful sedative agent for spinal anesthesia. However, it has been reported to decreases heart rate in a dose-dependent manner. In the present study, we compared the bolus dose of midazolam and bolus loaded dexmedetomidine over 10 min to determine additional sedation methods.MethodsA total of 100 patients who were classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I–II undergoing spinal anesthesia were randomly divided into two groups. In the combination of midazolam and dexmedetomidine group (group MD), 10 min after bolus loading of 0.05 mg/kg midazolam, 0.5 μg/kg/h dexmedetomidine was infused. In the dexmedetomidine group (group D), 1 μg/kg bolus dose of dexmedetomidine was infused over 10 min, and then 0.5 μg/kg/h dexmedetomidine was infused continuously.ResultsAt 10 min, the sedation depth of the two groups was approximately the same. In both groups, the bispectral index (BIS) was within the optimal range of 55–80 and the Ramsay Sedation Scale score was within the optimal range of 3–5. Both patient and surgeon satisfaction with sedation did not differ between groups. At 10 min, heart rate (beats/min) was significantly lower (P < .01) in group D and mean blood pressure (mm Hg) was significantly lower (P < .01) in group MD. The prevalence of bradycardia (P = .714), hypotension (P = .089), and hypoxia (P = .495) did not differ statistically between the two groups.ConclusionsMidazolam bolus and dexmedetomidine continuous infusion may be a useful additional sedation method for patients who have severe bradycardia.

Role of Ramsay Sedation Scale in Sedative Dosage Modulation for Critically-Ill Intubated Patients

SESSION TITLE: ICU Management SESSION TYPE: Original Investigation Poster PRESENTED ON: Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 01:30 PM - 02:30 PM PURPOSE: Titratable palliative sedation (TPS) is frequently applied in sedative therapeutics to ameliorate unendurable and refractory distress via reduction in patient consciousness. TPS may be adjusted based on objective and subjective data: vitals, labs, Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS) and Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS). Inappropriate dosing, including oversedation from variability in clinician assessment of sedation scales, can contribute to significant negative clinicaloutcomes. We evaluated interrater reliability (IRR) and its relationship to variations in dosing to determine whether additional training in sedation scale assessment is necessary at our community institution. METHODS: This was a prospective study assessing sedation in ICU mechanically ventilated patients without neurogenic abnormalities. Non-nursing healthcare personnel conducted independent sedation assessments using the RSS and compared their evaluations to those documented by nursing staff. Data obtained from the patients' chart included: demographics, Ramsay Score, past medical history, diagnosis, and BMI. Post-analysis, non-nursing healthcare personnel scores were classified into three categories: equal to, higher than, or lower than those charted by nursing staff. RESULTS: There were 83 random RSS assessments conducted in 44 patients with a mean age of 63.6 +/- 10.09 years (range 38-82) and a mean BMI of 31.2 +/- 12.4 (range 15-77). 19/42 (45%) patients had a diagnosis of respiratory failure or pneumonia. Other diagnoses included CHF (3), seizures (5), AVR (1), SBO (1), drug overdose (2), cardiac arrest (2), and UTI (1), STEMI (2), PE (2), CABG (1), SEPSIS (1), hemoptysis (1), AMS (1). Non-nursing healthcare professionals' assessments were compared to nurses' and observed to be equal in 29%, higher in 59%, and lower in 12% of the cases. Of the 83 assessments, the average RSS score non-nursing healthcare professionals assigned was 4.8 +/- 1.6 while the nurses' charted average was3.39 +/- 0.97; a mean difference of 1.45, 95% CI (1.04 - 1.85)p< 0.0001. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrated equal RSS ratings in only 29% of cases for non-nursing healthcare personnel and nurses’ evaluations. Without proper education the RSS may not be a reliable tool for sedation assessments, and may result in oversedation of critically ill patients. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Recurrent nursing education is warranted to ensure proper use and optimization of the RSS. DISCLOSURE: The following authors have nothing to disclose: harmeet deol, Francis Dimtri, Arash Minaie, Salim Surani, George Udeani No Product/Research Disclosure Information

Sevoflurane may be more beneficial than propofol in patients receiving endoscopic variceal ligation and endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy: A randomized, double-blind study.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of various general anesthesia regimens during endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) and endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy (EVS). A total of 123 patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status III and IV, aged 40-70 years, undergoing general anesthesia for EVL and EVS were randomly divided into two groups: Sevoflurane anesthesia (group S; n=60) and propofol anesthesia (group P; n=60). Vital signs, particularly heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP), were monitored. The designated time points were as follows: 5 min before induction (T0), and 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 min after intubation (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 and T7, respectively). Time intervals were recorded, including recovery time and extubation time. Following surgery, the observer recorded the Ramsay sedation scale (RSS) score and the visual analogue scale (VAS) score. Adverse reactions were noted. Results demonstrated that there were significant differences in MAP between the two groups at T2, T3, T5, T6 and T7 (P<0.05). There was a significant difference in HR between the two groups at T2, T3 and T4 (P<0.05). Recovery time and extubation time in group P were significantly longer than those in group S (P<0.05; 18.38±2.25 min vs. 14.57±1.04 min and 21.70±2.70 min vs. 15.83±0.88 min, respectively). The rate of ephedrine injected was 58.3% (35/60 patients) in group P vs. 28.3% (17/60 patients) in group S (P<0.05). There was a significant difference in the RSS score between the two groups 5 min after extubation (P<0.05). VRS scores demonstrated that anesthetists and patients were significantly more satisfied with the procedure in group S than in group P (P<0.01). In conclusion, the superiority and special clinical value of inhalational anesthesia has been demonstrated during EVL and EVS attributed to stable hemodynamics and high quality of anesthesia recovery in the present study.

The efficacy of serratus anterior plane block in analgesia for thoracotomy: a retrospective study.

A multimodal analgesic approach is necessary for post-thoracotomy pain, which can be severe. Intravenous access, central and peripheral nerve blocks are frequently used. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) in the management of post-thoracotomy pain. A total of 40 patients who underwent thoracotomy between January 2014 and January 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups: Group M (intravenous patient-controlled analgesia morphine; n=20) and Group S (intravenous patient-controlled analgesia morphine+SAPB; n=20). The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used for pain evaluation at the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 12th and 24th postoperative hours and morphine consumption was evaluated at the 6th, 12th and 24th postoperative hours. Secondary outcomes were additional analgesic requirement, side effects, the Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS) scores, block onset time and block level. The VAS scores and the amount of morphine consumed at the 6th, 12th and 24th hours were found to be significantly lower in Group S than in Group M (P<0.001). No statistically significant difference was found in the rate of side effects, including nausea, vomiting, pruritus, respiratory depression, bradycardia and hypotension, and RSS outcomes between the groups. Our study suggests that SAPB is an effective adjuvant treatment option for thoracotomy analgesia.

Application of remifentanil for conscious sedation and analgesia in short-term ERCP and EST surgery

This study aims to observe and evaluate the use of remifentanil in conscious sedation and analgesia for the safety and comfort of patients undergoing short-term endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST).Sixty-eight patients who underwent ERCP and EST were randomly divided into two groups: research group and control group. Patients in the research group were intravenously injected with remifentanil (80–2/3∗ age) for 1 to 2 minutes, combined with the intravenous injection of propofol (20–30 mg) during the course of treatment. ERCP surgery was performed when Ramsay sedation scale (RSS) score reached 2–3. During the surgery, patients were closely monitored for cough symptoms, aspiration, and respiratory and circulatory system performance, and timely treatment was performed. Sedative drugs were not given in patients in the control group.In research group, the circulatory and respiratory depression of patients was mild, only one patient needed to be treated, and there was no arrhythmia requiring treatment. Five patients had respiratory depression (blood oxygen saturation decreased to <90%), which was immediately corrected. There were no interruptions during surgery due to body movement, cough, or aspiration.The use of remifentanil for conscious sedation and analgesia can be broadly applied in short-term ERCP, which greatly improves patient comfort during the surgery. This approach may bear promise for a widespread use in future clinical practice.

The Effect of Oral Dexmedetomidine Premedication on Preoperative Cooperation and Emergence Delirium in Children Undergoing Dental Procedures.

Introduction The aim of this study was to detect the effect of 1 μg/kg of oral dexmedetomidine (DEX) as premedication among children undergoing dental procedures. Materials and Methods The study involved 100 children between 2 and 6 years of age, ASA I, who underwent full-mouth dental rehabilitation. The DEX group (n = 50) received 1 μg/kg DEX in apple juice, and the control group (n = 50) received only apple juice. The patients' scores on the Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS), parental separation anxiety scale, mask acceptance scale, and pediatric anesthesia emergence delirium scale (PAEDS) and hemodynamic parameters were recorded. The data were analyzed using chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, Student's t-test, and analysis of variance in SPSS. Results RSS scores were significantly higher in the DEX group than group C at 15, 30, and 45 min (p < 0.05). More children (68% easy separation, 74% satisfactory mask acceptance) in the DEX group showed satisfactory ease of parental separation and mask acceptance behavior (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the PAEDS scores and mean hemodynamic parameters of both groups. Conclusions Oral DEX administered at 1 μg/kg provided satisfactory sedation levels, ease of parental separation, and mask acceptance in children but was not effective in preventing emergence delirium. The trial was registered (Protocol Registration Receipt NCT03174678) at clinicaltrials.gov.

Comparison of Intubating Conditions using Fentanyl plus Propofol Versus Fentanyl plus Midazolam during Fiberoptic Laryngoscopy.

Awake nasal or oral flexible fiberoptic intubation is the airway management technique of choice in known or anticipated difficult airway, unstable cervical fracture, limited mouth opening (as in temporomandibular joint disease), mandibular-maxillary fixation and severe facial burns. Both optimal intubating condition and patient comfort are important for fiberoptic intubation. Optimal intubating conditions provided by an ideal sedation regimen would ensure haemodynamic stability, patient comfort, attenuation of airway reflexes and amnesia. To compare the intubating conditions using fentanyl plus propofol versus fentanyl plus midazolam during fiberoptic laryngoscopy. A prospective, comparative and randomized study was conducted on 60 patients of either gender aged between 18 and 60 years belonging to the American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) grade-I or II scheduled for elective surgery. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups of 30 each. In group I, patients received i.v. fentanyl 1 μg/kg+ propofol 1 mg/kg to achieve an adequate level of sedation that is Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS) score of 3. In group II, patients received i.v. fentanyl 1 μg/kg + midazolam 0.03 mg/kg to achieve RSS= score of 3. Haemodynamic parameters (heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure), SpO2, EtCO2, total comfort scale values and patient's tolerance were assessed during preoxygenation, fiberscope insertion and endotracheal intubation. Fentanyl plus midazolam group showed better patient comfort and maintenance of oxygen saturation than fentanyl plus propofol group during fiberoptic intubation. Both fentanyl plus midazolam and fentanyl plus propofol regimes are suitable for fiberoptic intubation. Fentanyl plus midazolam appeared to offer better tolerance, preservation of an airway and spontaneous ventilation, while maintaining haemodynamic stability.

Use of dexemedetomidine–fentanyl versus midazolam–fentanyl for sedation during awake fiberoptic intubation: a randomized double-blind controlled study

Background and objective Sedation for awake fiberoptic intubation is considered a great challenge for anesthetist to maintain patient’s airway patent during sedation. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of dexmedetomidine–fentanyl versus midazolam–fentanyl combination on patient’s ventilation during sedation for awake fiberoptic intubation.Patients and methods A total of 60 patients, 20–60 years old, with American Society of Anaesthesiologists classification I and II, were enrolled in the study to be scheduled for awake nasal fiberoptic intubation for cervical spine surgery. Patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 received fentanyl 1 μg/kg, intravenously+midazolam, intravenously, 0.05 mg/kg followed by saline infusion (placebo) with additional doses of midazolam (0.05 mg/kg) to achieve a Ramsay Sedation Scale score of greater than or equal to 2. Group 2 received fentanyl 1 μg/kg, intravenously+dexmedetomidine, intravenously, 1 μg/kg infusion over 10 min, and then the infusion of dexmedetomidine 0.1 μg/kg/h and titrated to 0.7 μg/kg/h to achieve Ramsay Sedation Scale greater than or equal to 2.Measurements Vital signs (heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and oxygen saturation) as well as respiratory rate were recorded. Arterial blood gases sampling was done before and after the intubation. The Observer’s Assessment of Alertness/Sedation Scale was used to assess the level of sedation. The visual analog scale used to assess patients’ recall and discomfort, and finally, time to intubation in both groups was also recorded.Results There was significant decrease in heart rate, no difference in systolic blood pressure, and significant increases in SpO2 and PaO2, with preservation of patient’s ventilation in dexmedetomidine group. No difference was noted in visual analog scale score or time to intubation between both the groups.Conclusion Dexmedetomidine provided better intubating conditions, better patient tolerance, higher patient satisfaction, and good hemodynamic responses compared with midazolam, with preservation of arousability in addition to better ventilation properties.

Effect of preoperative intravenous oxycodone administration on sufentanil consumption after retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of preoperative intravenous oxycodone administration on postoperative sufentanil consumption in patients undergoing retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy. Fifty patients scheduled for retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy were enrolled and randomly assigned to two groups- patients in Group O (n = 25) received intravenously 0.1 mg kg⁻¹ oxycodone; while the patients in Group C (n = 25) received 0.1 mL kg⁻¹ normal saline for 2 min, 10 min before the operation. All of the participants received intravenous sufentanil patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) after extubation, using a PCA device. The sufentanil consumption, rescue analgesia, Ramsay sedation scale (RSS) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at rest and during cough, the overall satisfaction and undesired events were all assessed. Cumulative sufentanil consumption delivered by PCA was significantly lower in Group O at all time points. VAS scores at rest and during coughing at 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 hours after extubation of the patient were significantly lower in Group O than in Group C. There were no significant differences between the two groups according to the number of patients administered tramadol, RSS and the incidence of side effects. The degree of patients' satisfaction was higher in Group O. Preoperative intravenous oxycodone can reduce postoperative cumulative sufentanil consumption and postoperative pain intensity without an increase in side effects.

Sedative-analgesic activity of remifentanil and effects of preoperative anxiety on perceived pain in outpatient mandibular third molar surgery

The aim of this study was to assess the sedative-analgesic activity of different doses of remifentanil and effects of preoperative anxiety on intraoperative pain levels in patients attending a dental clinic. The patients (n=60) were divided into two groups according to the remifentanil infusion dose given: group R1: 0.05μg/kg/min; group R2: 0.1μg/kg/min. The following were evaluated: haemodynamic parameters, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) TX-I score, pain level due to local anaesthesia injection, time to reach a Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS) score of 3, amount of bolus dose, total drug consumption, recovery period, patient and surgeon satisfaction, and complications. The patient satisfaction score on a visual analogue scale (VAS) was 90 in group R1 and 100 in group R2 (P=0.008); the surgeon satisfaction score was 80 in group R1 and 90 in group R2 (P=0.004). The time to reach an RSS score of 3 and the amount of bolus dose were significantly lower in group R2 than in group R1. High levels of anxiety did not affect intraoperative pain levels. In conclusion, high doses of remifentanil can safely be used for various same-day dental surgery interventions.

Comparison of Sedative Effects of Two Spray Administration of Intranasal Dexmedetomidine Doses for Premedication in Children.

Objective To compare two spray administration of intranasal dexmedetomidine (DEX) doses for premedication in children. Methods In this prospective,randomized,double-blind study,41 children aged 3-6 years were enrolled. Children were assigned to receive either spray administration of intranasal DEX 1 μg/kg (Group D1) or 2 μg/kg (Group D2). The Ramsay Sedation Scale scores were evaluated at 5 min intervals. Sedation status at separation from patient was also evaluated. Heart rate (HR) and saturation of peripheral oxygen (SpO2) were recorded before and every 15 min after drug administration. Results The median sedation onset time was 30 min and 20 min in group D1 and group D2,respectively. Compared with the children in group D1,those in group D2 were significantly more sedated when they were separated from their parents (61.9% vs. 95.0%,respectively)(χ2=5.549,P=0.010). In Group D2,the HR decreased by 15.8% (t=2.415,P=0.021) 30 min after the spray administration of intranasal DEX. Compared with the baseline values,there was no significant difference in both groups in terms of SpO2(t=-1.426,P=0.162;t=-1.096,P=0.280)and HR in group D1 (t=-0.299,P=0.767) 30 min after the spray administration of intranasal DEX. Conclusion Spray administration of intranasal DEX 2 μg/kg provides superior sedation in children.

Assessment of sedation-analgesia by means of Poincaré analysis of the electroencephalogram.

Monitoring the levels of sedation-analgesia may be helpful for managing patient stress on minimally invasive medical procedures. Monitors based on EEG analysis and designed to assess general anesthesia cannot distinguish reliably between a light and deep sedation. In this work, the Poincaré plot is used as a nonlinear technique applied to EEG signals in order to characterize the levels of sedation-analgesia, according to observed categorical responses that were evaluated by means of Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS). To study the effect of high frequencies due to EMG activity, three different frequency ranges (FR1=0.5-110 Hz, FR2=0.5-30 Hz and FR3=30-110 Hz) were considered. Indexes from power spectral analysis and plasma concentration of propofol and remifentanil were also compared with the bispectral index BIS. An adaptive Neurofuzzy Inference System was applied to model the interaction of the best indexes with respect to RSS score for each analysis, and leave-one-out cross validation method was used. The ability of the indexes to describe the level of sedation-analgesia, according with the RSS score, was evaluated using the prediction probability (Pk). The results showed that the ratio SD1/SD2FR3 contains useful information about the sedation level, and SD1FR2 and SD2FR2 had the best performance classifying response to noxious stimuli. Models including parameters from Poincaré plot emerge as a good estimator of sedation-analgesia levels.

Efficacy of Pregabalin as Premedication for Post-Operative Analgesia in Vaginal Hysterectomy.

BackgroundPregabalin, a structural analogue of gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), is shown to be effective in treatment of several types of neuropathic pain, incisional injury, and inflammatory injury.ObjectivesThe aim of the present study is to compare the efficacy of two doses (75 mg or 150 mg) of pregabalin with the administration of a placebo for post-operative analgesia in patients undergoing hysterectomy under spinal anesthesia.Patients and MethodsA randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 135 patients undergoing vaginal hysterectomy under spinal anesthesia. The patients were divided in three groups of 45 patients each: group 0, placebo; group 1, 75 mg pregabalin; and group 2, 150 mg pregabalin; each treatment of which was administered one hour before surgery. The Ramsay sedation scale (RSS) was used for pre-operative assessment and the visual analog scale (VAS) was used to determine pain at rest and for cough on the first post-operative day. The time for the requirement of rescue analgesics on the first post-operative day was also assessed.ResultsThe RSS scores were significantly higher in groups 1 and 2 as compared to the controls (P < 0.001). Postoperative VAS scores for pain both at rest and on cough were significantly reduced in groups 1 and 2 (P < 0.001). Rescue analgesic consumption decreased significantly in groups 1 and 2 (P < 0.001). The time at which rescue analgesia was administered (first dose) was 4.45 hours in group 0, 10.86 hours in group 1, and 16.82 hours in group 2 (P < 0.001).ConclusionsPregabalin administered as premedication provided significant postoperative pain relief and decreased the requirement of other parenteral analgesics. Pregabalin doses of 150 mg had a better analgesic profile, but the advantages of their use may be limited by side effects such as dizziness. Thus, it is concluded that pregabalin doses of 75 mg may be the optimal pre-emptive dose.

Pain control following posterior spine fusion: patient-controlled continuous epidural catheter infusion method yields better post-operative analgesia control compared to intravenous patient controlled analgesia method. A retrospective case series.

Pain management following posterior spinal fusion surgeries is a challenging topic. Continuous epidural analgesia (CEA) technique has been invented to resolve some deleterious effects related with conventional intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) method. However, studies for effectiveness and safety of CEA are scarce in adult population. Our aim was to compare effectiveness and safety of patient-controlled CEA with conventional IV-PCA method in adult patient population. Chart review of patients, scheduled for elective posterior spine fusion to treat spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis or spinal instability from May 2012 to March 2015, was performed. Patients with spinal infection, cancer, inflammatory disease, and ASA higher than class III, allergy to analgesic medications were excluded from the study. One hundred and nine patients were enrolled into the study. 80 out of 109 patients (40 in CEA group, 40 in IV-PCA group) were matched for age, gender, BMI, type of surgery, level of fusions. Visual Analog Scale scores (VAS) and Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS) scores were evaluated following surgeries until post-operative 24th hour. There were 58 female patients (72.5%). The mean age of the patients was 59.85years (range 24-82years). When VAS and RSS scores were compared between the groups, there were statistically significant differences between the groups in respect of VAS scores at every time point following surgery (lower in CEA group), whereas there was no significant difference between the groups in respect of RSS scores. More additional analgesia medication was needed in IV-PCA group (16 vs. 5 patients), which was significantly higher than CEA group (p=0.029). Patient-controlled CEA method is as safe as IV-PCA method and is even more effective than that in controlling immediate post-operative pain in patients treated with posterior spinal fusion.

Effects of midazolam or tramadol premedication on early cognitive function in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): A randomized, controlled, double-blind study.

ObjectıveTo evaluate the sedative efficacy and effects on early period cognitive function of premedication in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).MethodsForty patients (18–70 years; American Society of Anesthesiology risk category I–III) undergoing elective ERCP were randomized to receive oral premedication with 0.15 mg/kg midazolam or 1 mg/kg tramadol. Cognitive function was determined by mini-mental test (MMT). Target scores for effective sedation were determined as a Bispectral index score of 70–90 and modified Ramsay Sedation Scale score (mRSS) of 2–4.ResultsGlobal MMT score was not significantly different between treatment groups at 60 min post-ERCP. A significant deterioration in the MMT subcategory of recall was determined in with midazolam versus tramadol. Level of sedation (mRSS) was higher in with midazolam compared with tramadol reaching statistical significance at 30 min after drug administration.ConclusıonsAlthough more effective sedation was obtained with midazolam in patients undergoing ERCP, there was a dysfunction in memory recall. It was concluded, however, that early cognitive functions were generally preserved with both drugs.

Effects of lidocaine and esmolol infusions on hemodynamic changes, analgesic requirement, and recovery in laparoscopic cholecystectomy operations

We compared the effects of lidocaine and esmolol infusions on intraoperative hemodynamic changes, intraoperative and postoperative analgesic requirements, and recovery in laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery. The first group (n=30) received IV lidocaine infusions at a rate of 1.5mg/kg/min and the second group (n=30) received IV esmolol infusions at a rate of 1mg/kg/min. Hemodynamic changes, intraoperative and postoperative analgesic requirements, and recovery characteristics were evaluated. In the lidocaine group, systolic arterial blood pressures values were lower after the induction of anesthesia and at 20min following surgical incision (p<0.05). Awakening time was shorter in the esmolol group (p<0.001); Ramsay Sedation Scale scores at 10min after extubation were lower in the esmolol group (p<0.05). The modified Aldrete scores at all measurement time points during the recovery period were relatively lower in the lidocaine group (p<0.05). The time to attain a modified Aldrete score of ≥9 points was prolonged in the lidocaine group (p<0.01). Postoperative resting and dynamic VAS scores were higher in the lidocaine group at 10 and 20min after extubation (p<0.05, p<0.01, respectively). Analgesic supplements were less frequently required in the lidocaine group (p<0.01). In laparoscopic cholecystectomies, lidocaine infusion had superiorities over esmolol infusions regarding the suppression of responses to tracheal extubation and postoperative need for additional analgesic agents in the long run, while esmolol was more advantageous with respect to rapid recovery from anesthesia, attenuation of early postoperative pain, and modified Aldrete recovery (MAR) scores and time to reach MAR score of 9 points.

Arousal from sedation in lower abdominal surgeries under spinal anesthesia: Comparison between dexmedetomidine and clonidine.

Background and Aim:Dexmedetomidine and clonidine are commonly used drugs for sedation during regional anesthesia. However, data regarding arousal time from sedation with these drugs is sparse. Hence, we designed a study to compare arousal time from sedation with dexmedetomidine and clonidine during spinal anesthesia. We also tried to find out the correlation between clinical and objective method used for assessing the depth of sedation.Materials and Methods:In this study, 120 patients were randomly assigned in two groups to receive either dexmedetomidine (Group DE, n = 60) or Clonidine (Group CL, n = 60). Group DE received 1 μg/kg of dexmedetomidine followed by infusion at 0.5 μg/kg/h while Group CL received 1 μg/kg of clonidine followed by infusion at 1 μg/kg/h and titration until targeted Ramsay sedation scale (RSS) score of 3–5 was achieved and maintained. RSS and bispectral (BIS) were monitored until arousal of the patients. The time to achieve RSS of 2 and BIS of 90 during recovery, the correlation between BIS and RSS score in both the study groups and duration of postoperative analgesia were noted.Statistical Analysis Used:Chi-square tests for nonparametric data and Student's t-test for parametric data were used. Correlation between RSS and BIS was calculated with spearman correlation method.Results:Arousal time from sedation and time to reach BIS score 90 was lower for Group DE as compared to Group CL (P = 0.001). Dexmedetomidine also increased the time to first postoperative analgesic request when compared with clonidine (198.23 ± 33.15 min vs. 150.65 ± 28.55 min, P = 0.01).Conclusions:Intravenous dexmedetomidine infusion has shorter arousal time from sedation than clonidine during spinal anesthesia. A strong correlation exists between BIS and RSS during recovery from sedation.