It is concluded that tramadol, nalbuphine and pethidine have similar emetic effect in the doses and manner used, and that tramadol does not increase the incidence of post-operative headache when used as peroperative analgesic.

Background This report evaluates results of a screening program on prenatal detection of congenital heart defects in a geographical cohort of western Sweden between January 1st, 2013 and June 31st, 2017. During the study period 88,230 children were born in VGR. Methods Retrospective data on pregnant women from the Västra Götaland region that were referred to fetal cardiologists in Gothenburg were retrieved. To determine prenatal detection rate, all neonates who underwent surgery or catheter intervention for a critical congenital heart defect born between January 1st, 2014 and December 31st, 2016 were included. The four-chamber view was implemented into the routine scan in 2009 and implementation of the ISUOG guidelines, including the outflow tracts, started in the region in 2015. Results 113 fetuses received a prenatal diagnosis of a major congenital heart defect. 89% of these were referred because of a suspected cardiac malformation and 88% were diagnosed before 22 completed weeks. 59% of the patients diagnosed before 22 completed weeks opted for termination of pregnancy. During 2014–2016, 61 fetuses had a prenatal diagnosis of a critical congenital heart defect and a further 47 were diagnosed after birth, hence 56% were diagnosed prenatally, 82% for those which had a combination with an extracardiac abnormality and/or chromosomal aberration compared to 50% if an isolated critical congenital heart defect was diagnosed. For single ventricle cardiac defects such as hypoplastic left heart syndrome, double inlet left ventricle and tricuspid atresia, the detection rate was 100%. The detection rate for transposition of the great arteries and coarctation of the aorta was 9 and 18% respectively. Conclusions 56% of all fetuses with a critical congenital heart defect were diagnosed prenatally during 2014–2016 and approximately 53% of all major congenital heart defects 2013–2017 as compared to 13.8% in 2009 in the same region. An increased focus towards the fetal heart in the routine scan improved the prenatal detection rate of major congenital heart defects. The detection of congenital heart defects affecting the four-chamber view seems sufficient, but more training is needed to improve the quality of the examination of the outflow tracts.

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If given a choice, would patients prefer an inhaled or IV method of inducing anesthesia? We investigated the choice between inhaled and IV induction of anesthesia of adult patients presenting to an academic institution for ambulatory surgery. Of 240 patients audited at the preoperative visit, 212 (88%) reported anesthetic histories in which anesthesia had been induced IV and by inhalation in 203 (96%) and 5 (2%) patients, respectively, with the remaining 4 (2%) having no recall of route of the induction of anesthesia. Seventy-eight (33%) patients selected IV induction, 120 (50%) chose inhaled induction, and 42 (17%) patients were undecided. Sevoflurane was used successfully for induction in 154 patients to whom it was offered. These findings seem to contradict the concept that most adult patients have an aversion to anesthesia masks and suggest that a fear of needle stick may be more prevalent among some populations of American adults. Where manpower and facilities permit and in the absence of risk of regurgitation or airway difficulty, it is suggested that enquiry be made of healthy adults presenting for elective ambulatory surgery as to their preferred route for the induction of anesthesia.

SummaryThe efficacy of peribulbar anaesthesia performed with short, medium and long needles, with subTenon's injection as a control, was audited. Two hundred patients undergoing cataract surgery underwent peribulbar injection using 25G needles of the following lengths: 15 mm, 25 mm or 37.5 mm. Sub-Tenon's injections were performed with a curved 25-mm sub-Tenon anaesthesia cannula. The injection technique, ocular akinesia and analgesia scoring system, and supplementary injection protocols were standardised. After initial injections of local anaesthetic via the subTenon's cannula or with 37.5 mm, 25 mm and 15 mm needles, supplementation was required in one (2%), 13 (26%), 22 (44%) and 32 (64%) of patients, respectively; the total number of supplementary injections required were 1, 16, 35 and 47, respectively. It is concluded that the efficacy of peribulbar anaesthesia depends upon the proximity of the deposition of local anaesthetic solution either to the globe or orbital apex. These data justify the classification of peribulbar anaesthesia into: circum-ocular (sub-Tenon's, episcleral), peri-ocular (anterior, superficial); peri-conal (posterior, deep) and apical (ultra-deep) for teaching purposes.