Background:Propofol is one of the widely used intravenous (i.v.) anaesthetics, although pain on injection still remains a considerable concern for the anaesthesiologists. A number of techniques has been tried to minimize propofol-induced pain with variable results. Recently, a 5-HT3 antagonist, ondansetron pre-treatment, has been shown to reduce propofol-induced pain. The aim of our randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study was to determine whether pre-treatment with intravenous granisetron, which is routinely used in our practice for prophylaxis of post-operative nausea and vomiting, would reduce propofol-induced pain.Methods:Eighty-two women, aged 18–50 years, American society of Anaesthesiologist grading (ASA) I–II, scheduled for various surgeries under general anaesthesia were randomly assigned to one of the two groups. One group received 2 mL 0.9% sodium chloride while the other group received 2 mL granisetron (1 mg/mL), and were accompanied by manual venous occlusion for 1 min. Then, 2 mL propofol was injected through the same cannula. Patients were asked by a blinded investigator to score the pain on injection of propofol with a four-point scale: 0=no pain, 1=mild pain, 2=moderate pain, 3=severe pain.Results:Twenty-four patients (60%) complained of pain in the group pre-treated with normal saline as compared with six (15%) in the group pre-treated with granisetron. Pain was reduced significantly in the granisetron group (P<0.05). Severity of pain was also lesser in the granisetron group compared with the placebo group (2.5% vs. 37.5%).Conclusion:We conclude that pre-treatment with granisetron along with venous occlusion for 1 min for prevention of propofol-induced pain was highly successful.

No abstract

In this study, it was aimed to examine the relationship between the visual mathematics literacy perceptions and its sub-dimension for geometry success levels of prospective teachers. It was also aimed to examine to what extent visual mathematics literacy perception and its sub-dimensions predicted geometry success.Research Methods: This study was designed in accordance with a qualitative, scanning model. The research was carried out with 232 (97 males and 135 females) prospective teachers who studied in Mathematics Education Program at Firat University, Education Faculty, and were selected by simple random sampling method.

Aims-To determine whether the recently described flavivirus, hepatitis G virus (HGV), might contribute to the pathogenesis of lymphoma by testing for the presence of HGV RNA in sera from patients attending lymphoma clinics; to compare the incidence of HGV RNA in lymphoma patients with that in normal blood donors; and to look for potential risk factors for HGV infection and for evidence of hepatic disease in the HGV positive patients. Methods-Sera were examined from 76 patients with lymphoma and 100 blood donors for the presence of HGV RNA using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results-HGV RNA was detected in 10% of patients' sera, but only in 1% of blood donor samples. HGV infection was found in patients with various diVerent types of lymphoma, including Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The majority (75%) of patients who were HGV PCR positive had undergone transfusion, but only 30% of those who were HGV PCR negative had received blood products. In addition, the number of donor exposures per HGV positive patient was approximately twice that of the HGV negative group. Conclusions-The data suggest (1) that HGV is present in the normal blood donor population; (2) that patients with lymphoma are at risk of acquiring HGV because of their exposure to blood products; and (3) that persistent HGV infection does not appear to cause serious liver disease in these patients. (J Clin Pathol 1998;51:676-678)

Malignant hyperthermia is rare inherited disorder in our part of the world; there are only few cases reported in literature in India who were suspected of having this condition. The overall incidence of malignant hyperthermia during general anesthesia is estimated to range from 1: 5000 to 1: 50,000–100,000 and mortality rate is estimated to be <5% in the presence of standard care. In India, there is no center where in vitro halothane caffeine contraction test is performed to confirm diagnosis in suspected cases. Second, dantrolene drug of choice for this condition is not freely available in market in India and is stored only in some hospitals in few major cities. Among the cases reported of suspected of malignant hyperthermia in India almost 50% have survived the condition despite nonavailability of dantrolene emphasizing role of early detection and aggressive management in these cases.