PURPOSE:To compared the effects of sevoflurane and desflurane on early anesthesia recovery in patients undergoing to craniotomy for intracranial lesions. METHODS:After IRB approval, the study included 50 patients aged 18-70 years who had ASA physical statuses of I-II and were scheduled for intracranial surgery. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: sevoflurane and desflurane. Anaesthesia was routinely induced in all patients followed by desflurane 5%-6% or sevoflurane 1%-2%. Moreover remifentanil infusion (0.05-0.2 mcg/ kg/min) was adjusted to maintain mean arterial pressure (MAP) within 20% baseline and heart rate <90 bpm. Postoperatively, patients were evaluated over time for responses to painful stimulus, eye opening, hand squeezing, extubation, orientation and time required to achieve a Modified Aldrete Score of 9-10. Parametric and non-parametric data were assessed using Student's t-and Mann-Whitney U tests, respectively. A p<0.05 was taken as statistically significant. RESULTS:The times to responses to painful stimuli (7.7±2.7 vs. 4.8±1.7 min.; p<0.001), emergence (9.5±2.81 vs. 6.3±2.2 min.; Early postoperative recovery after intracranial surgical procedures. Comparison of the effects of sevoflurane and desflurane

Background:Vitamin D is associated with musculoskeletal function in our body, and its deficiency is a common health problem all over the world. Low back pain (LBP) is an important health problem in terms of low quality of life, loss of work power, and cost of diagnosis and treatment approaches.Aims:The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between pain severity and Vitamin D deficiency in patients who applied to pain polyclinic with LBP.Settings and Design:This was a retrospective, observational study.Subjects and Methods:The files of patients aged between 18 and 70 years who applied to our hospital between January and February 2018 were examined retrospectively by a specialist. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), age, education level, marital status, working status, and body mass index (BMI) values recorded in patient files were included in the study. The limit value of Vitamin D was accepted as 20 ng/mL. Patients were divided into two groups according to their levels of Vitamin D. Patients with serum 25(OH)D levels below 20 ng/mL were considered as the deficiency of Vitamin D (Group 1) and patients with 20 ng/mL and over 20 ng/mL values were considered as normal in terms of Vitamin D (Group 2).Statistical Analysis Used:Descriptive statistical data were presented as mean, standard deviation, numbers, and percentage. There was no difference between the normally distributed group and the non-normally distributed group in terms of vitamin D levels. To compare the frequencies, the Chi-square test was used. To define the linear association between independent variables and Vitamin D level, Spearman's rho correlation coefficients were calculated.Results:The level of Vitamin D was measured in 98 patients aged 18–70 years who applied to our hospital's polyclinic due to LBP during the study period. The deficiency of vitamin was detected in 84 (85.7%) of the patients, while Vitamin D was found in 14 (14.3%) as normal. Groups were similar in terms of age, gender, BMI, educational level, marital status and working status (p> 0.05); however, there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of VAS score and levels of Vitamin D (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). While there was a negative correlation between D vitamin level and VAS score (r = −0.594, P < 0.001), there was no correlation between age, gender, BMI, education level, marital status, and working status (P > 0.05).Conclusions:The deficiency of Vitamin D is often asymptomatic, and also, it can cause bone and muscle pain. In our study, we determined that the severity of pain increased in patients with LBP as the deficiency of Vitamin D increased. For this reason, we recommend to be evaluated the level of Vitamin D in patients with LBP.

Stellate ganglion blockage (SGB) is a method used for treating Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP). This study primarily aimed to determine whether the perfusion index (PI) can be used an alternative to Horner’s signs in evaluating the efficacy of SGB in patients diagnosed with RP. In a total of 40 patients, aged 18–65 years and diagnosed with primary RP, SGB was applied for 5 days on the same side with the 2-finger method, using 6 mL of 5% levobupivacaine at the 7th cervical vertebra level. The PI values were recorded from the distal end of the 2nd finger of the upper extremity on the side applied with the block at baseline and at 5, 15, 30, 60 and 120 min. The onset time of Horner findings was recorded. The PI values and visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores were recorded pre-treatment and after 2 weeks.When the PI values of the 40 patients were examined, a 62.7% increase was observed from baseline to the first session at 5 min (p < 0.05). When all sessions were evaluated, a statistically significant increase was determined in the PI values measured at 5, 15, 30, 60 and 120 min compared with the baseline PI values. There was a statistically significant decrease in the post-treatment VAS pain scores and a statistically significant increase in the post-treatment PI values (p < 0.05). By eliminating peripheral vasospasm with the application of SGB in patients with RP, the distal artery blood flow and PI are increased. PI measurement is a more objective method and therefore could be used as an alternative to Horner findings in evaluating the success of SGB. PI is a non-invasive and simple measurement and also an earlier indicator in evaluating the success of SGB than Horner’s signs.

BackgroundPulmonary aspiration of the gastric contents is a serious perioperative complication. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of portable ultrasonography in the preoperative evaluation of the gastric contents of patients. The secondary aim was to examine the relationship between gastric antrum cross-sectional area and age and body mass index (BMI).Material/MethodsThis single-center, prospective, cross-sectional study included 120 patients who underwent surgery. Measurements the gastric antral cross-sectional areas and quantitative and qualitative measurements of the stomach were taken by ultrasonography guidance in all patients.ResultsWith the patient in a supine position, the mean gastric antrum cross-sectional area was found to be 3.4±2.43 cm2 (range, 0.79–17.3 cm2). As the number of hours of fasting increased, the gastric antral cross-sectional area statistically significantly decreased (P<0.05). Increased age and BMI values were determined to increase the gastric antrum cross-sectional area in a linear correlation; r=0.209, P<0.05 and r=0.252, P=0.05, respectively. It was determined that 20.8% of the patients exceeded the high-risk stomach antral cutoff cross-sectional area that was defined as 340 mm2 in patients fasting for at least 8 hours.ConclusionsIt was determined that bedside ultrasonography is a useful, non-invasive tool in the determination of gastric content and volume. A significant proportion of surgical patients may not present with an empty stomach despite the recommended fasting protocols.

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ÖZETAmaç: Akut intoksikasyonlar; özkıyım amaçlı veya bilinçsiz şekilde yüksek doz ilaç kullanma şeklinde olabilen önemli bir halk sağlığı sorunudur. Çalışmamızda akut intoksikasyon nedeniyle yoğun bakım ünitesinde (YBÜ) takip edilen hastaların demografik ve klinik verilerini retrospektif olarak incelemeyi amaçladık. Sonuç: Akut intoksikasyonların; büyük oranda genç kadın hastalarda, intihar amaçlı ve mevsim olarak yaz aylarında olduğunu saptadık. Analjezik ilaçların zehirlenme amacıyla en sık kullanılan ilaç olduğunu belirledik. Gereç veAnahtar Kelimeler: İntoksikasyon, yoğun bakım ünitesi, retrospektif ABSTRACT Objective: Acute intoxication is an important public health problem that occur result of suicide cases or unintentionally drug overdose. We aimed to retrospectively review the demographic and clinical data of the patients who were followed up in intensive care unit due to acute intoxication. Materials and Methods:We retrospectively reviewed the files of all 152 patients who were admitted to intensive care unit between January 2014-January 2016 due to acute intoxication. A two-sided P value <0.05 was considered significant for all analyses. Continuous variables were presented as mean ± standard deviation. Results:The 118 of 152 patients were female, 34 were male. Female to male ratio was 3.4/1. Mean age was 26.2±11.16 years. The mean length of stay in the intensive care unit was 1.85±1.05 days. The 118 of 152 (%77.6) patients were under 30 years old. The rate of intoxications were statistically lower in male than females under 30 years old. (p<0.05) Suicidal attempt was found in 145 patients (%95.32). The majority of medicine drug use was in suicide cases (%90.7). The most frequent medicine drugs were analgesics (%36.8), psychoactive drugs (%23) and antimicrobials (%19.7). %42.1 of cases were intoxicated with one drug, %48.02 of cases were intoxicated with multiple drugs. There was only one death due to pepticide poisoning. The rate of seasonal distribution of intoxications were spring (44%). The mean time to ICU admission was 292.93±201.75 minutes. Conclusion:Acute intoxications were mostly seen in especially female young female adults and the most common was suicidal attempt by medicine drugs. The most common used drugs for poisoning were analgesics.

Background: Ultrasound measurement of dynamic changes in inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter and collapsibility index (CI) are used to estimate the fluid responsiveness and intravascular volume status. We conducted an analysis to quantify the sonographic measurement of IVC diameter changes in adult patients at the preoperative and postoperative periods. Methods: Ultrasonography was performed on 72 patients scheduled for surgery with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I to III. Quantitative assessments of the end-expiration (Dmin), end-inspiration (Dmax), and CI at preoperative and postoperative period were compared in a prospective, observational study. The patients received intravenous fluid according to standard protocol regimes peroperatively. Results: Ultrasonography of IVC measurement was unsuccessful in 12.5% of patients and 63 patients remained for analyses. The mean age was 43.29 ± 17.22 (range 18–86) years. The average diameter of the Dmin, Dmax, and dIVC preoperative and postoperative were 1.99 ± 0.31 vs. 2.05 ± 0.29 cm, 1.72 ± 0.33 vs. 1.74 ± 0.32 cm, 14.0 ± 9.60% vs. 15.14 ± 11.18%, respectively (p > 0.05). CI was positively associated preoperatively and postoperatively (regression coefficient = 0.438, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The diameter of the IVC did not change preoperatively and postoperatively in adult patients with standard fluid regimens. The parameters of the IVC diameter increased postoperatively according to the preoperative period.

Persistent hiccup is uncommon, and the mechanism is poorly understood. We present the case of a 43-year-old male patient referred to the Algology department due to chronic back pain who developed what we believe a rare case of persistent hiccup secondary to caudal epidural steroid injection (CESI). The causes of hiccup are many and include electrolyte derangement, nutritional deficiencies, gastrointestinal disorders and instrumentation, cardiovascular disorders, renal impairment, central nervous system disorders, and drugs; however, the cause may be unknown. CESI is one of the treatments of back pain, in addition to various other modalities including surgical interventions. CESI has gained rapid and widespread acceptance for the treatment of lumbar and lower extremity pain. However, there are only a few well-designed, randomized, controlled studies on the effectiveness of steroid injections. Consequently, side effects should be considered. We aimed to present a persistent hiccup after CESI for chronic low back pain.