Background: Parturient undergoing repeat caesarean section (CS) under spinal anaesthesia usually experience anxiety due to unpleasant operative environment. Music therapy has been found to have positive psychological impact to relieve anxiety, improve patient satisfaction and provide stable haemodyanamics.Methods: Sixty patients without any co morbidity having history of previous CS, scheduled for another caesarean under spinal anaesthesia were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups of 30 each. Group(M) patients were subjected to hearing music of their choice with the help of headphones after administration of spinal anaesthesia till the end of surgery. Group(N) patients were not made to listen to any music but headphones were applied. Haemodyanamic parameters including mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR), visual analogue score for anxiety (VASA) after administering spinal block and at the end of surgery, patient satisfaction score (PSS) and comparison of anxiety with previous CS were observed and recorded.Results: Both MAP and HR in Group M started falling after 10 minutes of spinal anaesthesia as compared to Group N and difference was significant (P <0.005), VASA 2 (2.2±1.8) in Group M was significantly lower than VASA 1 (5.4±1.7). PSS was also in favour of music group (Group M) and difference was highly significant as compared to group N (p=0.018). Patient’s anxiety as compared to anxiety with previous CS was lesser in Group M as compared to Group N(p=0.009).Conclusions: Music is a non-invasive tool to relieve anxiety during intraoperative period along with higher patient satisfaction and stable haemodyanamics.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of prophylactic administration of topical nepafenac (0.1%) and bromfenac (0.09%) in maintaining mydriasis during cataract surgery. Methods: This was a randomized, double masked comparison study involving adult cataract patients given topical NSAIDs (nepafenac or bromfenac) or carboxymethylcellulose (control) prior to cataract surgery. Horizontal and vertical diameters of pupil were measured before and after surgery and the mean values were compared across the three groups. Results: The decrease in pupil size was more significant in group A (control) as compared to that in group B (nepafenac) and in group C (bromfenac) (p < 0.001). The decrease in pupil size was not significant in group B as compared to that in group C (p < 0.70). Mydriasis during surgery was well maintained in groups B and C as compared to group A. Conclusion: Both nepafenac (0.1%) and bromfenac (0.09%) given one day prior to the surgery are effective in maintaining pupil size during the cataract surgery but the less frequent dosing of bromfenac can be of advantage in improving the patient compliance.

Background and AIMS: Airway ultrasound is novel,safe and noninvasive modality that help in predicting difficult airway.This study aimed todetermine the usefulness of airway ultrasound in order to predict difficult intubation. Method:- This was a hospital based prospective observational study on 100 patients aged 18-60 years of either sex undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia with endotracheal intubation.Preoperatively physical airway evaluation was performed byusing six parameters including Modified Mallampati class(MMC), thyromental distance(TMD), sternomental distance(SMD) , inter-incisor (IID)distance , hyomental distance(HMD)and neck circumference(NC). In preoperatively, Airway Ultrasoundwas performed andnoted the ratio of the depth of the pre‑epiglottic space (PES) to the distance from the epiglottis to the mid‑point of the distance between the vocal cords (E‑VC). CL grade was also noted during laryngoscopy. Compared ultrasound parameters with Cormack–Lehane grade. Specificity,Sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracywere calculated.Airway ultrasound measurements were compared with physical parametersin predicting Cormack –Lehane grade. Results: The incidence of difficult intubation was 7%. Sensitivity of PES/E-VC ratio was higher than NC, TMD, HMD, IID and SMD but less than Mallampati class. Specificity, PPV was lower than physical parameters.NPV was comparable. Conclusion: Percutaneous airway ultrasound is useful and promising technique for predicting Cormack and Lehane grading but a combination of all these is definitely helpful for better prediction.

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Role of music has been identified since ancient times for alleviating anxiety. Music has been known for its potential to produce a sense of wellbeing and peace. Anaesthesia and surgery are major stress factors for any person. Preoperative anxiety is a usual phenomenon in patients posted for various surgical interventions as well as those admitted to intensive care units (ICU). Literature shows ample evidence regarding neurohormonal disturbances related to stressful situations like preoperative, intraoperative and post-operative periods. Music has been shown to attenuate release of various biochemical molecules leading to relaxing and sedative effects on the brain. Not only patients under regional anaesthesia who are awake have a positive impact, even patients under general anaesthesia have also been shown to benefit from listening to music intraoperatively. Music is a hazard free intervention which can be added to various drug combinations used by anaesthesiologists.