Penetrating abdominal injuries are potentially life threatening due to the associated hemorrhagic shock and visceral injury. Through and through penetrating injury with polytrauma is rarely encountered. We report a case presenting with in situ projecting heavy metallic rod in a through and through penetrating abdominal injury along with foreign body in a road traffic accident. Anaesthetic management was difficult due to inability to position in supine, rapidly progressing hemorrhagic shock and hypoxia due hemopneumothorax. Two operating tables were used with adequate intervening space to accommodate the posteriorly projecting metallic rod during intubation in supine position. Intensive monitoring and resuscitation resulted in uneventful successful outcome.

Early revascularization is cardinal for successful replantation of proximal limb amputations. Prolonged ischemia time potentially leads to reperfusion syndrome and morbidity. The dilemma persists regarding safe duration of cold ischemia time for replantation. The study was conducted to evaluate retrospectively the outcomes of major replantation in terms of limb survival, reperfusion events, morbidity, and potential mortality with respect to the ischemia time and level of amputations. Fourteen patients with proximal amputations at the arm, elbow, and forearm with total ischemia time beyond 6 hours were replanted. All had warm ischemia time of less than 2 hours and were closely monitored to record and correct reperfusion events. Nine out of 14 limbs survived. Five patients had reperfusion events. Proximal limb amputations with larger muscle mass were at higher risk of developing reperfusion syndrome and such events had higher chances of limb loss. Major limb amputations within 2 hours of warm ischemia time even with prolonged cold ischemia can be successfully replanted with closed perioperative monitoring.

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Introduction:Colonoscopy is a mildly painful procedure requiring conscious sedation. Though propofol is a widely used anesthetic agent in day-care procedures due to its rapid onset and quick recovery has a drawback of requiring resuscitation maneuvers more often than the conventional methods. Dexmedetomidine, a newly introduced, highly selective α2-adrenergic receptor agonist possessing hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic, sympatholytic, and analgesic properties with impressive safety margin, needs to be explored for use in conscious sedation for colonoscopy procedure among South Indian population.Materials and Methods:A prospective randomized comparative study was conducted on patients aged between 25 and 60 years with the American Society of Anesthesiologist physical status classes I and II posted for colonoscopy under monitored anesthesia care. Study group was randomly divided into two groups and administered propofol and dexmedetomidine. The primary outcome variable was assessments of sedation scores between the two groups. Secondary outcome variables were pain score assessments, hemodynamic comparisons, and adverse events among the two groups. Appropriate statistical tests were applied to compare the findings.Results:After comparisons between the two groups, we found that patients on dexmedetomidine had similar sedation score as that of patients on propofol. However, there was a significantly higher incidence of systemic hypotension. Requirement of rescue analgesia and adverse events and other hemodynamic fluctuation were similar in both the groups.Conclusion:We conclude that dexmedetomidine has similar efficacy as propofol for conscious sedation required during colonoscopy. Occurrence of systolic hypotension was, however, significantly more among the group receiving dexmedetomidine.

Background:One of the challenges of anaesthesia for shoulder arthroscopic procedures is the need for controlled hypotension to lessen intra-articular haemorrhage and thereby provide adequate visualisation to the surgeon. Achievement of optimal conditions necessitates several interventions and manipulations by the anaesthesiologist and the surgeon, most of which directly or indirectly involve maintaining intra-operative blood pressure (BP) control.Aim:This study aimed to compare the efficacy and convenience of target controlled infusion (TCI) of propofol and inhalational agent sevoflurane in patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopic surgery after preliminary inter-scalene blockade.Methods:Of thirty four patients studied, seventeen received TCI propofol (target plasma concentration of 3 μg/ml) and an equal number, sevoflurane (1.2-1.5 Minimum Alveolar Concentration). N2O was used in both groups. Systolic, diastolic, mean blood pressures and heart rate were recorded regularly throughout the procedure. All interventions to control BP by the anaesthesiologist and pump manipulation requested by the surgeon were recorded. The volume of saline irrigant used and the haemoglobin (Hb) content of the return fluid were measured.Results:TCI propofol could achieve lower systolic, mean BP levels and the number of interventions required was also lower as compared to the sevoflurane group. The number of patients with measurable Hb was lower in the TCI propofol group and this translated into better visualisation of the joint space. A higher volume of saline irrigant was required in the sevoflurane group. No immediate peri-operative anaesthetic complications were noted in either category.Conclusion:TCI propofol appears to be superior to and more convenient than sevoflurane anaesthesia in inter-scalene blocked patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopy.