Background:Exposure to anesthesia has been postulated to affect the cognitive function by inciting central nervous system inflammation. Hence, we planned to compare the psychometrical effects of anesthetic agents propofol, desflurane, or sevoflurane on postoperative cognitive function and also measure the change in concentration of serum S-100β, interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α to look for the contribution of systemic inflammation.Methods:This was a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial. Intuitional ethical committee approval and consent from patients were obtained. We enrolled 66 patients, allocated into three equal groups to receive either sevoflurane (n = 22), desflurane (n = 22), or propofol (n = 22). Standard anesthesia protocol was followed titrated to a bispectral index of 40–60. Patients with preoperative mini-mental state examination ≤23 were excluded. Each patient was assessed thrice with battery of cognitive tests in preoperative period (baseline), after 72 h (early postoperative cognitive dysfunction [POCD]), after 3 months (delayed POCD) of surgery. Serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and S-100β were measured preoperatively and 72 h after surgery.Results:Mean scores of various psychometric tests improved slightly in early postoperative period which was not statistically significant (P > 0.5). In delayed postoperative period, there was significant improvement in scores as compared to baseline (P < 0.5) in all the groups. There was nonsignificant change in the levels of biomarkers S-100β, TNF-α, and IL-6 between baseline and postoperative period in all the groups.Conclusion:In young patients, there is no effect of anesthesia on postoperative cognitive functions. There is no association of inflammatory markers with respect to the patient's cognitive status.

How to cite this article: Sabharwal P, Chakraborty S, Tyagi N, Kumar A. Acute Flaccid Quadriparesis in a Recovering COVID-19 Patient: A Clinical Dilemma. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(2):238–239.

Background Severe pre-eclampsia poses a dilemma for the anesthesiologist especially in emergency situations where cesarean deliveries are done for the un-investigated or partially investigated parturient. Hemodynamic stability is the major goal of anesthetic management of these patients. Thoracic spinal anesthesia has been successfully given for various surgeries like breast cancer and abdominal cancer but not for cesarean section. Case presentation We report a case of a 35-year-old at 33+5-week period of gestation with severe pre-eclampsia and bullous lesions managed successfully with segmental thoracic spinal anesthesia. General anesthesia in this patient could have been risky as the patient was not fasting; airway bullous lesions could not be ruled out and Mallampati grade was III on airway examination. Presence of lesions in lumbar region precluded the lumbar spinal technique. The technique was associated with an adequate level of the sensory block during lower segment cesarean section, a high degree of hemodynamic stability, and a high patient satisfaction Conclusion Segmental thoracic spinal anesthesia can be used successfully and effectively for lower segment cesarean section by experienced anesthetists. Further studies are warranted to compare its effect, especially on hemodynamics with known techniques.

A bstract Spontaneous air-leak syndromes have emerged as rare but significant complication of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia in the last few months. This complication has been documented in both spontaneous and mechanically ventilated patients. Although few studies have used computed tomographic scans to confirm the diagnosis, this could be challenging in resource-limited setup. We present a series of 15 cases that highlight the clinical heterogeneity with respect to stage of illness, ventilatory status, and varied clinical scenarios at the time of development of these syndromes. All cases in our series were diagnosed clinically and confirmed by bedside chest X-ray and were managed promptly. Though mortality was not so infrequent in our experience, these air-leak syndromes were not directly attributed as cause of death in these patients. Therefore, high level of clinical suspicion and vigilance is necessary to identify and manage cases of air-leak syndrome. How to cite this article: Sabharwal P, Chakraborty S, Tyagi N, Kumar R, Taneja A. Spontaneous Air-leak Syndrome and COVID-19: A Multifaceted Challenge. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(5):584–587.

Precis: This study evaluated 2 doses of intranasal dexmedetomidine (IND) (3.0 and 3.5 µg/kg) as a procedural sedative for postoperative examination of children with glaucoma. A dose of 3.5 µg/kg was more efficacious and obviated the need for repeated general anesthesia. Purpose: This study was carried out to determine the safety and effective dose of IND as a procedural sedative for postoperative follow-up examinations after glaucoma surgery in children in place of repeated examination under anesthesia. Materials and Methods: In this prospective randomized double-blinded interventional study, consecutive children aged 6 months to 6 years were randomized to receive 3.0 and 3.5 µg/kg IND using a mucosal atomizer device in the preoperative area of the operating room, under continuous monitoring of vital signs. Intranasal midazolam 0.25 mg/kg was used as a rescue agent in case of inadequate sedation, and general anesthesia was administered in case of persistent failure. All infants underwent a complete anterior and posterior segment evaluation including intraocular pressure and corneal diameter measurements. Results: A total of 30 and 31 children aged 23.9±15.0 and 19.2±10.1 months, respectively, received 3.0 and 3.5 µg/kg IND. Adequate sedation was possible in 18 of 30 (60%) children receiving 3.0 µg/kg and 24 of 31 (77.4%) receiving 3.5 µg/kg IND alone (P=0.17). In combination with midazolam, successful sedations were 86.6% versus 100%, respectively (P=0.052). One patient in the 3.5 µg/kg group had ventricular arrhythmia, reversed with dextrose-saline infusion and injection glycopyrrolate. Conclusions: IND appears to be a safe and effective procedural sedative for postoperative follow-up examinations of pediatric glaucoma patients at doses of 3 and 3.5 µg/kg. The dose of 3.5 µg/kg was successful in more children.