In this article, a cosmetic complication case secondary to bilateral supraorbital and supratrochlear nerve block with low dose local anesthetic and dexamethasone combination is presented.
In this article, a cosmetic complication case secondary to bilateral supraorbital and supratrochlear nerve block with low dose local anesthetic and dexamethasone combination is presented.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of portable infrared Pupillometer, Critical Care Pain Observation Scale (CPOT), and vital sign changes during painful procedures on patients with mechanical ventilators in the intensive care unit (ICU), and comparing the efficacy of these methods to detect the presence of pain.
Methods: In 50 patients who could not verbally state pain, admitted to Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Faculty of Medicine ICU, aged 18-75 years, and connected to a mechanical ventilator, vital sign changes, CPOT scale assessments, and pain evaluation with a portable infrared pupillometer were performed during endotracheal aspiration and position changes, which are defined as painful stimuli.
Results: Data were collected from 50 patients with a mean age of 57.4±17.9 years and 48% of males. The systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure and heart rate values, CPOT scores, and pupillometric measurements of the patients increased significantly at the time of aspiration and change of position (p<0.05). Neurological pupil index scores showed a significant decrease at the time of painful stimulation (p<0.05).
Conclusion: It was found that pupil diameter changes evaluated using a portable infrared pupillometric measuring device can be used effectively and reliably in pain assessment in patients who are treated in the ICU, supported by mechanical ventilation and who cannot communicate verbally.
Vaccination programs against COVID-19 have been implemented all over the world since December 2020. Beside the common side effects of vaccines, there are also increasing reports of herpes zoster (HZ) activation. In this report, we describe three cases of HZ, one of them with post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) after receiving inactivated COVID-19 vaccine. The first two patients developed HZ 8 and 10 days after vaccination, respectively. When pain could not be controlled with paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, the patients received weak opioid codeine. In addition, the first patient received gabapentin, and the second patient was applied erector spinae plane block. The third patient was admitted 4 months after the diagnosis of HZ and considered to have PHN and pain palliation was provided with tramadol. Although the exact cause has not yet been fully resolved, increased reports of HZ after vaccination suggests a link between vaccines and HZ. Considering that receiving COVID-19 vaccines will going on, HZ and PHN cases will continue to be seen. More epidemiological studies are needed to further evaluate the relationship between COVID-19 vaccines and HZ.
Objectives: Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common daily surgeries performed in pediatrics. This prospective randomized clinical trial aims to compare ultrasound (USG)-guided ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric (IL/IH) nerve block and pre-incisional wound infiltration (PWI) in terms of post-operative analgesia on pediatric unilateral inguinal hernia repair.
Methods: After receiving ethics committee approval, 65 children aged 1-6 years who had unilateral inguinal hernia repair were allocated to USG-guided IL/IH nerve block (group IL/IH, n=32) and (group PWI, n=33). In both groups, 0.5 mg/kg 0.25% bupivacaine+2% prilocaine mixture was used by calculating the volume as 0.5 mL/kg for the block and infiltration. The primary outcome was to compare both groups' post-operative Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability (FLACC) scores. The secondary outcomes included the time to first analgesic request and the total acetaminophen consumption.
Results: The FLACC pain scores at the 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 12th h were statistically significantly lower in group IL/IH than in group PWI (p=0.013, p<0.001, p<0.001, and p=0.037, respectively) (p<0.001). There was no difference between the groups at the 10th and 30th min and at 24 h (p=0.472, p=0.586, and p=0.419, respectively) (p>0.05).
Conclusion: USG-guided IL/IH nerve block in pediatric patients with inguinal hernia repair was found to be superior to PWI in terms of lower pain scores, less additional analgesia requirement, and longer first analgesia requirement.
Ischemic monomelic neuropathy (IMN) is a rare type of acute axonal neuropathy which results from ischemia of multiple nerves in affected limb. The electroneuromyography is useful in detecting characteristic features of this neuropathy. It usually occurs after vascular interventions. Here, we present the first case who has IMN secondary to lung cancer and/or chemo-therapy and aim to draw attention to this infrequently recognized entity.
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been used for the treatment of chronic pain for almost 50 years. There have been several reports regarding to thoracic and lumbar SCS, while fewer publications have been documented for cervical SCS administration. In this article, we presented patient satisfaction after cervical SCS application in patients with chronic upper extremity pain. Three patients with cervical spinal nerve root or brachial plexus injury who reported no pain relief with the previous treatment modalities were identified. The patients were performed percutaneous cervical SCS. Cervical SCS implantation was successful in the first and the second patients, and with respect to decrease in VAS scores, analgesic drug requirements, and an increase in their quality of life, while the third patient had no pain relief. Cervical SCS may be an effective treatment option in upper extremity chronic pain syndromes as in the lower extremity pain syndromes treated with thoracolumbar SCS.
Objectives: This study aimed to explore sleep quality in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to reveal the clinical parameters that predict sleep quality and depression in AS.
Methods: This study included 100 AS patients and 100 age/sex-matched healthy individuals. The AS activity was assessed by Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), AS Disease Activity Score (ASDAS-ESR, ASDAS-CRP), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The functional status was assessed by the Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI). AS Quality of Life Questionnaire was administered for the assessment of the disease-related quality of life. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index for sleep assessment and Beck Depression Inventory for psychological assessment were administered to all participants.
Results: Sleep problems and depressive symptoms were significantly higher in AS patients compared to healthy individuals. All of the AS clinical parameters were significantly higher in AS patients with poor sleep quality than in AS patients with good sleep quality. In the correlation analysis, it was determined that poor sleep quality, depressive symptoms and low quality of life were strongly correlated with each other and AS clinical parameters. The most effective predictor for sleep problems was higher BASDAI scores, followed by higher BASFI, VAS, ASDAS-ESH scores, and younger age. Higher BASFI and VAS scores were predictors for depressive symptoms.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that poor sleep, depressive symptoms and low quality of life may negatively affect the AS clinic, and therefore sleep quality and depression should not be ignored in the examinations of AS patients.
Objectives: The authors aim to present when to do physical therapy or surgery in geriatric patients with degenerative lumbar stenosis.
Methods: The authors retrospectively analyzed 250 patients who underwent physical therapy due to lumbar degenerative stenosis between December 2014 and April 2017. The patients were divided into two groups: Central canal stenosis and lateral recess/foraminal stenosis groups. Visual analogue scale and neurological claudication values of both patient groups were evaluated before and after physical therapy. The association between comorbid diseases and the frequency of surgery was also evaluated.
Results: 142 of the patients were female and 108 were male, and the mean age of these patients was 69 years. The mean onset of symptoms was 55 months. In the visual analog scale value of patients after physical therapy, the authors observed decreases of 4-6° in patients with central canal stenosis and 2-3° in patients with lateral recess/foraminal stenosis. In addition, the authors observed that patients with lateral recess/foraminal stenosis together with diabetes mellitus benefit less from physical therapy.
Conclusion: Physical therapy and rehabilitation play an important role in the treatment of lumbar stenosis. Physical therapy is the primary treatment option for patients who do not have motor muscle strength losses and incontinence and who have pain control through medications. The authors can consider surgical interventions in patients with lateral recess/foraminal stenosis who do not benefit from physical therapy at a satisfactory level.
Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) surgery is generally performed for patients who under the risk of ischemic cerebral stroke due to the critical obstruction of the carotid artery. Ischemic complications may occur during the surgery. So, the awakeness of the patient is very important during the surgery. Regional anesthesia techniques may be performed instead of general anesthesia for shunt placement during CEA surgery. Herein, we aimed to share our successful US-guided carotid sheath block experience for anesthesia management during CEA surgery.