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Background: General anesthesia is preferred for clavicular surgeries. With the advent of ultrasound-guided technology, interscalene brachial plexus block with superficial cervical nerve block has become a new option for providing intraoperative anesthesia and postoperative analgesia for surgeries of the clavicle. Aims and Objectives: The present study compares the ultrasound-guided interscalene brachial plexus nerve block combined with superficial cervical nerve block to general anesthesia in clavicular surgery. Settings and Design: This study was a randomized controlled trial in a tertiary care setting. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 patients between 18 and 60 years who were scheduled for clavicular surgeries were randomly and equally divided into Group B and Group G. Group B received ultrasound-guided interscalene brachial plexus block with superficial cervical nerve block. Group G received general anesthesia. Time duration between start of anesthesia to the incision time, intraoperative vitals, and time spent in postanesthesia care unit, postoperative pain scores, postoperative analgesic consumption, and complications were noted and compared. Statistical Analysis: Statistical analyses were done using SPSS software 20.0. Normality tests were applied, and accordingly, parametric and nonparametric tests were used to calculate the results. Results: The demographic data were comparable in both the groups. Time duration between start of anesthesia to the incision time was significantly more in Group B than in Group G. The time spent in postanesthesia care unit and postoperative pain scores were significantly more in Group G than Group B. Total postoperative opioid consumption was significantly less in Group B than in Group G. Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided interscalene brachial plexus block combined with superficial cervical nerve block is a safe and effective mode of anesthesia in comparison to general anesthesia for clavicle surgeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Longer duration of analgesia, ceiling effect on respiratory depression, and the antihyperalgesia property make buprenorphine a good adjuvant for managing moderate-to-severe postoperative pain. Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate the onset and duration of postoperative analgesia of three different doses of buprenorphine of 60, 100, and 150 μg given intrathecally along with hyperbaric bupivacaine in patients undergoing lower limb surgeries. Setting and Design: This prospective observational study was carried out in the anesthesia department of a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: The study included 90 patients of either sex, aged 18–60 years, scheduled for elective lower limb surgery under subarachnoid block. Patients were randomly allocated into three groups (30 each) receiving different doses of buprenorphine. In addition, all patients received 3 mL of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine. Statistical Analysis Used: The Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to find out the association between the categorical variables. The association of quantitative variables between the groups was assessed by Kruskal–Wallis test while within the groups was assessed by repeated-measures analysis of variance test. Results: Baseline characteristics such as age, gender, and American Society of Anesthesiologist physical status classification were comparable among the three groups. Sensory block, motor block, and total duration of analgesia were significantly higher with higher doses of buprenorphine. The mean difference in the duration of analgesia was comparable in patients receiving 100 μg (720 min) and 150 μg (825 min) of buprenorphine. Bradycardia as a side effect was only in patients receiving 150 μg of buprenorphine. Conclusion: Risk–benefit of different doses of buprenorphine suggests that 100 μg may be the ideal dose for a better quality of spinal block and maintaining hemodynamic stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Caudal epidural block combined with general anesthesia remains a popular choice of anesthesia for both supraumbilical and infraumbilical surgeries. More recently transversus abdominis plane block performed under ultrasound guidance is being described as an effective technique for postoperative analgesia for lower abdominal surgeries. The present study aims to compare the efficacy of ultrasound –guided TAP block and caudal epidural for paediatric infraumbilical surgeries. Aims and Objectives: To compare the duration and efficacy of postoperative pain relief between TAP block and caudal epidural block in children undergoing lower abdominal surgeries. Methods: Fifty children of age group 2-7 years undergoing lower abdominal surgeries were randomized to groups T and C. All patients were given general anesthesia as per standardized anesthesia protocol. Group T were given ultrasound guided TAP block with 0.5 ml.kg-1 of 0.2% Ropivacaine. Group C were given 1 ml.kg-1 of 0.2% ropivacaine as caudal block. All the children were assessed using FLACC scale. Their vitals, pain scores, duration of postoperative analgesia and requirement of supplemental analgesics were noted. Results: Rescue analgesic requirement was significantly less in Group T compared to Group C. Mean postoperative analgesia time was significantly more in Group T (342 mins) as compared to Group C (198 mins). Conclusion: Ultrasound guided TAP block provides better postoperative analgesia after loer abdominal surgeries in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]