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Background: in neuroaxial anesthesia, there was many adjuvants used with the purpose of increasing anesthesia duration and reduction of postoperative analgesia. Objective: comparison between dexmedetomidine and fentanyl when added to 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine, for lower limb amputation on early stump and phantom pain after spinal anaesthesia. Patients and Methods: Ninety patient arranged for lower limb amputation surgery were randomly allocated into three groups (each 30 patients). Each patient received 2 ml of hyperbaric bupivacaine (0.5%) plus 0.5 ml normal saline in control group (Group B) or 5µ dexmedetomidine diluted in 0.5 ml normal saline in BD group or 25 µ fentanyl diluted in 0.5 ml normal saline in BF group. Anesthesia, analgesia, sedation, hemodynamic changes, adverse effects and post-operative pain up to one month were recorded. Results: The studied groups showed no significant differences regarding demographic characteristics and hemodynamic (heart rate and mean arterial pressure). Patients in group BD had significant increase of sensory and motor block time compared to BF B groups. Post-operatively, there was a significant decrease of pain in BD group in the first 24 hours when compared to control or BF group. The postoperative mean total consumption of analgesics during the first day was significantly decreased in BD when compared to BF and control groups. Conclusions: dexmedetomidine (5μg) represents a good alternative to fentanyl (25μg) as a spinal adjuvant to bupivacaine in surgery for the lower limb.

Background Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective (eight time more selective than clonidine), specific, and potent α2-adrenergic agonist having analgesic, sedative, antihypertensive, and anesthetic sparing effects when used in systemic routes. Patients and methods Forty patients of both sexes, aged between 25 and 70 years; American Society of Anesthesiologists I–II, who were submitted to elective upper limb surgery by supraclavicular brachial plexus block were included in the present study. They were selected during the period from March 2016 to June 2017. The patients were divided randomly by sealed envelopes into two equal groups (n=20). Group I: 20 patients received 30 ml bupivacaine 0.25%. Group II: 20 patients received 30 ml bupivacaine 0.25% plus 100 μg dexmedetomidine. Results The duration was reported in group II 13.13±1.10 and 16.50±1.63 min for the onset of sensory and motor blocks, respectively, and in group I 14.90±1.18 and 18.63±1.12 min for the onset of sensory and motor blocks, respectively. There was significant decrease of median pain score in group II when compared with group I at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 h postoperatively. Conclusion Dexmedetomidine had significantly better postoperative analgesic effects, longer duration of sensory and motor blockade, and earlier onset of action. However, it had unwanted side effects in the form of transient bradycardia and hypotension.

A novel human coronavirus prompted considerable worry at the end of the year 2019. Now, it represents a significant global health and economic burden. The newly emerged coronavirus disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the primary reason for the COVID-19 global pandemic. According to recent global figures, COVID-19 has caused approximately 243.3 million illnesses and 4.9 million deaths. Several human cell receptors are involved in the virus identification of the host cells and entering them. Hence, understanding how the virus binds to host-cell receptors is crucial for developing antiviral treatments and vaccines. The current work aimed to determine the multiple host-cell receptors that bind with SARS-CoV-2 and other human coronaviruses for the purpose of cell entry. Extensive research is needed using neutralizing antibodies, natural chemicals, and therapeutic peptides to target those host-cell receptors in extremely susceptible individuals. More research is needed to map SARS-CoV-2 cell entry pathways in order to identify potential viral inhibitors.