BackgroundHaemorrhoids are cushions of submucosal vascular tissue located in the anal canal starting just distal to the dentate line. Haemorrhoidal disease is a common anorectal disorder which has symptoms of bleeding, prolapse, pain, thrombosis, mucus discharge, and pruritus. Haemorrhoidectomy is one of most frequently performed anorectal operation worldwide.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the LigaSure tissue sealing device, Harmonic Scalpel and conventional MM open haemorrhoidectomy.Materials and MethodsSixty-nine patients with newly diagnosed symptomatic grade three or grade four haemorrhoidal disease, from July 2011 to December 2011 were recruited for the study. Patients were prospectively randomized to LigaSure, Harmonic Scalpel and conventional haemorrhoidectomy. Patients were evaluated on the basis of the mean operative time, postoperative pain, day of discharge, early and late complications.ResultsEach group has twenty-three patients. Ten (14.5 %) were female and fifty-nine (85.5 %) were male. Mean age were 44.5 ± 10.8 for LigaSure group, 39.5±14.4 for Harmonic Scalpel group and 39.8 ± 13.6 for conventional haemorrhoidectomy group. Mean operative time was 12.6 ± 2.9 for LigaSure group, 12.6 ± 2.5 for Harmonic Scalpel group and 22.3 ± 4.5 for conventional haemorrhoidectomy group. Postoperative pain and required analgesic dose were significantly lower for conventional haemorrhoidectomy. Wound healing was also more rapid in conventional haemorrhoidectomy than both LigaSure and Harmonic Scalpel.ConclusionsLateral heat dissipation of energy based cautery such as Harmonel Scalpel and LigaSure is considerably high when compared with conventional methods. More thermal damage which is generated on tissue seems to be the reason for increased degree of postoperative pain and delay in wound healing.

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The higher incidence of comorbidities in advanced age causes difficulties in anesthesia management. When choosing the anesthesia technique in old aged patients, our target must be to avoid aggravating the existing systemic diseases and avoid disturbing the hemodynamics to ensure their rapid return to routine life.  In this case report, we present our choice of infraclavicular nerve block accompanied with spinal anesthesia in a patient with advanced age and several comorbidities, who sustained multiple trauma. The surgery of the patient was successfully performed with minimal effects on the hemodynamics, and he was transferred to the clinic. We stress careful selection of the most appropriate anesthesia technique according to the existing state of the patient, and opting for appropriate nerve blocks even to the patients with respiratory problems. Key words: Advanced age; Trauma; Spinal anesthesia; Infraclavicular block Citation: Sahap M, Gulec H, But A, Gulec S, Ozcan AD. Regional anesthesia in a patient with multiple trauma, advanced age and multiple comorbidities. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2021;25(2):222-224. DOI: 10.35975/apic.v25i2.1475 Received: 1 December 2020, Reviewed: 7 February 2021, Accepted: 23 February 2021

Background The middle ear is an air-filled lacuna in the temporal bone. Inhaled anesthetic agents increase the pressure of this lacuna. Therefore, attention must be paid in choosing not only anesthetic agents but also anesthetic method. Aim This study compared the effects of high-flow total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) and low- and high-flow desflurane anesthesia on middle ear pressure. Study Design Randomized prospective double-blind study. Methods In this retrospective double-blind study, 90 patients (20–65 years old) scheduled to undergo elective thyroidectomies were divided into three randomized anesthesia groups: high-flow desflurane (Group I), low-flow desflurane (Group II), and high-flow TIVA (propofol, remifentanil) (Group III). The hemodynamic and respiratory parameters and tympanometry were measured before induction (T1), 10 minutes after intubation (T2), 10 minutes before the end of the operation (T3), and 5 (T4), 10 (T5), 15 (T6), and 30 (T7) minutes after the operation. Results No statistically significant differences were found in the age, gender, weight, height, body mass index, surgery duration, and anesthetic duration (p > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences at T1, T3, T4, T5, T6, and T7 (p > 0.007), but there was a significant difference at T2 (p < 0.001), with Groups II and III having lower pressure than Group I (p < 0.001). Conclusion The high-flow desflurane group had higher postinduction middle ear pressure values. Therefore, low-flow anesthesia and TIVA can be used more safely in middle ear surgeries, provided that a well-equipped anesthetic device and appropriate monitoring conditions are available.

Difficult ventilation is a problem related to airway management which is a frequent and significant problem encountered during anesthesia. The main causes of difficult ventilation include disturbances in anesthetic gas flow, obstructions in the breathing-circulation system, decreased pulmonary compliance, severe acute bronchospasm, tension pneumothorax and endobronchial mass lesions. Secretions, cuff herniation, faults in manufactured airway equipment and kinking of the tube might also cause obstructions in the breathing-circulation systems. This report presents a case of difficult ventilation following intubation due to an endotracheal tube defect.