BACKGROUND: patient-controlled analgesia PCA is a rapidly spreading approach to the management of post-operative pain. The suitability of this method for the morbidly obese patient undergoing bariatric surgery has not yet been determined. METHODS: in the present study we randomly compared two groups of patients undergoing silastic ring vertical gastroplasty. One group received PCA (12 patients) and the other (11 patients) received intermittent doses of pethidine intramuscularly. RESULTS: the cumulative morphine use during the first post-operative day was 52.71 +/- 1.83 mg by the PCA group and an equivalent of 24.55 +/- 3.42 mg morphine by the IM pethidine group (p = 0.0002). The analgesic and sedative effects by the PCA were found to be superior. There were no significant differences between the groups in the incidence of side-effects or complications, except a higher, unexplained incidence of wound infection in the PCA group. CONCLUSION: use of PCA in patients undergoing bariatric surgery has obvious advantages and appears to be a safe procedure.

Background:The optimal tracheostomy time is considered a debatable issue for patients with severe Head injury in intensive care units [ICUs], which require mechanical ventilation [MV] for long period. The aim of the work:The current study aimed to investigate the effect of tracheostomy operation in early few days of admission on the length of mechanical ventilation [MV]. In addition, to determine outcomes and associated mortality rate. Patients and Methods: a prospective randomized Comparative clinical study included 200 patients admitted to ICU units of Al-Azhar university hospitals and El Haram hospital who had the following criteria: severe head injury, Cerebral trauma on and Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] score 8 or less on the fourth day viewed by brain CT scan done without given any sedation. Divided into 2 groups on the fourth day of admission each group includes 100 patients, one group submitted to early Tracheostomy [ET] [group A] and the other group submitted to extended endotracheal intubation [EEI] [Group B].Results: There was shorter in the main period of the mechanical ventilatory support for group A than group B with statistically significant relationship p value=0.02.Their no remarkable difference in the occurrence of Nosocomial pneumonia between group A and group B. p value of Nosocomial pneumonia = 0.62. Conclusion:In severe head injury, ET significantly decreases the mechanical ventilation time.