Introduction: Cancellation of elective surgical operations is defined as an elective operation which is not performed on the scheduled date. The rates and the reasons for cancellation vary in different parts of the world. Cancellation causes increased cost of treatment, loss of daily wage and mental trauma. It also causes under utilisation of hospital resources and loss of training opportunities to surgical trainees. Aim: To estimate the rate of cancellation of elective surgical operations in a tertiary care centre in North-East India and determine the reasons for cancellation. Materials and Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at a 500 bedded, North-Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, Shillong, Meghalaya, India, from January 2018 to September 2018. All consecutive elective surgical cases scheduled during this period were included in the study. The rate and the reasons for cancellation were noted. Descriptive statistics was used for analysis of the results. Results: Out of 1812 elective surgical operations scheduled during the study period, 491 operations (27.10%) were cancelled. The most common reasons for cancellation were shortage of time (78.62%), medical causes (10.79%) and administrative problems (4.48%). Cancellation rate was highest in the Department of Surgical Oncology (40.23%), followed by Departments of Orthopaedics (34.51%) and Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OG) (31.02%). Conclusion: The rate of cancellation of elective surgical operation was high (27.10%) and the most common reason was shortage of time and Surgical Oncology Department had highest rate of cancellation.

BACKGROUNDMagnesium antagonizes N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor, the receptor known to play an important role in the mechanism of pain. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of magnesium sulphate as an adjunct to lignocaine in Intra-Venous Regional Anaesthesia (IVRA). To evaluate the onset of anaesthesia, dose requirement of lignocaine, postoperative analgesia in upper limb surgeries. MATERIALS AND METHODSThis study was designed as a prospective, double blinded, randomised trial consisting of sixty patients. All selected patients were randomly divided into two groups. Saline group (n=30) who received fifteen millilitres of normal saline intravenously and magnesium group (n=30) who received magnesium sulphate 500mg in fifteen millilitre volume intravenously into the limb to be anaesthetised. Five millilitres of 1% lignocaine (preservative free) was administered every fifteen minutes and patients were assessed for loss of sensory and motor power, lignocaine requirement and postoperative analgesia. Data were analysed using Tukey and multivariate test. RESULTSThe mean time required to achieve surgical anaesthesia in magnesium group was 30.67±5.04 min and 53.17±5.65 min in saline group. Total dose of lignocaine required was 73.33±25.3 mg in magnesium group and 160.00±20.34 mg in saline group. Morphine requirement was 2.44±1.00 mg in magnesium group and 5.65±2.04 mg in saline group. Data showed statistically significant difference between the two groups (p=0.00). CONCLUSIONIt was concluded that magnesium as an adjunct fastens the onset of anaesthesia, reduces lignocaine requirement and prolonged postoperative analgesia. However, there was an increased incidence of transient pain with magnesium sulphate.HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Kumar M, Thabah R. Evaluation of analgesic effect of magnesium sulphate in intravenous regional anaesthesia-a double blind study.