Introduction: Many-a-time local anaesthesia appears as a very effective alternative of general one. Different additives have been used to prolong regional blockade. Objective: This prospective study designed to evaluate the effect of dexamethasone added to local anaesthetics on the onset and duration of supraclavicular brachial plexus block. Methods: Sixty adult patients undergoing various orthopaedic surgeries on forearm and around the elbow under supraclavicular brachial plexus block were selected and divided into 2 groups of 30 each. In group-A patients received 35 ml of mixture of lignocaine 2%, bupivacaine 0.5% while in group-B patients received the same amount of local anaesthetics with dexamethasone (8 mg). The onset of sensory and motor block and duration of analgesia in two groups were compared and development of complications were observed. Result: The two groups were comparable in demographic data. The mean onset time of sensory block was 11.64±2.19 minutes in group A and 9.89±1.97 minutes in group B and difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). Onset of motor block was 13.32±0.98 minutes in group A and 11.09±1.28 minutes in group B and difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). There was markedly prolonged duration of analgesia in group-B, 11.87± 0.53 hours compared to group-A, 3.43±0.49 hours. The result was statistically highly significant (p<0.001). Both the groups had high success rate (>90%). The incidence of complication was low in both the groups. Conclusion: Addition of dexamethasone as an adjuvant to local anaesthetics in brachial plexus block results in significantly early onset and markedly prolonged duration of analgesia without any unwanted effects. Key words: Supraclavicular block; analgesia; local anaesthetics; dexamethasone DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jafmc.v7i1.8619 JAFMC Bangladesh. Vol 7, No 1 (June) 2011; 11-14

Background Postoperative nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anaesthesia are an unpleasant,distressing effects. Prophylactic use of dexamethesone reducing this effects. Objective This study was designed to compare of dexamethasone and ondansetron for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods Sixty patients who underwent laparoscopic cholesystectomy were randomly allocated into two groups. Group A(n=30) patients received 8mg dexamehtasone intravenously and Group B(n=30) patients received 8mg ondansetron intravenously one minute before induction of anaesthesia. All patients received standard general anaesthesia.Perioperative vital signs and postoperative nausea and vomiting were recorded. Results The incidence of nausea was 13.4% in group A, 16.7% in group B(p>0.05) and vomiting was 6.6% in Group A, 13.4% in group B(p>0.05). The difference among the groups was not statistically significant. Conclusion Intravenous dexamethasone was better to ondansetron in prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbsa.v24i2.19803 Journal of Bangladesh Society of Anaesthesiologists 2011; 24(2): 60-64

Background:Bangladesh is an agriculture-dependent country. Organophosphorus insecticides are widely used for the better outcome of cultivation. It is used for suicidal purpose due to its easy availability all over the country. Worldwide, acute pesticide poisoning is causing major health problems with high mortality in developing countries. Objective: The objective of our study was to establish that early management of acute poisoning with organophosphorus and carbamate in ICU along with ventilatory support in severe respiratory distress reduces the mortality rate. Total 84 patients with acute poisoning cases were selected. The diagnosis was confirmed by the history of ingestion of insecticides, observing clinical signs and symptoms and presence of foul smelling of poisonous agent. Management included supportive care, intubation, artificial ventilation in selective cases, administration of antidotes as loading and maintenance dose for atropinization with atropine and pralidoxime, antibiotics, anti-ulcerant, anticonvulsant, inotropic support (in severe hypotension) along with other symptomatic treatment. After stabilization, decontamination was started with removal of contaminated clothes, thorough wash with soap and water, irrigation of eyes with water and normal saline. Gastric lavage was given within 2 to 3 hours of ingestion of poison. Results: Acute poisoning was observed more in male (60.71%) than in female (39.29%) and in age group of 21-40 years (60.71%). Suicidal attempt was present in 97.61% cases and causes of suicidal poisoning were familial disharmony (76.19%), financial loss (14.28%) and failure in examination (9.52%). Organophosphate group poison ingestion was in 77.38% cases and carbamate group poison in 21.43% and both agents in 1.19% cases. Ventilatory support was given in 48.80% cases and 78.05% patients were successfully extubated from mechanical ventilator. Mean duration of ventilatory support was 2-14 days. Out of 84 patients, 75 (89.28%) survived and 9 (10.72%) patients expired. Fifty two (61.91%) patients were discharged within 4-6 days, 16 (19.04%) within 2-3 days, and 7 (8.33%) patients were discharged within 7-14 days. Conclusion: Early ICU admission and appropriate management of patients after ingestion of poisonous agent results in reduced morbidity and mortality.

Neonatal sepsis is a common problem whose antibiotic treatment is usually recommended whilst admitted in hospital for at least 10-14 days. Families in Bangladesh however are reluctant to stay in hospital to complete the treatment for such a long time due to reasons such as financial difficulties and either or both are working parents. This leads to incomplete treatment of neonatal sepsis. We hypothesised that after initial improvement in neonatal sepsis with injectable antibiotics whilst admitted, the same treatment could be safely continued in the outpatient setting to complete the full course. This intervention study was carried out in 66 newborns (0-28 days) recruited at the time of admission with suspected sepsis in the Department of Paediatrics, Centre for Woman and Child Health (CWCH), Dhaka. After investigations, treatment was initiated with injectable antibiotics according to clinical diagnosis and severity. Families who agreed to stay and complete the treatment as inpatient were given the complete course of antibiotics in hospital as IPD group and those who wanted to shorten their stay in hospital, were discharged with injectable antibiotics and follow-up in the outpatient department as OPD group. Data were analysed on 59 neonates, 37 in the OPD and 22 in the IPD group, admitted to hospital between April 2014 and December 2015. There were no readmissions or complications in either group, but one newborn died in the IPD group. Cure rate was 100% in both OPD and IPD groups. Average duration of hospital stay was 3.95±1.76 days and 6.14±2.99 days in the OPD and IPD groups respectively. Treatment cost per patient was 5,823±3,752 Bangladesh Taka (BDT) and 7,082±6,520 BDT in the OPD and IPD groups respectively. Findings of this study suggest that early discharge with injectable antibiotics as an outpatient is a safe and cost effective option for neonatal sepsis.

BACKGROUND Persistent diarrhea (PD), diarrhea for ≥14 days, accounts for 36%-56% of all diarrhea-related death. Studies demonstrated that green banana helps in the resolution of diarrhea. OBJECTIVE We assessed whether a lactose-free diet rice suji (RS) or rice suji containing green banana (GB-RS), improves outcome compared with 3/4th strength rice suji (3/4th RS) in 6 to 35 months old children having PD in the icddr,b Dhaka hospital. METHODS In this open-labeled, randomized, controlled trial, children with PD not improving with milk suji (the initial diet) received any of the three study diets: GB-RS, RS, 3/4th RS. The primary outcome was the percentage of children who recovered from diarrhea by day 5 with an intention to treat analysis. RESULTS From 1st December 2017 to 31st August 2019, we randomly allocated 45 children to each group. By day 5, 66 children recovered from PD, of whom 26 (58%), 14 (31%), 26 (58%) received GB-RS, RS, and 3/4th RS respectively. Significantly more resolution of PD occurred in GB-RS and 3/4th RS groups compared to RS group [relative risk (RR) 1⸱71, 95% CI 1⸱19-2⸱60; p=0⸱019]. Two (10%) children died, one each in RS group and GB-RS group. TaqMan array card (TAC) identified EAEC, rotavirus, norovirus, EPEC, astrovirus, and Campylobacter as the major pathogens associated with PD. CONCLUSIONS GB-RS and 3/4th RS are efficacious in the management of PD in young children. We also demonstrated a wide range of entero-pathogen associated with PD by TAC which needs further study to find a causal link. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03366740 Registered on 8th December 2017 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/15759