BACKGROUND AND AIMSSupraclavicular brachial plexus block is ideal for upper limb surgical procedures. Dexamethasone and potassium chloride have been used as adjuncts to prolong analgesia. We aimed to compare the effects of addition of dexamethasone or potassium chloride to local anaesthetic solution of bupivacaine and lignocaine on the onset time of sensory and motor blockade and duration of blockade in supraclavicular brachial plexus block in patients undergoing upper extremity surgeries.

BACKGROUND AND AIMSIn this era of high technology, we still face an ageless problem in anaesthesia -the difficult airway. In 1997, Smarajith Sur Roy of India introduced a new airway index to predict difficult intubation. Aim of the study is to compare the new airway index with modified Mallampati classification and also with Cormack and Lehane grading for predicting intubation difficulty.

BACKGROUND Rocuronium is a newer non-depolarising muscle relaxant with faster onset of action than other non-depolarising muscle relaxants that could be an alternative to succinylcholine in rapid sequence intubation where succinylcholine is contraindicated. Based on onset of action, 0.9-1.2 mg/kg dose of rocuronium may be necessary as an alternative to succinylcholine at the cost of increased clinical duration. In this study, 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium with priming was compared against a single intubating dose of 0.9 mg/kg to know the influence of priming technique on the onset times and intubating conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 60 patients were randomly allocated to two groups of 30 each. Group A (priming group) received 0.06 mg/kg of rocuronium as priming dose and 0.54 mg/kg rocuronium as intubating dose 3 minutes after priming. Group B (single intubating dose group) received a single intubating dose of 0.9 mg/kg. The onset time of intubation (loss of T1 of TOF stimulation) and intubating conditions were assessed. Continuous measurements were presented as mean±SD using 't' test and categorical measurements were presented as number (%). RESULTS Demographic data were comparable with respect to age, sex and weight. The onset time of intubation was 60±13.6 seconds in group A and 60±15.7 seconds in group B. Excellent to good intubation conditions were obtained in both groups. CONCLUSION Priming technique hastens the onset of action of rocuronium and with priming we can reduce the dose of rocuronium used for intubation thereby reducing the duration of action.

BACKGROUND Postoperative nausea and vomiting is the most common distressing symptom after surgery. Women undergoing laparoscopic surgeries are particularly at risk. This study compares the antiemetic efficacy of ondansetron and palonosetron in females undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 80 subjects between 18-65 years were randomly allocated into two groups of 40 each, Group O and Group P. Patients in Group O received injection ondansetron 4 mg intravenously and those in Group P received injection palonosetron 0.075 mg intravenously just prior to induction of anaesthesia. The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), rescue antiemetics and any side effects were recorded in the first 24 hours. At the end of 24 hours, patient satisfaction was assessed with a 5-point scale. RESULTS The incidence of PONV requirement of rescue antiemetics and patient satisfaction score were comparable in both groups. There was no significant difference in side effects seen between the two groups. CONCLUSION The effects of palonosetron in preventing PONV was comparable to that of ondansetron after laparoscopic surgery.