Staff personal protection, patient risk categorization, and reorganization of operating room workflow processes formed the key elements for the containment of SARS transmission. Lessons learned during this outbreak will help in the planning and execution of infection control measures, should another outbreak occur.

ICB is a safe and simple technique for providing surgical anaesthesia of the lower arm, with an efficacy comparable to other BPBs. The advantages of ICB include a lower likelihood of tourniquet pain during surgery, and more reliable blockade of the musculocutaneous and axillary nerves when compared to a single-injection axillary block. The efficacy of ICB is likely to be improved if adequate time is allowed for block onset (at least 30 minutes) and if a volume of at least 40 ml is injected. Since publication of many of the trials included in this review, it has become clear that a distal posterior cord motor response is the appropriate endpoint for electrostimulation-guided ICB; we recommend it be used in all future comparative studies. There is also a need for additional RCTs comparing ultrasound-guided ICB with other BPBs.

No abstract

No abstract

Airway hyperreactivity secondary to the URTI is the most likely etiological factor; other possibilities include trauma from insertion and chemical irritation. Although pediatric studies suggest that the LMA-Classic carries less risk than endotracheal intubation in the presence of URTI, this case report demonstrates that caution is still warranted when using supraglottic airways. The PLMA permitted effective ventilation despite increased airway resistance; nevertheless its role in patients with URTI is unclear. It is possible that the bulkier cuff design of the PLMA, compared to that of the LMA-Classic, may have partly contributed to the development of edema in this setting.