Nina Sulen

Effects of high intraoperative inspired oxygen on postoperative nausea and vomiting in gynecologic laparoscopic surgery.

STUDY OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of intraoperative inspired oxygen fractions (FIO(2)) of 0.8 and 0.5 when compared with standard FIO(2) of 0.3 in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). DESIGN Prospective, randomized, double-blinded, controlled study. SETTING General hospital, postanesthesia care unit (PACU), and gynecology floor room. PATIENTS 120 ASA physical status I and II women, aged 21 to 76 years, undergoing elective gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive a gas mixture of 30% oxygen in air (FIO(2) = 0.3, Group G30), 50% oxygen in air (FIO(2) = 0.5, Group G50), or 80% oxygen in air (FIO(2) = 0.8, Group G80); there were 36 patients in each group. A standardized sevoflurane general anesthesia, postoperative pain management, and antiemetic regimen were used. MEASUREMENTS Frequency of nausea, vomiting, and both was assessed for early (0 to two hrs) and late PONV (two to 24 hrs), along with use of rescue antiemetic, degree of nausea, and severity of pain. MAIN RESULTS There was no overall difference in the frequency of PONV at the early and late assessment periods among the three groups. G80 patients had significantly less vomiting than Group G30 at two hours, 3% (1/36) vs. 22% (8/36), respectively, P = 0.028. Nausea scores, rescue antiemetic use, pain scores, and opioid consumption did not differ among the groups. CONCLUSION High intraoperative FIO(2) of 0.8 and FIO(2) of 0.5 do not prevent PONV in patients without antiemetic prophylaxis. An intraoperative FIO(2) of 0.8 has a beneficial effect on early vomiting only.

Negative-pressure in treatment of persistent post-traumatic subcutaneous emphysema with respiratory failure: Case report and literature review

Subcutaneous emphysema may aggravate traumatic pneumothorax treatment, especially when mechanical ventilation is required. Expectative management usually suffices, but when respiratory function is impaired surgical treatment might be indicated. Historically relevant methods are blowhole incisions and placement of various drains, often with related wound complications. Since the first report of negative pressure wound therapy for the treatment of severe subcutaneous emphysema in 2009, only few publications on use of commercially available sets were published. We report on patient injured in a motor vehicle accident who had serial rib fractures and bilateral pneumothorax managed initially in another hospital. Due to respiratory deterioration, haemodynamic instability and renal failure patient was transferred to our Intensive Care Unit. Massive and persistent subcutaneous emphysema despite adequate thoracic drainage with respiratory deterioration and potentially injurious mechanical ventilation with high airway pressures was the indication for active surgical treatment. Negative-pressure wound therapy dressing was applied on typical blowhole incisions which resulted in swift emphysema regression and respiratory improvement. Negative pressure wound therapy for decompression of severe subcutaneous emphysema represents simple, effective and relatively unknown technique that deserves wider attention.