The role of music in intensive care medicine is still unclear. However, it is well known that music may not only improve quality of life but also effect changes in heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). Reactions to music are considered subjective, but studies suggest that cardio/cerebrovascular variables are influenced under different circumstances. It has been shown that cerebral flow was significantly lower when listening to "Va pensioero" from Verdi's "Nabucco" (70.4+3.3 cm/s) compared to "Libiam nei lieti calici" from Verdi's "La Traviata" (70.2+3.1 cm/s) (P<0,02) or Bach's Cantata No. 169 "Gott soll allein mein Herze haben" (70.9+2.9 cm/s) (P<0,02). There was no significant influence on cerebral flow in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony during rest (67.6+3.3 cm/s) or music (69.4+3.1 cm/s). It was reported that relaxing music plays an important role in intensive care medicine. Music significantly decreases the level of anxiety for patients in a preoperative setting (STAI-X-1 score 34) to a greater extent even than orally administered midazolam (STAI-X-1 score 36) (P<0.001). In addition, the score was better after surgery in the music group (STAI-X-1 score 30) compared to midazolam (STAI-X-1 score 34) (P<0.001). Higher effectiveness and absence of apparent adverse effects make relaxing, preoperative music a useful alternative to midazolam. In addition, there is sufficient practical evidence of stress reduction suggesting that a proposed regimen of listening to music while resting in bed after open-heart surgery is important in clinical use. After 30 min of bed rest, there was a significant difference in cortisol levels between the music (484.4 mmol/l) and the non-music group (618.8 mmol/l) (P<0.02). Vocal and orchestral music produces significantly better correlations between cardiovascular and respiratory signals in contrast to uniform emphasis (P<0.05). The most benefit on health in intensive care medicine patients is visible in classical (Bach, Mozart or Italian composers) music and meditation music, whereas heavy metal music or techno are not only ineffective but possibly dangerous and can lead to stress and/or life-threatening arrhythmias, particularly in intensive care medicine patients.

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Background and Aim: Maxillofacial trauma is frequently encountered in the Accident and Emergency department of hospitals either as an isolated injury or as a part of multiple injuries to the head, neck, chest, and abdomen. This study aimed to assess retrospectively the profile of maxillofacial injuries in patients reporting to a tertiary care hospital in East Delhi. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Dentistry, UCMS and GTB Hospital, Delhi. Dental case record sheets of 1000 medicolegal cases reporting to the hospital emergency were scrutinized and various demographic and epidemiologic factors, including the patient's age and gender, time and day of reporting, and the etiology and nature of injury were recorded. Results: The peak incidence of maxillofacial injury was observed in the age group of 21-30 years, with males outnumbering females in all age groups. Maximum number of trauma cases reported in late evening hours, especially on weekends. Interpersonal assault was the primary etiological factor followed by road traffic accidents. Soft tissue injuries were very common and maxillofacial fractures, when present, were most frequently observed in the mandible followed by the midface. Conclusion: The changing trend of the etiology of maxillofacial injuries in East Delhi necessitates strict legislation against violence and education in alcohol abuse. Periodic review of driving skills and stricter implementation of traffic rules in this area is a must to minimize the physical, psychological, and emotional distress associated with maxillofacial trauma.

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Obstetrical critical care has not been able to achieve the same level of peaks in developing nations like India, as in the western countries. Numerous factors, including clinical and economical, have played a major role in widening the gap of quality care delivery in severely ill obstetric patients, between the two extreme worlds. Moreover, this wide gap can be, to a large extent, attributable to the lower literacy rates, paucity of research in obstetrical critical care, poverty, lack of awareness, and the sociocultural and behavioral factors prevalent in these developing nations. The most common indication for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission of such patients throughout the world is hemorrhage, both antepartum and postpartum. Hypertensive disorders, pre-eclampsia, and its related complications are also major contributory factors for such admissions. The pattern of the disease necessitating such admissions influences maternal mortality to a great extent. The present article reviews the most common indications of obstetrical admissions to the ICU, the challenges and obstacles in the treatment of severely ill obstetric patients, their possible outcome in the developing nations, room for improvement, and the need for a change in the system for better delivery of critical care obstetrical services.

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A 56-year-old female, recently (3 months) diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), on maintenance dialysis through jugular hemodialysis lines with a preexisting nonfunctional mature AV fistula made at diagnosis of CKD, presented to the hospital for a peritoneal dialysis line. The recently inserted indwelling dialysis catheter in left internal jugular vein had no flow on hemodialysis as was the right-sided catheter which was removed a day before insertion of the left-sided line. The left-sided line was removed and a femoral hemodialysis line was cannulated for maintenance hemodialysis, and the next day, a peritoneal catheter was inserted in the operation theater. However, 3 days later, there was progressive painful swelling of the left hand and redness with minimal numbness. The radial artery pulsations were felt. There was also massive edema of forearm, arm and shoulder region on the left side. Doppler indicated a steal phenomena due to a hyperfunctioning AV fistula for which a fistula closure was done.Absence of relief of edema prompted a further computed tomography (CT) angiogram (since it was not possible to evaluate the more proximal venous segments due to edema and presence of clavicle). Ct angiogram revealed central vein thrombosis for which catheter-directed thrombolysis and venoplasty was done resulting in complete resolution of signs and symptoms. Upper extremity DVT (UEDVT) is a very less studied topic as compared to lower extremity DVT and the diagnostic and therapeutic modalities still have substantial areas that need to be studied. We present a review of the present literature including incidences, diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for this entity. Data Sources: MEDLINE, MICROMEDEX, The Cochrane database of Systematic Reviews from 1950 through March 2011.

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Sedation during invasive procedures provides appropriate humanitarian care as well as facilitating the completion of procedure. Although generally safe and effective, adverse effects may occur especially in patients with co-morbid diseases. In many cases, given its rapid onset and offset, propofol is chosen to provide sedation during various invasive procedures. We present a nine-year-old, 45 kg child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) who presented for esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Given the egg allergy, which was a relative contraindication to the use of propofol, and the potential risk of malignant hyperthermia due to DMD, a combination of dexmedetomidine and ketamine was used for procedural sedation. Dexmedetomidine was administered as a loading dose of 1 μg/kg along with a single bolus dose of ketamine (1 mg/kg). This was followed by a dexmedetomidine infusion at 0.5 μg/kg/hour. The patient tolerated the procedure well and was discharged to home. Previous reports regarding the use of dexmedetomidine and ketamine for procedural sedation are reviewed and the potential efficacy of this combination is discussed.

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Background and Objective : A prospective randomized control study was conducted to compare and evaluate quality of anesthesia with ketamine or fentanyl as co-induction with propofol. Materials and Methods : Sixty ASA I or II, 18-50 year old patients who were scheduled for minor surgeries of short duration (<30 min anticipated duration) were selected. The patients were randomly allocated to group I and group II comprising 30 patients each. The patients of group I were given ketamine injection 0.5 mg/kg and group II patients fentanyl injection (1.5 μg/kg) as co-induction agent. Two minutes later, induction of anesthesia was given with inj propofol (2.5 mg/kg) and appropriate-sized laryngeal mask airway was inserted. The anesthesia was maintained with 60% N₂ O in O ₂ and intermittent bolus of inj propofol (0.5 mg/kg) after observing significant changes in the heart rate, blood pressure, lacrimation, sweating, and abnormal movements. Results: There was significant decrease (P<0.05) in the pulse rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure at 1, 3, and 5 min in group II (fentanyl group) whereas the change was insignificant (P>0.05) at 10 min. Conclusion : It was observed that ketamine as premedicant was better than fentanyl with respect to hemodynamic stability and caused less adverse effects intraoperatively and postoperatively.

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Objective: To describe intensive care unit (ICU) facilities in Sri Lanka; to describe the pattern of admissions, case-mix and mortality; compare patient outcome against the various types of ICUs; and determine the adequacy and standards of training received by medical and nursing staff. Materials and Methods: Observational study of multidisciplinary (general) and adult speciality ICUs in government sector hospitals. Results: Hospitals studied had 1 ICU bed per 100 hospital beds. Each bed catered to 70-90 patients over a year. Death rates were comparable in each level of hospital/ICU despite differences in resource allocation. Fifty to 60% of patients had their original problems related to medicine, while only 35% - 45% were surgical. Thirty two percent of medical patients and 15% of surgical patients died. More than 90% of ICUs had a multi-monitor for each bed. Seventy seven percent of ICUs had one or more ventilators for each bed. Arterial blood gas (ABG) facilities were available in 83% of ICUs. There were serious inadequacies in the availability of facilities of 24 hour physiotherapy (available only in 36.7%), 24 hour in hospital Ultra Sonography (22.4%), electrolyte analyser in ICU (54.2%), haemodialysis / continuous renal replacement therapy (HD/CRRT) (41.7%), and Echocardiography. Medical Officers' training was anaesthetics dominated as opposed to a multidisciplinary training. There was a severe shortage of critical care trained nurses. Conclusions: Only limited evolution has taken place in intensive care over the past 5 years. The reasons for higher death rates in medical patients should be investigated further. Moving towards a multidisciplinary approach for training and provision of care for ICU patients is recommended.

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A case of Stevens-Johnson syndrome following treatment with sodium valproate is presented here. A 20-year-old male was put on sodium valproate monotherapy for the migraine, with generalized epilepsy. He developed vesicles and bullae in the oral and nasal mucosa with conjunctivitis, after 10 days of treatment. The lesions resolved after treating with systemic steroids. This case has been presented because Stevens-Johnson syndrome with sodium valproate monotherapy has been very rarely reported.

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