Dear Editor, Emergence from anaesthesia and deep sedation is the transition from unconsciousness to the return of awareness and airway reflexes. The chief patterns of unsafe recovery include sudden unpredictable emergence or delayed return of airway tone and reflex with risk of airway obstruction.1 Agitation includes straining, sitting up, screaming...

Dear Editor, The Academy of Medicine, Singapore (AMS) guideline on the use of sedation by non-anaesthesiologists during gastrointestinal endoscopy in the hospital setting and an accompanying editorial were published in the January 2022 issue of the Annals.1,2 An evidence-based approach was used with reference made to relevant published literature. The...

Dear Editor, I refer to the editorial “Ensuring safe sedation during gastroendoscopy”1 and the original article “Academy of Medicine, Singapore clinical guideline on the use of sedation by non-anaesthesiologists during endoscopy in the hospital setting”2  in your journal in January 2022. The American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the European...

Dear Editor, Propofol is a potent intravenous sedative-hypnotic agent. Its popularity for sedation has increased in the last 3 decades because of its smooth, rapid onset of action and fast post-procedural recovery.1 Nonetheless, propofol depresses cardiorespiratory function and could result in life-threatening adverse effects. A workgroup, mainly consisting of gastroenterologists and...

Dear Editor, We read with interest the paper by Ang et al.1 on Singapore guidelines in the use of sedation by non-anaesthesiologists during gastrointestinal endoscopy in the hospital setting. We are especially intrigued by Statement 6, stating that propofol sedation for endoscopy can be safely and effectively administered by trained...

The intermittent manual bolus thermodilution method is the most common means of determining cardiac output in critically ill patients. Although widely used, there are many factors which may affect the accuracy of this technique such as the volume, temperature and timing of the injectate. This article is available only as...

New developments in technology, monitoring and pharmacology over the last decade have improved our understanding of phaeochromocytoma and its management. This review summarises the pathophysiology and clinical features of phaeochromocytoma. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Although deliberate hypotension during surgery may potentially cause organ ischaemia, in particular of the myocardium and cerebrum, it is widely used as an adjuvant technique in oral and maxillofacial surgery aimed at reducing blood loss and improving the surgical field. Deliberate hypotension was reported as the fourth commonest cause...

The incidence of shivering following general anaesthesia varies from 5% to 65%. Postanaesthetic shivering may increase tissue oxygen demand by as much as 500% and accompanied by increases in minute ventilation and cardiac output to maintain aerobic metabolism. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

Significant arterial hypoxaemia is defined as a partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) that is less than 60 mmHg or a percentage of oxyhaemoglobin (% HbO2) that is less than 90%. The immediate response in acute situations is to rapidly exclude or treat common conditions such as airway obstruction, pneumothorax...

Critical care medicine as a specialty has grown rapidly, both clinically and academically, over the past 25 years. In the USA, certification of competence has been awarded to graduates of the critical care medicine fellowship programmes since 1987. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

The role of ventilatory support in acute lung injury is supportive, whilst the damage to alveolar-capillary membranes resolves and alveolar stability is restored. The optimum mode of support varies with individual patients, but none can reliably prevent progression of acute lung injury and high frequency ventilation (HFV) has been...

The Western Pacific region includes a very diverse group of countries varying in their culture, economic development and per capita income, disease prevalence and medical traditions. The Western Pacific Association of Critical Care Medicine (WAPCCM) includes countries from Japan in the north to Australia and New Zealand in the...

Although special areas for postoperative patients existed 50 years ago, the modern specialty of Critical Care began during the polio epidemic of the 1950s. Prolonged hand ventilation, and positive or negative pressure ventilation, enabled maintenance of oxygenation until some patients developed sufficient recovery or compensatory processes to enable separation...

The use of caudal preservative-free morphine for postoperative analgesia in children has gained popularity since it was first described by Jensen. Several studies have reviewed its use for inguinal and genital surgery in children. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to...

Diabetes insipidus (DI) is a syndrome characterised by the excretion of abnormally large volumes of dilute urine. It occurs uncommonly in neurosurgical patients, but is an important complication. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Injuries form the fifth commonest cause of death locally. They accounted for 27 out of 100 000 deaths in 1993. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

The Singapore General Hospital is a 1700-bedded tertiary hospital with subspecialty intensive care units (ICUs), i.e. Surgical ICU, Cardiothoracic ICU, Neurosurgical ICU, Medical ICU, Burns ICU, Medical ICU, Coronary Care Unit and Neonatal ICU. The SICU receives patients from various surgical disciplines (Table I). This article is available only as...

Does Critical Care Medicine exist and what defines its area of practice? Different countries have embarked on their own journeys of discovery, and have arrived at different paradigms—open versus closed models, specialty-based intensive care units (ICUs) versus general ICUs, internist versus pulmonologist or anaesthetist, and so forth. This article is...

Most obstetric anaesthetists have their favourite epidural concoction for use in labour, This paper surveys the variation in techniques of drug delivery and types of drugs used in labour epidurals. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

In the current era of increasing economic and medicolegal pressures, it is imperative that equipment-related limitations and complications be reduced to a minimum. Epidural catheter breakage can result in the inconvenience of surgical extraction of catheter fragments, while kinking can lead to impairment or failure of drug delivery to...

A 29-year old Thai construction worker, previously well, was admitted to our Orthopaedic Department for sudden onset of lower back pain. Physical examination showed severe tenderness in the lumbar region, limited straight leg raising but no neurological deficit. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

A 15-year-old female patient weighing 40 kg with asymptomatic but severe scoliosis was admitted for correction of a skeletal deformity via a thoracoscopic anterior release approach and posterior instrumentation. Preoperative assessment revealed good effort tolerance. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top...

In the past, cardiac patients in this institution were ventilated postoperatively for a prolonged period, frequently overnight. Since 1997 some of our cardiac anaesthetists have, whenever possible, adopted the practice of early extubation after cardiac surgery to improve the patient’s level of comfort and to allow an early return...

The discovery of new drugs in anaesthesia previously relied completely on chance. Chemical compounds produced by pharmaceutical companies were screened by a variety of different teams looking for effects of interest to their own area. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top...

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common illness with nearly 4 million adults diagnosed each year in USA with more than 600,000 hospita1isations. The associated cost of hospitalisation is enormous and approaches nearly US$4 billion per year. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on...

A 44-year-old male, right-handed and ASA 1 bus driver presented for elective mastoidectomy under general anaesthesia. Preoperative venous cannulation with a 20G cannula (Angiocath™) was first attempted on the dorso-lateral aspect of the right wrist at the base of the anatomical snuffbox. This article is available only as a PDF....

Tracheal tube suctioning is frequently performed in critically ill patients. This procedure often results in dissemination of droplets from the patient’s respiratory tract with potential spread of respiratory tract microorganisms from one patient to another. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top...

Perioperative “wheezing” can be due to upper or lower airway obstruction. The signs and sounds of upper airway obstruction are typically worse during inspiration, whereas those of lower airway obstruction are worse in expiration. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to...

A 53-year-old man with a history of hypertension and asymptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome was admitted to the hospital for an elective uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, tonsillectomy and bilateral functional endoscopic sinus surgery for mild obstructive sleep apnoea and chronic sinusitis respectively. He weighed 109 kg, all his four upper incisors were missing and...

Phaeochromocytomas are catecholamine-secreting tumours of the chromaffin cells of the body derived from neural crest tissue. They may secrete both adrenaline and noradrenaline in varying proportions. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Both intubation and extubation are processes associated with blood pressure and heart rate flux. While many studies have been carried out on the changes associated with intubation, the frequency and magnitude of the changes associated with extubation are less well documented. This article is available only as a PDF. Please...

Bladder tumours frequently arise from the posterolateral wall of the bladder1 over the course of the obturator nerve. It is during transurethral resection of these tumours that direct electrical stimulation of the obturator nerve occurs. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top...

Pneumomediastinum is a well-recognised clinical entity. It may present either intraoperatively or postoperatively from a number of possible causes. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) implies achieving the 3 components of anaesthesia (hypnosis, analgesia and muscle relaxation) by the administration of anaesthetics via the intravenous (IV) route without the use of inhalation agents. The main advantages of TIVA are avoidance of both volatile agent and nitrous oxide exposure and reduction...

Patients with ischaemic heart disease have a high incidence of perioperative ischaemia resulting in an increased risk of cardiac events in the post-surgical period.1 Goldman et al2 formulated the “cardiac risk index”, implicating previous myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure and unstable angina as major determinants of postoperative cardiac events. This...

Difficult intubation remains a key problem1 and the value of a flexible introducer (gum elastic or wire) as a first approach is well recognised in the UK and USA. It is the simplest method, effective for all grade 2 laryngoscopies, where at least the arytenoids are visible and most...

Unremitting pain remained a primary therapeutic challenge in cancer patients. Both opioids and non-opioids are often the main stay of therapy for many. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Intravenous regional anaesthesia (IVRA) has a reported success rate of between 94% and 98% for upper limb surgery. Limitations to its use include the quality of intraoperative anaesthesia, tourniquet pain and lack of adequate postoperative analgesia. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on...

This handbook serves an important function for Intensive Care Units in Singapore. It is a collective effort of 35 specialists in 5 different institutions in Singapore. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Although the detrimental effects of raised intra-abdominal pressure have been known for over 100 years, it is only in the last two decades that the clinical importance of these changes are being recognised.1-7 This coincides with the increasing availability of intensive care, which allows many more patients to survive...

The function of haemoglobin (Hb) is to transport oxygen to the tissues. Approximately 97% of oxygen is transported via Hb, while 3% is transported dissolved in the plasma. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Intensive care has undergone rapid technological advancement in recent years enabling complex treatment of patients of advanced age and/or with advanced chronic diseases underlying their acute medical problems. New interventions have been introduced with success determined by their ability to save lives. This article is available only as a PDF....

Technological advances over the last 30 years have had an enormous impact on the way in which medicine is delivered today. This is particularly so in the specialty of intensive care where intensivists possess the necessary knowledge and tools to prolong life in many situations where patients would previously...

In the domain of medical education of both the general public and healthcare professionals, the next decade will present both challenges and opportunities centred on training issues and technologies. Since the introduction of external cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 1960 through to the establishment of International Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and...

Gram-negative bacteria induced septic shock, a condition with high mortality, is frequently seen in critical care medicine. The wall of gram-negative bacteria consists of endotoxin, which is chemically composed of lipopolysaccharide, and is extremely biologically active. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on...

Studies on the foregoing of life support (FLS) in North America, Europe and Australia have shown diversity in terms of the incidence, decision-making process and outcome. However, they have not specifically looked into such practice in the elderly. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

Despite intensive therapeutic efforts, both the incidence and mortality of gastrointestinal complications after cardiac surgery employing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) have not decreased during the last two decades. Gastric bleeding, ischaemic bowel disease, gallbladder disease, and pancreatitis are reportedly the most common complications. This article is available only as a PDF....

The monitoring of circulating blood volume (CBV) is important in the care and management of critically ill patients. Progressive blood volume depletion, if unmonitored and uncorrected, can result in tissue ischaemia, acidosis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF”...

Epidural abscess complicating epidural catheterisation was first reported in 1974. Two recent studies indicated a local infection incidence of epidural catheters of 4.3% to 12% and about 0.7% are reported to have central nervous system infection e.g. epidural abscess or meningitis. This article is available only as a PDF. Please...

Laryngospasm occurring at extubation is not an uncommon complication seen with use of endotracheal tubes and laryngeal mask airway. We report a case of laryngospasm on extubation of a Benjamin jet tube resulting in pulmonary haemorrhage. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on...

There have been multiple reports of accidental subdural blocks published in the last 20 years. Majority of these have been the result of an epidural gone astray, and the lowest reported volume of local anaesthetic used was 3.5 mL. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on...

Epidural analgesia has been shown to provide excellent pain relief following thoracotomy, abdominal and other surgery. Studies have shown improvement in specific variables with epidural analgesia; and effective postoperative pain relief is a prerequisite to attain improved postoperative outcome. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on...

Maintaining a patent upper airway is the first principle in resuscitation and acute care. This is usually carried out by anaesthesiologists, emergency medicine physicians and intensivists. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Only until a few years ago, the only surgical alternative for patients with severe emphysema was lung transplantation. However, with transplantation, there are problems of rejection, infection, immunosuppression and declining donor pools. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the...

The perioperative management of surgery for laparoscopic resection of phaeochromocytoma presents a significant challenge. Many different anaesthetic techniques and drugs have been used to control the haemodynamic fluctuations during phaeochromocytoma resection. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full...

Despite the highest standards of training, practice and equipment, morbidity and mortality due to anaesthesia still occur. These risks are difficult to quantify, and medicolegal considerations may limit any comprehensive study of anaesthetic mishaps. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to...

Marijuana has been used for thousands of years for both medical and recreational purposes. Because the pharmacological actions of marijuana are complex and include a unique blend of effects of alcohol, opioids, tranquilisers and hallucinogens, the clinical picture could be very unpredictable and the diagnosis is often difficult. This article...

Tuberculosis poses a very real problem to healthcare workers (HCWs). In Singapore, the prevalence of tuberculosis in the general population remains high at 44 per 100,000 in the year 2001. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Percutaneous indwelling central venous catheters are commonly used for a variety of medical and surgical indications. There are various complications associated with the insertion of central venous lines despite the advances made in the design, material of the catheter and the technique of insertion. This article is available only as...

The realisation that students have different cognitive and learning styles has had major implications on medical curriculum design efforts. If the student’s learning style is mismatched with the teaching style or the teaching environment, the student may spend considerable effort to adapt, and this may negatively impact the student’s...

Extended-spectrum beta-lacatamase (ESBL)-producing gram-negative bacteraemia is optimally treated with carbapenem. In our institution, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae are the most common and third most common causes of bacteraemia, and 21% of E. coli and 51% K. pneumoniae produced ESBL. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click...

We thank Dr Nicholas Chua et al for their interest in our review article. We agree and appreciate the experience and comments by the authors regarding the usage of externalised intrathecal catheter for analgesia in cancer pain. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF”...

We thank the authors for a comprehensive review on the role of interventional pain therapies used in cancer pain as well as a informative local audit using the intrathecal catheter (PORT-A-CATH® IT) implantable system (Deltec Inc, USA). This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF”...

Dear Editor, We presented recommendations for neuromuscular monitoring during anaesthesia, which were approved by the Council of the College of Anaesthesiologists, Singapore in September 2019 and the Council of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore in May 2021. Neuromuscular blocking drugs (NMBDs) are used to facilitate tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation;...

Studies show that the incidence of chronic pain is approximately 18% in Australia and developed countries in Europe. In Asia, data from Hong Kong and Singapore indicate that chronic pain is experienced by about 10% of adults, with chronic pain being more common in women and older adults. In...

Chronic pain is a prevalent disease that is often diffi cult to manage. According to a World Health Organisation survey, the worldwide prevalence of chronic pain is in the range of 20% to 30%. Chronic pain disease has an impact not only on the individuals’ general health and psychological health,...

A significant proportion of patients with underlying obstructive sleepapnoea (OSA) remain undiagnosed when they present for surgery. Epidemiologic data have placed the prevalence in the general adult Western populations with a diagnosis of OSA at up to 5%,3 with a higher incidence in certain subpopulations such as males and obese...

Core temperature is the temperature of blood and internal organs; influenced by biorhythm, metabolism, activity and hormones. It is regulated within a narrow range, but this is impaired during general and/or neuraxial anaesthesia. Inadvertent peri-operative hypothermia is defined as a core temperature of <36C, the prevalence of which can...

Cataract surgery is performed mainly as day-case surgery, with the majority performed under regional anaesthesia. Retrobulbar block, combined with facial nerve block, provides good operating conditions, with the facial nerve block preventing blepharospasm and providing lid akinesia. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF”...