Management of patients who refuse blood transfusion

A small group of people belonging to a certain religion, called Jehovah′s witness do not accept blood transfusion or blood products, based on biblical readings. When such group of people are in need of health care, their faith and belief is an obstacle for their proper treatment, and poses legal, ethical and medical challenges for attending health care provider. Due to the rapid growth in the membership of this group worldwide, physicians attending hospitals should be prepared to manage such patients. Appropriate management of such patients entails understanding of ethical and legal issues involved, providing meticulous medical management, use of prohaemostatic agents, essential interventions and techniques to reduce blood loss and hence, reduce the risk of subsequent need for blood transfusion. An extensive literature search was performed using search engines such as Google scholar, PubMed, MEDLINE, science journals and textbooks using keywords like ′Jehovah′s witness′, ′blood haemodilution′, ′blood salvage′ and ′blood substitutes′

Does C-MAC ® video laryngoscope improve the nasotracheal intubating conditions compared to Macintosh direct laryngoscope in paediatric patients posted for tonsillectomy surgeries?

Background and Aims: C-MAC ® video laryngoscope (VL) with Macintosh blade has been found to improve Cormack-Lehane (C-L) laryngoscopic view as well as intubating conditions for orotracheal intubation. However, studies done on the performance of C-MAC ® VL for nasotracheal intubation (NTI) are very few in number. Hence, we compared laryngoscopy and intubating conditions between Macintosh direct laryngoscope and C-MAC ® VL for NTI. Methods: Sixty American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status I, II patients, aged 8-18 years, posted for tonsillectomy surgeries under general anaesthesia with NTI were randomised, into two groups. Patients in group 1 were intubated using Macintosh direct laryngoscope and group 2 with C-MAC ® VL. C-L grading, time required for intubation, need for additional manoeuvres and haemodynamic changes during and after intubation were compared between the groups. Results: C-L grade 1 views were obtained in 26 and 29 patients in group 1 and group 2, respectively (86.7% vs. 96.7%). Remaining patients were having C-L grade 2 (13.3% vs. 3.3%). Duration of intubation was less than a minute in group 2 (93.3%). Need for additional manoeuvres (M1-M5) were more in group 1 (97% vs. 77%). M1 (external manipulation) was needed more in group 2 compared to group 1 (53.3% vs. 30%). Magill′s forceps alone (M4) and M4 with additional external manipulation (M5) were needed more in group 1 compared to group 2 (60% vs. 16%). Conclusion: The overall performance of C-MAC ® VL was better when compared to conventional direct Macintosh laryngoscope during NTI in terms of glottis visualisation, intubation time and need for additional manoeuvres