Sub-Tenon's anaesthesia: complications and their prevention

The advent of a new technique that is considered much safer than previously established one leads to its rapid adoption. This usually leads to the identification of previously unreported complications of the new technique, and a re-assessment of its position in clinical care, which is precisely the state of play with the sub-Tenon's block. The sub-Tenon's block was introduced into the clinical practice in early 1990. A systematic recent search of subject headings such as complications of sub-Tenon's block, subtenon, orbital block, orbital block complications, and orbital anaesthesia was performed in Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane database. Indeed there are complications of sub-Tenon's block published as case reports and the exact incidence of these complications is not known. Management and preventive measures of these complications are described. Although the sub-Tenon's block appears to be relatively safer than needle-based blocks but a proper prospective, randomized, double-blind controlled trial is essential for scientific proof that sub-Tenon's block is better than needle-based blocks

Psychosocial adaptation and cellular immunity in breast cancer patients in the weeks after surgery: An exploratory study

BACKGROUND: The period just after surgery for breast cancer requires psychosocial adaptation and is associated with elevated distress. Distress states have been associated with decreased cellular immune functioning in this population, which could have negative effects on physical recovery. However little is known about relations between psychological status (negative and positive mood states and overall quality of life) and cellular signaling cytokines that could account for these associations in women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. METHODS: The present study examined associations between psychological adaptation indicators (mood, quality of life) and T-helper cell-type 1 (Th1) cytokine production from stimulated peripheral mononuclear cells in women who had recently undergone surgery for early-stage breast cancer but had not yet begun adjuvant therapy. These associations were evaluated while controlling for relevant disease/treatment, sociodemographic and health behavior covariates. RESULTS: Lower anxiety related to greater production of the Th1 cytokine interleukin-2 (IL-2) while greater positive mood (affection) related to greater production of the Th1 cytokines IL-12 and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). Better quality of life (QOL) related to greater production of the Th1 cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). CONCLUSION: Individual differences in psychosocial adaptation in women with breast cancer during the period after surgery relate to biological parameters that may be relevant for health and well-being as they move through treatment