Recognition of Warning Signs by the Patient with Ischemic Stroke and Impact on Emergency Department Admission Times

The general objective of this study was to assess the impact of the recognition of warning, signs of ischemic stroke, on the reduction of emergency admission times and the improvement of the prognosis of the patient suffering from ischemic stroke in the emergency department of the Yaounde central hospital. Methods: This was a prospective study with a descriptive and analytical aim carried out in the medical emergency department of the central hospital of Yaounde over a period of 3 months, going from October to December 2020. All patients admitted to emergency departement, during this period, for a diagnosis of ischemic stroke confirmed by a brain CT scan were included in the study. The data was collected on a survey sheet divided into 3 sections: the patient, the assessment of his knowledge and his reaction to the stroke. The variables studied were socio-demographic data, cardiovascular risk factors and warning signs of stroke. Data analysis was conducted with Census and Survey Processing System (CSPRO). Results: During the study period, 62 patients met the inclusion criteria. Adults under 50 (41.94%) were the most represented age group. The mean age of the patients was 52.3 years with ranges ranging from 36 to 82 years. The sex ratio was 1.38 in favor of women. The most common unmodifiable cardiovascular risk factor was age over 55 years 44%. High blood pressure 61% was the most common modifiable risk factor. More than half of the study population had no knowledge of the warning signs of ischemic stroke. The most well-known warning sign was 40% mouth deformation. The anamnesis noted that the weakness of the hemibody, the limb or the leg was found in our cohort in 77% of cases, followed by balance disorder (73%) and speech disorder (50%). The main associated sign was asthenia 32%. Direct admission to hospital through the emergency department was the first call for alert 58%, followed by self-medication 32% and seeking help from a family member 31%. The emergency department admission time was over 4 hours 30 minutes in more than half of the cases. Conclusion: Ischemic stroke is an important cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa in the acute phase. Information, education and communication about the warning signs of ischemic stroke reduce the time to emergency room visits and improve the prognosis of these patients.

Intraoperative Hemodynamic and Analgesic Effects of Pre-Incisional Transversus Abdominis Plane Block during Total Abdominal Hysterectomy

Background: The efficacy of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block has been demonstrated in postoperative analgesia, but few studies have evaluated its intraoperative effects. We aimed to describe the intraoperative hemodynamic and analgesic effects of pre-incisional TAP block in patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy. Methods: Seventy women proposed for total abdominal hysterectomy indicated for uterine fibroids, classified ASA I and II were randomized in a double-blinded model to Group A (n = 35) receiving bilateral ultrasound-guided TAP block with ropivacaine and Group B (n = 35) receiving bilateral ultrasound-guided TAP block with normal saline, followed by general anesthesia. The variations of the heart rate (HR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and intraoperative fentanyl consumption were studied. Results: At the arrival in the operating room, there was no significant difference in heart rate and mean arterial pressure noted in both groups. (HR: 85.38 ± 8.44 pulsations/min versus 86.30 ± 10.05 pulsations/min, p = 0.621;MABP: 94.97 ± 13.46 mmHg versus 96.36 ± 12.41 mmHg, p = 0.533). Before surgical incision, no statistically significant difference was detected between the two groups regarding the heart rate and the mean arterial blood pressure. After surgical incision, both the heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure were significantly higher in the Group B. There was a significant decrease in intraoperative fentanyl requirements in the Group A compared to the Group B (293.58 ± 60.59 mcg versus 449.44 ± 71.31 mcg, p Conclusion: Pre-incisional TAP block attenuates hemodynamic responses to surgical stress and decreases intraoperative fentanyl requirements in patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy.