Introduction: In recent years, opioid-free anesthesia has become another alternative in front of traditional general anesthesia techniques. The exclusion of this group of drugs avoids the numerous adverse effects and complications associated with its usage. Although opioid-free anesthesia has its indications and has showed its benefits in a certain group of patients, there is still controversy regarding its usefulness in the obese patient. Characteristics such as obesity make the multimodal models used to program opioid-free anesthesia increasingly complex. Objectives: To describe a clinical case involving the opioid-free anesthesia technique, which is the first experience in Ecuador. Case presentation: The case is presented of a female obese patient who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy by infusion of propofol, ketamine, lidocaine, magnesium sulfate and dexmedetomidine. Titration of these drugs was carried out by calculating plasma concentrations through pharmacokinetic models and guided by monitoring of anesthetic and analgesic depth, thus optimizing drug consumption, reducing complications and achieving a favorable clinical evolution. As far as known locally and in the country (Ecuador), this is the first reported experience with this technique. Conclusions: Opioid-free anesthesia may be a choice in the obese patient, since it ensures adequate recovery without associated adverse effects.

Los programas de recuperación precoz o mejorada (ERAS) se implementan en los procedimientos quirúrgicos cardíacos como una vía clínica multidisciplinaria para la atención al paciente. Estos protocolos abarcan todo el período perioperatorio y generan muchos beneficios, dentro de los cuales se encuentra la disminución del tiempo de ventilación mecánica durante el período posoperatorioEn la literatura científica existen evidencias, y cada vez hay más pruebas que demuestran que la separación del paciente del ventilador luego de la cirugía cardíaca y la consecuente extubación precoz en las primeras 6 h del período posoperatorio, se puede lograr de forma segura, representa un beneficio para los enfermos y para la mejoría de los principales indicadores hospitalarios. Debido a ello, el programa FT se mantiene, desde hace más de 15 años, como la piedra angular de los cuidados posoperatorio del paciente cardioquirúrgico

Los programas de recuperación precoz o mejorada (ERAS) se implementan en los procedimientos quirúrgicos cardíacos como una vía clínica multidisciplinaria para la atención al paciente. Estos protocolos abarcan todo el período perioperatorio y generan muchos beneficios, dentro de los cuales se encuentra la disminución del tiempo de ventilación mecánica durante el período posoperatorioEn la literatura científica existen evidencias, y cada vez hay más pruebas que demuestran que la separación del paciente del ventilador luego de la cirugía cardíaca y la consecuente extubación precoz en las primeras 6 h del período posoperatorio, se puede lograr de forma segura, representa un beneficio para los enfermos y para la mejoría de los principales indicadores hospitalarios. Debido a ello, el programa FT se mantiene, desde hace más de 15 años, como la piedra angular de los cuidados posoperatorio del paciente cardioquirúrgico

Introduction: Many COVID-19 patients require ventilation. Direct laryngoscopy is the traditional method used for airway management; however, videolaryngoscopy is an alternative in these patients. Objective: To compare direct laryngoscopy and videolaryngoscopy for airway management in COVID-19 patients. Methods: A retrospective observational study was carried out. The universe and the sample consisted of patients intubated by physicians from Henry Reeve brigade at hospitals in Cancun and Mexico City. Two groups were formed: the direct laryngoscopy group, with 91 patients, and the videolaryngoscopy group, with 103 patients. The variables studied were age, sex, number of predictors of an anatomically difficult airway, visualization of the glottic opening, intubation attempts, and intubation complications. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using the SPSS 23.0 statistical package. Results: The groups were comparable in terms of age, sex and predictors of an anatomically difficult airway. Complete or partial glottic visualization in the videolaryngoscopy group was 97 %, while in the direct laryngoscopy group it was 86 %. Endotracheal intubation at the first attempt exceeded 70 % in the videolaryngoscopy group and 50 % in the direct laryngoscopy group. The main complications observed were desaturation and arterial hypotension with a higher frequency in the direct laryngoscopy group (40.7 % and 49.5 %, respectively). Conclusions: Video laryngoscopy improved glottic visualization and endotracheal intubation at the first attempt, with fewer complications in the patients studied.

Pain is a major cause of physical and emotional suffering. The management of patients with refractory chronic pain is a great challenge. The case is presented of a 19-year-old female patient with compressive radicular symptoms secondary to right L5-S1 disc herniation, who underwent L5-S1 discectomy with Caspar technique. After one month of evolution, she returned with the same symptoms. Despite multiple pharmacological therapies and interventional procedures, the neuropathic pain did not improve. After multiple studies and collective discussions, the possibility of placing a spinal neurostimulator was decided. After the procedure, the patient improved considerably with respect to her painful symptoms.

Introduction: Perioperative risk management supported by programs or protocols for early or improved recovery after surgery validates the quality of perioperative care, with a decrease in the incidence of morbidity and mortality based on the evidence of a set of actions covering the entire perioperative period. Objective: To validate the program for early recovery after colorectal surgery in elective surgical patients at María Curie Provincial Teaching Oncological Hospital and Manuel Ascunce Domenech University Hospital, both in Camagüey Province, as well as at Carlos Manuel de Céspedes General University Hospital in Granma Province. Methods: The research was carried out in two phases. In phase I, external and internal validation of the early recovery program for elective colorectal surgery was carried out by means of expert consultation using a Likert scale. In phase II, an experimental pilot study was carried out with two groups of 119 patients each. Results: Most of the patients in the study group (97.5 %) had optimal early recovery, based on the fact that they did not present pain, paralytic ileus, either cardiovascular or respiratory complications perioperatively. 94.1 % of the patients in the study group were discharged in the condition of living, with an average hospital stay of five days, lower than the nine days of the control group. Conclusions: The early recovery program shows a decrease in the incidence of morbidity and mortality, as well as a reduction in hospital stay, with benefits for both the patient and the health services.

Introduction: Total intravenous anesthesia is a general anesthesia technique in which drugs are administered exclusively intravenously, in the absence of inhalation agents. Objective: To describe the outcomes observed in the use of total intravenous anesthesia in patients diagnosed with occlusive syndrome for surgical treatment. Methods: A descriptive, longitudinal and observational research was carried out in Abel Santamaría Cuadrado General Teaching Hospital of Pinar del Río, Cuba, from January 2014 to January 2017. From a universe of 417 patients, a sample of 205 cases that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria was selected. The variables were mean arterial pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, complications, recovery time, level of sedation, and analgesic response. Results: 95.61 % of the cases remained normotensive and 96.10 % kept a normal heart rate. Clinical signs of sedation were found in 1.46 % of the individuals. Most of the cases recovered between 10 and 20 minutes, accounting for 92.19 %. Insufficient sedation was observed in 189 patients (92.19 %). No postoperative complications were observed in 96.58 %. Analgesic response was adequate in 95.12 % of cases. Conclusions: The application of total intravenous anesthesia for intestinal occlusion surgery showed satisfactory outcomes as an anesthetic method.

Introduction: Hip fracture in the elderly patient is a frequent entity with a high incidence worldwide and in Cuba due to aging. Objective: To assess the efficacy of spinal anesthesia with bupivacaine plus morphine in intertrochanteric hip fracture surgery. Methods: A clinical, experimental, nonrandomized, prospective, prospective and longitudinal study was carried out in Faustino Pérez Hernández University Hospital of Matanzas, from October 2017 to October 2019. The universe consisted of all surgical patients with hip fracture attended in the hospital. The sample was made by purposive sampling, consisting of 120 patients chosen at the discretion of the researchers. The control group (B) was administered subarachnoid anesthesia with 10 mg of bupivacaine 0.5 %. The study group (M) was administered subarachnoid anesthesia with 7 mg of bupivacaine 0.5 % plus 0.2 mg of morphine. Each group consisted of 60 patients. The following variables were analyzed: age groups, gender, physical condition, puncture level, motor block onset time, arterial hypotension, use of vasopressors, and complications secondary to the anesthetic technique. Results: The predominant age group was 84 and 90 years old, together with female gender and ASA III. Lumbar puncture was performed between L3 and L4. The motor block onset time was 1.3 times shorter in the M group. Arterial hypotension prevailed in the B group; apart from the use of vasopressors in both groups. As complications, there was a predominance of pruritus in the M group and bradycardia in the B group. Conclusions: The association bupivacaine/morphine in spinal anesthesia for hip fracture among elderly adults provides better outcomes without major complications.

Introduction: Total intravenous anesthesia is a general anesthesia technique in which drugs are administered exclusively intravenously, in the absence of inhalation agents. Objective: To describe the outcomes observed in the use of total intravenous anesthesia in patients diagnosed with occlusive syndrome for surgical treatment. Methods: A descriptive, longitudinal and observational research was carried out in Abel Santamaría Cuadrado General Teaching Hospital of Pinar del Río, Cuba, from January 2014 to January 2017. From a universe of 417 patients, a sample of 205 cases that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria was selected. The variables were mean arterial pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, complications, recovery time, level of sedation, and analgesic response. Results: 95.61 % of the cases remained normotensive and 96.10 % kept a normal heart rate. Clinical signs of sedation were found in 1.46 % of the individuals. Most of the cases recovered between 10 and 20 minutes, accounting for 92.19 %. Insufficient sedation was observed in 189 patients (92.19 %). No postoperative complications were observed in 96.58 %. Analgesic response was adequate in 95.12 % of cases. Conclusions: The application of total intravenous anesthesia for intestinal occlusion surgery showed satisfactory outcomes as an anesthetic method.

Introduction: Postdural puncture headache is the most common complication following neuraxial anesthesia, and is especially common in obstetrics, a common finding in the postpartum period. It is usually a benign and self-limited complication, but if not treated, it can lead to further serious complications. Objective: To describe the incidence of postdural puncture headache in obstetric patients scheduled for elective cesarean section with spinal anesthesia and its relationship with early ambulation. Methods: A descriptive observational study was carried out in a case series (50) of patients proposed for elective cesarean section under the subarachnoid spinal anesthesia method with 25-gauge trocar in the period from May to December 2018. Results: Out of a total of 50 patients aged 18-35 years who participated in the study, 96 % underwent single dura mater puncture. In all cases, a 25-gauge trocar was used and none presented postdural puncture headache. Conclusions: The incidence of postdural puncture headache may be concluded to decrease when atraumatic spinal needles of small caliber are used, which also facilitates early ambulation of the patient.

Introduction: Artificial mechanical ventilation is a life support therapeutic measure applied in clinical scenarios such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Therefore, to establish safety parameters is necessary. Alveolar distending pressure is a variable of interest in lung protection. It is used to optimize tidal volume according to the size of the lung available during gas exchange. It reflects the degree of lung stretch in each respiratory cycle. Objective: To update contents concerning alveolar distending pressure in ventilated patients with acute respiratory distress. Methods: A search was carried out in Google Scholar, Pubmed/Medline, regional SciELO, among others, under the terms ventilación de protección pulmonar/variables [lung-protective ventilation/variables], presión de distensión alveolar durante la ventilación/medición [alveolar distending pressure during ventilation/measurement], relación de la presión de distensión alveolar [relationship between alveolar distending pressure] and mortalidad en SDRA/resultados [ARDS mortality/results]. Sixty-five references that met the inclusion criteria were selected. Results: Current evidence associates the maintenance of excessive alveolar distending pressure with mortality in ventilated patients with respiratory distress syndrome. It allows to identify the risk of ventilator-induced damage and pulmonary complications in other clinical scenarios. It thus achieves improved goals and objectives in artificial mechanical ventilation. Conclusions: Alveolar distending pressure is associated with changes in survival and has been shown to be the key mediator in the effects of mechanical ventilation on acute respiratory distress syndrome outcomes.

Introduction: Behçet disease is a chronic, recurrent, multisystemic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcers, ocular inflammation, skin lesions, arthritis, neurological, pulmonary and gastrointestinal conditions, as well as systemic vasculitis. Objective: To describe the anesthetic management of a patient with Behçets disease. Case presentation: The case is reported of a 52-year-old male patient with an individual history of Behçets disease, who receives general anesthesia for removal of left cervical metastatic adenopathy from a hidden primary carcinoma. Conclusions: Keeping the steroid therapy, using calcium nadroparin, together with other measures for preventing deep vein thrombosis; careful airway management, eye and joint protection, as well as attention to pressure points and pathergy prevention are fundamental elements for the management of these patients.

Introduction: Morquio syndrome is an autosomal recessive hereditary disease that affects, to different extents, carbohydrate metabolism, which obstructs the ability to break bonds of long chains of glycosaminoglycans, causing mucopolysaccharides accumulation in different tissues of the human body. Objective: To describe the anesthetic management of a pregnant woman with Morquio syndrome. Case presentation: This is the case of a 30-year-old primigravid pregnant woman, of black skin, 103 cm of height and 33 kg of weight. She came for preoperative consultation because she was pregnant at term and had low body size; the pregnancy was terminated through the abdominal route. A preanesthetic assessment was performed, which permitted to observe a history of genetic disease and previous admission for high blood pressure. The patient was allergic to dipyrone. Conclusions: Among patients with mucopolysaccharidosis, there is a high incidence of difficulty for ventilation and endotracheal intubation associated with cardiopulmonary insufficiency. Spinal involvement represents additional difficulties for anesthesiologists. Any elective surgery requires preoperative assessment of anesthesiologic risk factors and the availability of a spectrum of airway management equipment. Anesthetic managment should be performed by a team experienced in airway management.

Introduction: On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19, a disease produced by a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), as a pandemic. Cuba, despite all the regulations established by health and state authorities since the beginning of the pandemic, begins the year 2021 with more than 29.000 sick people and about 200 deaths. Objective: To describe the measures that make up the performance protocol of the surgical unit of the National Institute of Nephrology in the confrontation of COVID-19. Methods: A review of the current literature was carried out. The sources of information used were Google Scholar, Medline, Embase, PubMed, Hinari, Clinical Key, Elsevier, Research-Gate, Web of Science, the WHO’s website and the official government site of the Ministry of Public Health in Cuba. Development: In the current context, the surgical unit of the National Institute of Nephrology performs general and urological, urgent and emergent surgeries, as well as elective surgeries related to vascular access for hemodialysis. Internationally recommended hygienic-epidemiological measures are established for surgical units during the pandemic, which are described in this article. Conclusions: The existence of a performance protocol in the surgical unit for the confrontation of COVID- 19 is an indispensable tool for creating a preventive scenario against the disease. All workers should be trained and have personal protective equipment at their disposal.