Although the positive effects of preoperative oral carbohydrate administration on clinical outcomes following major surgery have been reported continuously, there are few investigations of them in minor surgical patients. The present study was designed to examine the effects of preoperative oral carbohydrate administration on patient well-being and satisfaction in patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Fifty adults aged 20-65 years and scheduled for elective thyroidectomy in first schedule in the morning were allocated to one of two groups. The Control group (n = 25) was requested to obey traditional preoperative fasting after midnight prior to the day of surgery. The Carbohydrate group (n = 25) also fasted overnight but drank 400 ml of carbohydrate-rich drink 2 hours before induction of anesthesia. Patient well-being (thirst, hunger, mouth dryness, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, anxiety and sleep quality) and satisfaction were assessed just before the operating room admission (preoperative) and 6 hours following surgery (postoperative). Other secondary outcomes including oral Schirmer's test and plasma glucose concentrations were also evaluated. The two groups were homogenous in patient characteristics. Seven parameters representing patient well-being evaluated on NRS (0-10) and patient satisfaction scored on a 5-point scale were not statistically different between the two groups preoperatively and postoperatively. There were no statistically significant differences in secondary outcomes. Preoperative oral carbohydrate administration does not appear to improve patient well-being and satisfaction compared with midnight fasting in patients undergoing thyroidectomy in first schedule in the morning.

A Ram Doo, Jeongwoo Lee, Gwi Eun Yeo, Keun Hyeong Lee, Ye Sull Kim, Ju Han Mun, Young Jin Han, and Ji-Seon Son. Anesth Pain Med 2020;15:103-10. https://doi.org/10.17085/apm.2020.15.1.103

Lim H, et al. Korean J Anesthesiol. 2016 Feb;69(1):51-56. http://dx.doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2016.69.1.51

Doo AR, et al. Korean J Pain. 2015 Apr;28(2):122-128. http://dx.doi.org/10.3344/kjp.2015.28.2.122

Radiation-induced neuropathic pain is a rare but devastating complication following cancer treatment. It is often progressive, refractory to conservative treatment, and sometimes irreversible. The exact mechanism of radiation-induced neuropathic pain is unknown, but it is associated with perineural fibrosis, atrophy, and ischemia. Systemic administration of local anesthetics is known to be effective for various acute and chronic painful diseases, such as neuropathic pain, as well as inflammatory and nociceptive pains. We report a patient with generalized radiation-induced neuropathic pain successfully treated with systemic lidocaine administration.

Shin YS, et al. Korean J Urol. 2012 Jan;53(1):60-62. http://dx.doi.org/10.4111/kju.2012.53.1.60