Anesthetic Management using Laryngeal Mask Airway during Reconstructive Surgery of Trachea Cancer: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

The laryngeal mask airway (LMA) is new method for maintaining the airway and has many advantages such as easy insertion without muscle relaxant, decreasing cardiovascular change, decreasing damage of pharynx and larynx and useful in difficult intubation. It has being increasingly used in the management of difficult airway problems, but has not been widely used in tracheal surgery. A 59 year old woman with tracheal stenosis due to tracheal tumor was admitted for tracheal reconstruction. The stenotic lesion was 5 cm above the carina and the length of the stenotic segment was 2 cm. Anesthetic management should be focus on maintenance of the airway and adequate ventilation with the number 3 sized LMA during the tracheal resection. The tracheal segmental resection and primary end-to-end anastomosis were performed without serious hypoxia and hypercarbia. We discuss the advantages and limitations of the LMA in tracheal surgery.

Comparison of Effects of Propofol-Succinylcholine and Thiopentone-Succinylcholine on the Serum Potassium / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of propofol with succinylcholine and thiopentone with succinylcholine on serum potassium concentration during induction of general anesthesia. METHODS: Forty patients scheduled for elective surgery were allocated at random into two groups, one to receive propofol with succinylcholine or other to receive thiopentone with succinylcholine. We measured serum potassium concentration at preinjection and at 1, 5 and 10 minutes after injection of propofol with succinylcholine or thiopentone with succinylcholine respectively. RESULTS: There was significant increase in the serum potassium concentrations at 1, 5 and 10 minutes after injection of propofol-succinylcholine and thiopentone-succinylcholine compared with those before injection in two groups. No significant difference in serum potassium concentrations was observed between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The changes in serum potassium due to injection of propofol and succinycholine were very similar to those found during injection of anesthesia with thiopentone and succinylcholine. It was reassuring that such small changes of serum potassium occur when propofol-succinycholine and thiopentone-succinylcholine were used and that these changes within normal ranges were unlikely to be of clinical significance.