Rupture of endotracheal tube cuff during robot-assisted endoscopic thyroidectomy: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

We encountered a case of a rupture of an endotracheal tube cuff during robot-assisted thyroid surgery in a 35-year-old male patient. Two hours after commencing surgery, the bellows of the ventilator were not filled and a rupture of the endotracheal tube cuff was suspected. Once the robot-manipulator is engaged, the position of the operating table cannot be altered without removing it from the patient. Reintubation with direct laryngoscopy was performed with difficulty in the narrow space between the patient's head and robot-manipulator without moving the robot away from the patient. The rupture of the endotracheal tube cuff was confirmed by observing air bubbles exiting from the balloon in water. The patient was discharged 3 days after surgery without complications. In robot-assisted thyroid surgery, a preoperative arrangement of the robot away from the patient's head to obtain easy access to the patient is essential for safe anesthetic care.

Effect of bicarbonate on injection pain and onset of rocuronium

BACKGROUND:Rocuronium is a commonly used muscle relaxant, however, it has severe injection pain.We supposed that injection pain of rocuronium was due to acidity of solution.We studied whether pH elevation of rocuronium with bicarbonate relieves injection pain. METHODS:We included 140 adult patients with 18 G intravenous catheter in arm for general anesthesia and they were randomly allocated to two groups.All patients received 0.6 mg/kg of rocuronium, one group (Group C) received rocuronium only (pH = 4.04) and the other group (Group B) received bicarbonate mixed rocuronium (rocuronium:bicarbonate = 5 ml :1 ml, pH of mixture = 7.14).The severity (none, mild, severe) of injection pain was assessed.Just after assessment, 5 mg/kg of thiopental was injected for loss of conciousness. Twitch of supramaximal stimuli was monitored and intubation time was considered the interval from injection to 75% depression and onset time the interval from injection to maximal depression. RESULTS:The incidence of injection pain of group C was 96.9% and 18.8% in group B (P< 0.01). Intubation time and onset time were 79.5 +/- 24.4 sec and 114.3 +/- 43.6 sec in group C and 80.6 +/- 27.0 sec and 115.2 +/- 46.2 sec in group B.There was no significant difference between groups. CONCLUSIONS:Our result shows that adding bicarbonate to rocuronium is effective to relieve injection pain of rocuronium without change of onset of rocuronium.

Effect of bicarbonate on injection pain and onset of rocuronium

BACKGROUND:Rocuronium is a commonly used muscle relaxant, however, it has severe injection pain.We supposed that injection pain of rocuronium was due to acidity of solution.We studied whether pH elevation of rocuronium with bicarbonate relieves injection pain. METHODS:We included 140 adult patients with 18 G intravenous catheter in arm for general anesthesia and they were randomly allocated to two groups.All patients received 0.6 mg/kg of rocuronium, one group (Group C) received rocuronium only (pH = 4.04) and the other group (Group B) received bicarbonate mixed rocuronium (rocuronium:bicarbonate = 5 ml :1 ml, pH of mixture = 7.14).The severity (none, mild, severe) of injection pain was assessed.Just after assessment, 5 mg/kg of thiopental was injected for loss of conciousness. Twitch of supramaximal stimuli was monitored and intubation time was considered the interval from injection to 75% depression and onset time the interval from injection to maximal depression. RESULTS:The incidence of injection pain of group C was 96.9% and 18.8% in group B (P< 0.01). Intubation time and onset time were 79.5 +/- 24.4 sec and 114.3 +/- 43.6 sec in group C and 80.6 +/- 27.0 sec and 115.2 +/- 46.2 sec in group B.There was no significant difference between groups. CONCLUSIONS:Our result shows that adding bicarbonate to rocuronium is effective to relieve injection pain of rocuronium without change of onset of rocuronium.

Effect of midazolam premedication on the onset of propofol and rocuronium during propofol target-controlled infusion / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: This clinical study was designed to evaluate the effect of midazolam as a premedication on the onset of propofol and rocuronium during propofol target-controlled infusion (TCI). METHODS: Seventy four patients (ASA class I or II) were randomly allocated to receive either no premedication (control group) or premedication with 0.04 mg/kg intravenous midazolam (midazolam group). Anesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol TCI. Time from propofol injection to loss of consciousness (LOC) and estimated effect concentration at LOC were recorded. After LOC, rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg) was injected. We monitored the degree of neuromuscular blockade by acceleromyography. The following parameters were measured and compared between groups: Time from rocuronium injection to depression of twitch height below 25%, time to maximal depression of twitch height (defined as rocuronium onset time). RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure before induction was lower in midazolam group (125 +/- 15 vs 135 +/- 20 mmHg), however, there was no difference in blood pressure at LOC between groups (111 +/- 16 vs 106 +/- 21 mmHg). In midazolam group, time to LOC in propofol TCI was shorter (63 +/- 22 vs. 203 +/- 118 sec) and estimated effect site concentration of propofol was significantly lower than control group (0.9 +/- 0.3 vs. 2.2 +/- 0.4 microl/ml). The onset time of rocuronium was not different between groups (120 +/- 39 vs. 137 +/- 42 sec). CONCLUSIONS: Midazolam pretreatment fastens the onset time of propofol and decreases the propofol requirement for LOC. However, it does not influence the onset of rocuronium.

Association of 5-HT3A receptor Pro16Ser polymorphism with the incidence of PONV and the response to ondansetron in Korean patients

BACKGROUND: Postopertative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are frequent and distressing side effects of surgery. Even though many drugs has been developed, PONV still remains unsolved problem. Ondansetron is a commonly used 5-HT3 receptor antagonist. It acts through specific binding to the 5-HT3A, 5-HT3B receptor complex. We hypothesized that patients with genetic variation in 5-HT3A receptor might have variable incidence of PONV and respond differently to ondansetron. METHODS: We included 204 patients undergoing gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. PONV were documented during 24 hours after operation. Ondansetron was injected to every patient who had PONV at PACU and PONV reassessed after 15 minutes. DNA was extracted from blood and 5-HT3A Pro16Ser missense mutation was analyzed by using real-time PCR. RESULTS: The incidence of PONV were 50% for wild type, 53% for heterozygote and 0% for homozygote. There were no significant differences between wild type and heterozygote in VAS of nausea and VAS change after ondansetron. CONCLUSIONS: 5-HT3A receptor Pro16Ser polymorphism is not associated with the incidence of PONV and the response to ondansetron in Korean patients.

Estimation of Continuous Blood Pressure with Amplitude of Photoplethysmogram and Pulse Transit Time of Finger and Toe / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: The amplitude (AMP) of Photoplethysmogram (PPG) is used as a marker of vasodilatation. The pulse transit time (PTT), which shows a good correlation with blood pressure (BP), is not strong enough to detect the changes in BP. This study examined the sensitivity of the combined effect of the finger and toe AMP, and the PTT of PPG as a marker of the changes in BP during general anesthesia. METHODS: Forty patients receiving maxillofacial surgery under general anesthesia were enrolled in this study. During surgery, the intra-arterial BP, ECG, finger and toe PPG signals were measured. Using the R-wave from the ECG, the AMP and PTT was derived from PPG data. The correlation between BP and PPG parameters (AMP and PTT) were compared. New parameters that show high correlation with the BP were found. Regression equations for calculating the BP using the PPG parameters were formulated. RESULTS: The new parameter, log (fingerAMP/toeAMP), showed the highest correlation in each patient (mean correlation coefficient in the systolic BP: -0.846, diastolic BP: -0.858). However, when the data from all 40 patients were combined, the correlation coefficient of the toe PTT was highest (systolic BP: -0.726, diastolic BP: -0.646). The regression equation showed the highest correlation between the actual BP and calculated BP when the toe PTT and log (fingerAMP/toeAMP) were included. CONCLUSIONS: The AMP of the toe and finger PPG can be used to estimate the invasive continuous blood pressure.

Combined Spinal-epidural Anesthesia for Cesarean Section in a Patient with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare form of cardiomyopathy associated with a significant morbidity and mortality. The anesthetic management of a Cesarean section in patients with PPCM has not been well defined. Herein, our experience of a 31-year-old multipara, with recurrent PPCM and congestive heart failure, who presented for an elective cesarean section, is reported. Combined spinal-epidural anesthesia was successfully employed as the anesthetic technique for the procedure. The intra-arterial blood pressure and central venous pressure were monitored throughout the procedure. In addition, the patient's postoperative pain was markedly reduced with the use of epidural PCA. Combined spinal-epidural anesthesia is suggested to be a reliable technique, which provides minimal hemodynamic changes, and a lower failure rate than epidural anesthesia only, and is also highly effective with a low dose of local anesthetic drug.