Clinical Analysis of Patch Repair of Ventricular Septal Defect in Infant / 영남의대학술지

BACKGROUND: Simple ventricular septal defect(VSD) is the most common congenital heart disease. Although closure of VSD is currently associated with a relatively low risk, experience with younger and smaller infants has been variably less satisfactory. We assessed the results of surgical closure of VSD in infant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1996 and 2000, 45 non-restrictive VSD patients underwent patch repair and retrospective analysis was done. Patients were divided into two groups based on weight: group I infants weighed 5kg or less(n=16), and group II infants weighed more than 5kg(n=29). Both groups had similar variation in sex, VSD location, aortic cross clamp time and total bypass time. But combined diseases (ASD, PDA, MR) were more in group I. We closed VSD with patch and used simple continuous suture method in all patients. RESULTS: There were no operative mortality, no reoperation for hemodynamically significant residual shunt and no surgically induced complete heart block. As a complication, pneumonia(group I: 2 cases, group II: 2 cases), transient seizure(group II: 2), wound infection(group I: 1, group II: 1), urinary tract infection(group I: 1) and chylopericardium(group I: 1) developed, and there was no significant difference between two groups(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Early primary closure with simple continuous suture method was applicable in all patients with non-restrictive VSD without any serious complications.

An Epidurogram is an Alternative Diagnostic Tool for Discovering the Site of CSF Leakage in Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension / 대한마취과학회지

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is a rare disease with a symptom of a postural headache, which is aggravated by the erect position and relieved by the supine position. This persistent headache is dramatically improved with an epidural blood patch. C6-7 is the most common site of leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the subarachnoid space in SIH. The diagnosis of SIH is based on a typical history. It is supported by low CSF pressure in a lumbar puncture and diffuse dural enhancement on a brain MRI, and confirmed by a CSF leakage site on a radioisotope cisternography or on a myelography. However, we had two patients of SIH whose CSF leakage site was not found on cisternography. We tried an epidurogram just before an injection of autologous blood for an epidural blood patch, and found specific finding on the epidurogam suggesting the CSF leakage site, such as a filling defect on C6-7 during dye injection, and delayed washout of dye around the filling defect on the epidurogram performed at C7-T1/C6-7. Therefore, we suggest that an epidurogram is occasionally a useful diagnostic tool when looking for the site of CSF leakage in SIH.

Effects of Intercostal Nerve Block Combined with IV-PCA on Pain and Inspiratory Capacity after Thoracotomy / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to evaluate the effects of intercostal nerve block added in intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA; PCA) on pain, pulmonary function and the movement of the ipsilateral arm after a thoracotomy. METHODS: Forty five patients undergoing elective thoracotomy were randomly allocated into one of three groups. The groups were divided as follows: PCA, ICB-PCA (PCA and intercostal nerve blocks by direct injection of 5 ml of 0.2% bupivacaine into the intercostal spaces of two upper and two lower segments around the surgical incision) and IM groups. For the PCA, the patients that received PCA, were administered IV bolus of 0.1 mg/kg of nalbuphine followed by PCA with 0.1% nalbuphine (basal rate 0.5 ml/hr, bolus dose 1 mg and lockout interval 8 minutes). In each group, VAS score, the inspiratory capacity and the movement of the ipsilateral arm were checked postoperatively at 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours. RESULTS: Inspiratory capacity was decreased less in ICB-PCA group (P<0.05) at 6 hour, but after 24 hour, there were no differences between the groups. The analgesic effect was significantly better in ICB-PCA group as compared to the PCA or IM groups (P<0.05). Furthermore, arm motion limitation after operation was the least in ICB-PCA group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Intraoperative intercostal nerve blocks added in PCA has a transient improvement of pulmonary function, and also provide better analgesia and improved ipsilateral arm motion after a thoracotomy than in PCA or IM analgesia. The authors recommend adding intercostal nerve block for patients undergoing thoracotomy who receive IV-PCA.

The Appropriate Inflow Rates of Oxygen and Nitrous Oxide in Adult General Anesthesia / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: During adult general anesthesia, we used 3~5 L/min of fresh gas flow(FGF) but low FGF are employed, the amount of anesthetic consumption and air contamination can be reduced. The aim of this study was to determine the minimal appropriate inflow rate of oxygen and nitrous oxide during semiclosed circle technique. METHODS: We selected 40 patients, ASA group 1 or 2, scheduled for elective, nonabdominal surgery under general anesthesia with semiclosed circle system. Anesthesia was maintained with 50% oxygen, nitrous oxide and enflurane, controlled ventilation was used; rate of 10/min, tidal volume of 10 ml/kg. After induction and vital signs stabilized, FGF was changed to 4 L, 3 L, 2 L and 1L/min at interval of 30 minutes. We observed mean airway pressure and arterial blood gas tensions. RESULTS: The changes of mean airway pressure did not correlated with fresh gas inflow rate. In arterial blood gas analysis, PaO2 showed a decreasing tendency significantly according to decreasing fresh gas inflow rate(p<0.01) but there were no clinical hypoxemia in all patients. There were no significant changes in pH, PaCO2 and base excess. CONCLUSIONS: We consider that FGF of 1~2 L/min is appropriate during adult general anesthesia because of economic and ecological advantages. Also, we consider low flow technique with below 1L/min can be used safely and effectively under proper gas monitoring such as oxygen analyzer, capnometer.

Effects of Intraabdominal CO2 Gas Insufflation on PaCO2 and Tidal Volume during Laparoscopic Surgery under General Anesthesia / 대한마취과학회지

Plasma CO2 gas tension, tidal volume and peak inspiratory airway pressure were investigated before CO2gas insufflation, 30 minutes and 60 minutes after gas insufflation in 32 laparoscopic surgery patients to study the effects of intraabdominal CO2 gas insufflation during laparoscopic surgery under general endotracheal anesthesia with controlled ventilation. Our results were as follows 1) Arterial CO2 gas tension values were significantly higher 30 minutes after CO2 gas insufflation compared to before gas insufflation(36.8+/-4.2 mmHg vs. 28.3+/-6.8 mmHg). 2) Tidal volume was increased 30 minutes after CO2 gas insufflation compared to before gas insufflation(505.1+/-78.2 ml vs. 462.0+/-83.2 ml). 3) Peak inspiratory airway pressure was significantly increased 30 minutes after CO2 gas insufflation compared to before gas insufflation(16.4+/-1.7 cmH2O vs. 9.8+/-1.0 cmH2O). And these increasing states were maintained during laparoscopic surgery. As the above results show, during laparoscopic surgery using CO2 gas insufflation under general anesthesia with controlled ventilation, arterial CO2 gas tension, tidal volume and peak inspiratory airway pressure were significantly increased 30 minutes after CO2 gas insufflation. Cautions may be advised if laparoscopic surgery, by whatever operation, is indicated in subjects who are affected by increasing PaCO2 and peak inspiratory airway pressure.

Efficacy of Repeated Subarachnoid Blocks in the Treatment of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / 대한마취과학회지

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a common posttraumatic pain syndrome for which no relia- bly effective method of therapy has been found. Oral therapy has been attempted with steroid, tricyclic antidepressant, beta-blocker, and antiseizure medications, none of which are predictably helpful. Multiple invasive treatment, including sympathetic blockade and intravenous regional local anesthetic, reserpine, or guanethidine blocks, have been employed, but again with inconsistent success. Transcutaneous nerve stimulation is effective in some patients but aggravates symptoms in others. Following a report of the use of subarachnoid block in the treatment of reflex sympathetic dystrophy, a symptom that is characterized by vasospasm and cold intolerance, we experienced the ability of subarachnoid block to relieve the symptoms of reflex sympthetic dystrophy.

Reasons of the Cancellation of an Elective Planned Surgery / 대한마취과학회지

Because operationg room time is one of the most expensive hospital resources, cancellation of a planned surgery is a wasteful expenditure of specialized human manpower and other medical resources. To decrease the rate of cancellation, we performed this prospective study about patients who planned elective surgery under general or regional anesthesia frome September 1, 1990 to December 31, 1990 in the operating room of Yeungnam University Hospital. Daily, the total number of planned surgeries and cancelled patients were recorded, and the most important reasons for cancelling by an individual patient were also recorded. The results were as follows: 1)The total number of planned elective surgeries was 3,102 patients and total number of cancelled patients was 502 patients. Thus the mean rate of cancellation was 16.2%. 2)The highest rate of cancellation was in October(21.2%), and the departmental variation was hte highest rate in dental(37.5%) and the lowest rate in the ophthalmic department(8.6%). 4) The reason of cancellation were as follows: combined systemic diseases or abnormal laboratory findings(42.4%) were most common, and the next was no admission(14.5%), heavy schedule or deficinecy of operating room(10.3%), refusal of operation(8.6%), insufficinet patient preparation(7.8%), and affairs of operator or department(7.4%), and others. As a result of this study, there are several ways to decrease the cancellation rate in operating room of yeungnam University Hospital. The first is a careful preoperative evaluation of patient's physical status and results of labaratory examination before hospitalization, and then the common practice of outpatient surgery, appropriate plan of overall elective operation, reasonable management of an operating room, and good relationships between the individual department, especially surgeons and concultant. If we follow the above mentioned ways, disruptions of the surgical schedules may be avoided and a more economical management of the operationg room is possible.