Brain Injuries during Intraoperative Ventriculostomy in the Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Patients

OBJECTIVE: Intraoperative ventriculostomy is widely adopted to make the slack brain. However, there are few reports about hemorrhagic or parenchymal injuries after ventriculostomy. We tried to analyze and investigate the incidence of these complications in a consecutive series of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). METHODS: From September 2006 to June 2007, 43 patients underwent surgical clipping for aneurysmal SAH at our hospital. Among 43 patients, we investigated hemorrhagic or parenchymal injuries after intraoperative ventriculostomy using postoperative computed tomographic scan in 26 patients. After standard pterional craniotomy, ventriculostomy catheter was inserted perpendicular to the cortical surface along the bisectional imaginary line from Paine's point. RESULTS: Hemorrhagic injuries were detected in 12 of 26 patients (46.2%). Mean systolic blood pressure during anesthesia was with in statistically significant parameter related to hemorrhage (p = 0.006). On the other hand, parenchymal injuries were detected in 11 of 26 patients (42.3%). Female and the amount of infused mannitol during anesthesia showed statistically significant parameters related to parenchymal injury (p = 0.005, 0.04, respectively). However, there were no ventriculostomy-related severe complications. CONCLUSION: In our series, hemorrhagic or parenchymal injuries after intraoperative ventriculostomy occurred more commonly than previously reported series in aneurysmal SAH patients. Although the clinical outcomes of complications are generally favorable, neurosurgeon must keep in mind the frequent occurrence of brain injury after intraoperative ventriculostomy in the acute stage of aneurysmal SAH.

Cervical Spondylodiscitis Caused by Candida Albicans in Non-Immunocompromised Patient

Fungal infections of the spine are relatively uncommon. Moreover, cervical spondylodiscitis due to Candida albicans in non-immunocompromised patient is very rare. We report a case of Candida spondylodiscitis in a 64-year-old woman who complained of neck pain. The clinical feature and treatment option are presented with a review of pertinent literatures.

General Anesthesia for Cesarean Section in a Pregnant Woman with Eisenmenger's Syndrome / 대한마취과학회지

Eisenmenger's syndrome is the presence of high pulmonary vascular resistance associated with pulmonary hypertension at or near systemic values, with a reversed or bidirectional shunt. When patients with this syndrome become pregnant, these anatomic and physiologic changes can become additionally altered. An understanding of these changes along with anesthesia and pharmacologic interventions is necessary for the successful management of delivery and puerperium in such a disease entity associated with high maternal and fetal mortality. We report the successful anesthetic management of a pregnant patient with Eisenmenger's syndrome, whose baby was delivered by elective cesarean section under general anesthesia. Anesthesia was induced with ketamine, and maintained with ketamine, midazolam, and fentanyl. The patient was ventilated with 100% O2. Invasive hemodynamic monitoring such as systemic and pulmonary artery pressure was continued throughout delivery and puerperium in pregnant patients with this syndrome. The mother and baby were discharged home 10 days later without complication.