Bronchospasm Caused by N-Acetylcysteine Intratracheal Instillation in a Patient with Bronchial Asthma: A Case Report / 대한마취과학회지

We report of a successfully treated case of fatal bronchospasm, which developed after N-acetylcysteine bolus intratracheal instillation in a 49-year-old female patient with bronchial asthma undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. N-acetylcysteine has been widely used as a potent mucolytic agent since 1963, with few reported adverse reactions. Its mucolytic action is due to the breakage of disulfide bonds in mucus mucoproteins. Most adverse reactions to N-acetylcysteine are usually mild and respond to the termination of the medication and symptomatic treatment with antihistamine. However, several cases of fatal bronchospasm have been reported in asthmatic patients after inhaled or intravenous N-acetylcysteine. N-acetylcysteine induced bronchospasm could be avoided in most asthmatic patients if its concentration is not allowed to exceed 10%, and concomitant beta2-selective bronchodilators are utilized. Nevertheless, asthma is still a potent risk factor and requires special precautions, including careful risk-versus-benefit assessment, close observation and the immediate availability of resuscitation equipment and staff in the event of life-threatening bronchospasm.

Cardiac Arrest after Complete Intratracheal Obstruction by an Aspirated Blood Clot in a Patient with Upper G-I Bleeding: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

Fatal airway obstruction due to the presence of blood clot occurs in a variety of clinical settings. Initial efforts to remove an airway clot, if warranted, involve suctioning, lavage, and forceps extraction through a flexible bronchoscope. If unsuccessful, further management options include rigid bronchoscopy, balloon-tip embolectomy catheter dislodgement, and the application of topical thrombolytic agents. We report a case of complete airway obstruction that developed after the aspiration of a blood clot during emergency operative vessel ligation in a 86-year-old female patient with gastric ulcer bleeding. Initial conventional suctioning was unsuccessful, in this case, due to a large firmly adherent clot. Therefore we peformed the alternative suctioning technique using suction attached directly to the existing tracheal tube in situ, with the cuff deflated. However, repeated direct tracheal suctioning alone failed to prevent cardiac arrest. Thereafter, simultaneously with several CPR chest compressions, large cylindrical clots were sucked up by direct tracheal suctioning. Presumably simultaneous chest compression has the potential advantage of creating higher airway pressures that provide effective kinetic energy to obstructing object.