A case of pneumocephalus during labor epidural analgesia: A case report

Pneumocephalus can be developed after a dural puncture, which occurs in association with epidural procedures. A 37-year-old, gestational age 40 weeks, pregnant woman was admitted for vaginal delivery. She asked for epidural analgesia when she suffers with labor pain. Epidural anesthesia was done at the L3-L4 interspace with the loss of resistance technique, using air. During the identification of the epidural space, an accidental dural puncture was diagnosed by observing a free flow of CSF, through the needle. The patient developed headache 2 hours later. She was treated with hydration, oxygen, analgesics and the autologus blood patch procedure was done, at the L4-L5 interspace. Despite these measures, the patient's symptoms worsened with nausea and vomiting. A brain CT scan showed the presence of pneumocephalus. After 100% oxygen therapy and metoclopramide injection, she was discharged on postpartum 2 days, without any complications.

Anesthetic review of emergency peripartum hysterectomy following vaginal and cesarean delivery: a retrospective study / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to review incidence, indications, complications, and the anesthetic management of emergency obstetric hysterectomies. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of the cases of emergency obstetric hysterectomies performed at the Woman's Hospital over a 3 year period between January 2008 and December 2010. The indication for surgery, anesthetic management, operating time, estimated blood loss, pre- and postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit values, need for blood transfusion, and perioperative complications were obtained. RESULTS: During the study period there were 46 emergency obstetric hysterectomies for 20147 deliveries, giving an incidence of 2.28/1000 deliveries. The number of emergency hysterectomies was significantly higher with the cesarean deliveries than with the vaginal deliveries. The most common indication for emergency obstetric hysterectomy was placenta accreta. Postoperatively, Dissemimated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) was the most common complication. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal placenta has been an main indication of emergency hysterectomy. Anesthesiologists should be eligible to aware of high risk of emergency hysterectomy and deal with massive hemorrhage.

Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia during cesarean section under spinal anesthesia: A case report

We experienced a case of paroxysmal supraventricular tarchycardia (PSVT) in a 31-year-old pregnant woman undergoing elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. About 15 minutes after delivery of the baby, PSVT suddenly developed. PSVT was difficult to control with a number of medications including esmolol, adenosine and verapamil. Normal sinus rhythm was finally restored after repeated trials of biphasic cardioversion. The patient fully recovered and was discharged without any complication 5 days later.

Management of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 1 With Total Spinal Block

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a painful and disabling disorder that can affect one or more extremities. Unfortunately, the knowledge concerning its natural history and mechanism is very limited and many current rationales in treatment of CRPS are mainly dependent on efficacy originated in other common conditions of neuropathic pain. Therefore, in this study, we present a case using a total spinal block (TSB) for the refractory pain management of a 16-year-old male CRPS patient, who suffered from constant stabbing and squeezing pain, with severe touch allodynia in the left upper extremity following an operation of chondroblastoma. After the TSB, the patient's continuous and spontaneous pain became mild and the allodynia disappeared and maintained decreased for 1 month.