Non-convulsive status epilepticus in the immediate postoperative period following spine surgery -a case report- / 대한마취과학회지

Background@#Non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE), in which continuous epileptiform dis-charges occur without seizure-like movement, is rare and unfamiliar to anesthesiologists, both of which make this condition overlooked in patients with decreased levels of consciousness following general anesthesia.Case: We report on an elderly female patient who developed NCSE in the immediate postoperative period after the spine surgery. Initially, delayed emergence from anesthesia was suspected, but the electroencephalogram confirmed NCSE, and anticonvulsant therapy was initiated. @*Conclusions@#Delayed emergence is commonly attributed to cerebrovascular events or residual anes-thetic effects, but NCSE must be included in the differential diagnosis, especially in elderly pa-tients. Anticonvulsant therapy should be initiated as soon as possible for a better prognosis.

Intra-Oral Factors Influencing Halitosis in Young Women

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research was to determine intra-oral factors that affect halitosis in young women. METHODS: This study was performed between March 2014 to May 2014, and included 35 women in their 20s with good oral health. Correlation and logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the change in halitosis immediately, and 1 hour after scaling. RESULTS: In both oral gas (OG) and extraoral gas (EG) groups, halitosis was reduced after scaling compared to before scaling. The logistic regression analysis of oral state factors in OG showed that as oral fluid [odds ratio (OR) = 0.792, p = 0.045] and dental plaque (OR = 0.940, p = 0.016) decreased by 1 unit, the OR in the OG group decreased (> 50). In addition, as glucose levels in the oral cavity (OR = 1.245, p = 0.075) and tongue coating index (OR = 2.912, p = 0.064) increased by 1 unit, the OR in the OG group increased (> 50). Furthermore, in the EG group, as oral fluid (OR = 0.66, p = 0.01) and dental plaque (OR = 0.95, p = 0.04) decreased, the OR in the EG group decreased (> 50) significantly. CONCLUSION: To control halitosis, it is necessary to increase oral fluid and decrease the amount of tongue plaque. Furthermore, maintaining a healthy oral environment, aided by regular scaling and removal of dental plaque, may significantly control halitosis.

Biomarker for the Prediction of Major Adverse Cardiac Events in Patients with Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a well-known biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of heart failure, and is directly associated with myocardial dysfunction. We evaluated the prognostic value of NT-proBNP for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) among patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry during their mid-term follow-up period. In this paper, we analyzed NT-proBNP according to various MACE and level of NT-proBNP. We used multivariate logistic regression to determine the risk factors according to MACE type and NT-proBNP levels, and to identify the cutoff value for each MACE by using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. NT-proBNP was a significant variable among cardiac deaths (p = 0.016), myocardial infarction (p = 0.000), and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) (p = 0.000) in patients with MACE compared with those without MACE. Two-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD) (p = 0.037) and the maximum creatinine kinase (max-CK) (p = 0.031) produced significant results in repeat percutaneous coronary intervention. The area under the ROC curve was found to be statistically significant for cardiac death and CABG. NT-proBNP is a useful predictor for 12-month MACEs among patients with NSTEMI and in those with heart failure. We propose that a new index incorporating NT-proBNP, max-CK, and CAD vessel will be useful as a prognostic indicator of MACEs in the future.

Corrigendum: A first step toward understanding patient safety / 대한마취과학회지

Acknowledgments section was omitted unintentionally.

A first step toward understanding patient safety / 대한마취과학회지

Patient safety has become an important policy agenda in healthcare systems since publication of the 1999 report entitled "To Err Is Human." The paradigm has changed from blaming the individual for the error to identifying the weakness in the system that led to the adverse events. Anesthesia is one of the first healthcare specialties to adopt techniques and lessons from the aviation industry. The widespread use of simulation programs and the application of human factors engineering to clinical practice are the influences of the aviation industry. Despite holding relatively advanced medical technology and comparable safety records, the Korean health industry has little understanding of the systems approach to patient safety. Because implementation of the existing system and program requires time, dedication, and financial support, the Korean healthcare industry is in urgent need of developing patient safety policies and putting them into practice to improve patient safety before it is too late.

Vagally mediated atrioventricular block with ventricular asystole immediately after assuming prone position under spinal anestheisa: a case report / 대한마취과학회지

Vagally mediated atrioventricular (AV) block is a condition which a paroxysmal AV block occurs with the slowing of the sinus rate. Owing to its unpredictability and benign nature, it often goes unrecognized in clinical practice. We present the case of a 49-year-old man who suddenly lost consciousness when he assumed a prone position for hemorrohoidectomy under spinal anesthesia; continuous electrocardiographic recording revealed AV block with ventricular asystole. He was completely recovered after returning to a supine position. This case calls our attention to fatal manifestation of vagally mediated AV block leading to syncope.

Factors Affecting Unused Remaining Volume of Intravenous Patient-controlled Analgesia in Patients Following Laparoscopic Gynecologic Surgery

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the factors affecting the unused remaining volume of intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV PCA) in patients who had undergone laparoscopic gynecologic surgery. METHODS: We retrospectively collected patient records from pre-existing PCA log sheets from 98 patients. Surgical factors and IV PCA-related data including remaining volume, administration duration, early discontinuation (yes or no), and adverse reactions were recorded. Chi-square test, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression were applied for data analysis. RESULTS: The average age of the 98 patients was 40.0 +/- 8.24 years. The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and early discontinuation were not statistically significant among the different surgical groups (p = .540 and p = .338, respectively). Twenty-eight patients wanted discontinuation of IV PCA and the remaining volume was 33.6 +/- 7.8 mL (range 20-55 mL). The significant determinants of remaining volume were whether IV PCA was discontinued due to PONV and duration of surgery (p < .001). The surgical duration was inversely correlated with the remaining volume. CONCLUSION: Early discontinuation of IV PCA due to PONV is a major contributing factor to wastage of medicine. Prevention and treatment of PONV is needed to encourage patients to maintain PCA use for pain control.

Reasons for cancellation of elective surgery in a 500-bed teaching hospital: a prospective study / 대한마취과학회지

No abstract available.

Eating patterns and use of nutritional information in breast cancer survivors treated with radiation therapy in South Korea / 한국영양학회지

The purposes of this study were 1) to investigate eating behaviors and patterns in breast cancer patients using a newly developed food frequency questionnaire and 2) to examine perception and use of nutritional information about breast cancer treatment among cancer patients treated with radiation therapy. Sixty breast cancer patients (case group) undergoing radiation therapy in Ajou University Hospital, Suwon, South Korea and 79 healthy women (control group) participated in this study. Mean age of subjects in the control group was 46.00 +/- 7.88 years and BMI was 23.12 +/- 2.85 kg/m2, and that of the case group was 50.06 +/- 11.64 years and 22.32 +/- 3.24 kg/m2. The results of eating behaviors showed several significant differences between control and case groups. Breast cancer patients ate meals on a more regular basis, on time, and more frequently compared to control subjects. In addition, they preferred more salty or spicy and bland food compared to healthy women. According to answers from the food frequency questionnaire, breast cancer patients consumed significantly lower amounts of boiled white rice, meats and processed food, fish and shellfish, coffee, milk, and cheese, whereas they consumed a significantly large amount of boiled multigrain rice, vegetable, seaweeds, soybean and processed food, and yoghurt compared to healthy women. This study also observed the way in which cancer patients and healthy control subjects obtain information about breast cancer treatment and its reliabilities. Results showed that healthy women did not hesitate to obtain information from mass media, while breast cancer patients would obtain nutritional information from specialists rather than mass media. Results of this survey confirmed that breast cancer patients avoided intake of red meat protein, even though they already recognized the importance of dietary protein intake for recuperation and treatment of the disease. These results could be used for future diet and nutrition guidelines for breast cancer patients.

Effects of carbetocin infusion on hemodynamics during cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia

BACKGROUND: Carbetocin is a long-acting synthetic analogue of oxytocin that is used to prevent postpartum hemorrhage. Cardiovascular effects of oxytocin include tachycardia and hypotension. We investigated hemodynamic changes induced by carbetocin during spinal anesthesia. METHODS: Carbetocin 100 microg was infused over 5 min in 40 women undergoing cesarean delivery. Hemodynamic parameters were measured noninvasively using the Finometer(R) device. The hemodynamic values were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance followed by Bonferroni test for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Statistically significant hemodynamic effects were seen with a maximal effect at about 75 seconds after infusion start compared with those of baseline: Mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased 21.6 +/- 8.8 mmHg, systemic vascular resistance (SVR) decreased 28.6 +/- 11.1% and heart rate (HR) increased 15.3 +/- 7.9 beats/min. Following the maximal effect, MAP and SVR remained almost constant at this decreased level until the end of study period. However, HR was slowly recovered after the peak, approaching the baseline value. CONCLUSIONS: We observed that the maximal hemodynamic changes were occurred at about 75 seconds after administration of carbetocin. Therefore, careful observation is required during this early period.

Development and Evaluation of Learning Program for Oncology Unit-based Core Nursing Practice: Outcomes based Cancer Patients Pain Management Learning Program

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to develop a nurse-learning program for the pain management of cancer patients. METHODS: In this methodological study, a learning program was developed between January and June 2011, following the methodological procedure based on the ADDIE Instructional System Design. RESULTS: The learning program consists of 4 parts: learning goal, learning outcomes, learning method, and evaluation method. Learner-centered learning goal and learning outcomes were established, and lecture-based group learning and self-directed study were combined as the learning method. For the evaluation, we developed a written test, a nursing skill checklist, and a case report evaluation tool. After a pilot test, the learning program was assessed by an expert group for its construct validity and content-related conformance. Moreover, the effectiveness of the program was validated by the results of the learning outcomes evaluation and the achievement levels of 40 trainees who participated in the program. CONCLUSION: On the basis of the results of this study, we suggest that this unit-based core nursing practice learning program, comprising 202 nursing units developed by a research institute nursing department since 2010, be shared by all nurses in clinical nursing care settings to improve their practical performance and ensure necessary specialization.

Emergency cesarean delivery in a parturient who had an intractable paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a common arrhythmia in the parturient and can occur with or without an underlying organic heart disease. A woman of 35 weeks' gestation, who had a paroxysmal SVT that was resistant to antiarrhythmic drugs and electric cardioversion, required emergency Cesarean delivery. The Cesarean delivery was performed under spinal anesthesia and a healthy baby was delivered uneventfully. SVT spontaneously converted to normal sinus rhythm right after delivery of the baby.

Low-flow anesthesia in children: theory and clinical practice

There has been increased interest recently in low-flow anesthesia to minimize wastage of expensive volatile anesthetics and reduce atmospheric pollution. With the help of modern anesthetic apparatus and the availability of comprehensive gas monitoring, low-flow anesthesia can be performed safely in children. However, pediatric anesthesiologists have been more reluctant to adopt low-flow techniques. In this review article, the safety and efficacy of low-flow anesthesia will be discussed to help the anesthesiologists who want to employ this technique in children.

Optimal effect-site concentration of remifentanil for preventing development of hypertension during tracheal intubation with inhaled desflurane induction / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine the effect-site concentration of remifentanil needed to prevent haemodynamic instability during tracheal intubation with inhaled desflurane induction. METHODS: One hundred American Society of Anesthesiologists I and II female patients were randomized to receive an effect-site concentration of remifentanil of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 ng/ml. Induction of anaesthesia was started with intravenous injection of propofol 2 mg/kg. Ninety seconds after the completion of propofol injection, rocuronium (0.8 mg/kg) and remifentanil were administered simultaneously with 3% desflurane inhalation. Tracheal intubation was attempted 150 sec after the commencement of remifentanil administration. RESULTS: A probit model of remifentanil concentration was predictive of successful intubation without development of hypertension (P for goodness-of-fit = 0.419). The effect-site concentration of remifentanil needed to achieve successful intubation without development of hypertension in 95% of the patients was 3.3 ng/ml (95% confidence interval, 2.6-4.8 ng/ml). CONCLUSIONS: The effect-site concentration of remifentanil of 3.3 ng/ml is effective in blunting the haemodynamic response in 95% of the patients when 2.0 mg/kg of propofol induction was followed by 3% desflurane inhalation.

Comparison of Blood Glucose Measurements Using Samples Obtained from the Forearm, Finger Skin Puncture, and Venous Serum / 대한진단검사의학회지

BACKGROUND: Blood glucose testing (BGT) at the forearm minimizes the pain experienced during sampling of capillary blood. We compared the BGT results for forearm sampling with those for standard finger skin puncture and venous serum to evaluate the clinical validity of forearm BGT. METHODS: BGT was performed on the finger (G(F)) and forearm (G(A)) with a portable glucometer in 555 subjects, including 61 diabetic patients, under fasting conditions. BGT with venous serum (G(V)) was followed within an hour in 514 subjects. Simple linear regression, intraclass correlation, and Passing-Bablok regression analyses were performed using the G(A)-G(F) and G(A)-G(V) data. RESULTS: G(A) showed an excellent linear relationship with both G(F) and G(V) with a Pearson correlation coefficient (r) of 0.97 (P<0.0001) in the patient group, which was similar to the findings in the normal group except for the lower r values. The mean bias between G(A) and G(F) and between G(A) and G(V) were within +/- 10 mg/dL in both groups. The intraclass correlation coefficients were slightly smaller than the corresponding r values, but they showed the same tendency in both groups. In the Passing-Bablok analyses, the 95% confidence intervals of the slope and intercept parameters were <+/-20% of unity and <+/-20 mg/dL, respectively, which were within the acceptable ranges. All 3 statistical analyses supported the satisfactory agreement of G(A) with G(F) or G(V). CONCLUSIONS: BGT at the forearm was highly consistent with the standard BGT, thereby confirming its applicability in clinical practice for self-testing under steady fasting conditions.

Emergence cerebral oxygen desaturation without hemodynamic compromise in pediatric patients / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: The regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) decreases significantly during ordinary anesthetic recovery in pediatric patients anesthetized with sevoflurane or desflurane. The present study examined the relationship between rSO2 and the clinical parameters associated with the degree of anesthetic recovery. METHODS: Twelve pediatric patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status 1 were assigned randomly to receive anesthesia with sevoflurane or desflurane. All children underwent general anesthesia for minor surgery. After surgery, the rSO2, the age-adjusted MAC fraction of anesthetic concentration (F(E)), and the bispectral index (BIS) were recorded over a 10-minute period. The correlations between rSO2 and candidate predictors, such as F(E), BIS, anesthetic, and duration of anesthesia, were analyzed. RESULTS: All children recovered uneventfully. The lowest observed rSO2 reached 63% and the maximum decrease in rSO2 was 24%. The mean blood pressure and heart rate were maintained within clinical ranges. The decrease in rSO2 correlated positively with the F(E) (r = 0.25, P = 0.00) and the duration of anesthesia (r = 0.24, P = 0.01), and inversely with the use of sevoflurane (r = -0.30, P = 0.00). CONCLUSIONS: Despite normal parameters, cerebral desaturation occurred during the emergence of ordinary general anesthesia even without hemodynamic compromise or arterial desaturation. Cerebral desaturation might be associated with the degree of anesthetic recovery and the use of sevoflurane.

Hyperventilation delays clinical induction of desflurane

BACKGROUND: Ventilation is a major determinant of the alveolar concentration of inhaled anesthetics. Hyperventilation accelerates the equilibration of anesthetic in the lungs, but decelerates it in the brain. We evaluated this phenomenon for desflurane. METHODS: Twenty healthy subjects were enrolled after IRB approval. End-tidal concentrations of desflurane (P.DESF) were recorded during 10 minutes of mask induction with 8% desflurane. P.DESF was modeled with time and end-tidal concentrations of CO2 (P.ETCO2) using a two-exponential pharmacokinetic equation. Bispectral index (BIS) values were also measured to find out the component reflecting the cerebral concentration of desflurane. RESULTS: During induction, the rise of P.DESF could be separated into two components: early and late rises. Individual BIS values showed a higher correlation with the late component of P.DESF (P = 0.000). P.ETCO2 had two different effects on the rise of P.DESF. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperventilation hastened the early rise and delayed the late rise of P.DESF (P = 0.00, P = 0.00). Hyperventilation should be avoided to obtain rapid anesthesia induction with desflurane.

Effect of High Protein Diet and Resveratrol Supplementation on the Nutritional Status and Immunoreactivity in the Irradiation-induced Inflammatory Rats

Most cancer patients are treated with surgery, chemotherapy or radiation as anticancer therapies. Especially in the case of radiation, these treatments produce adverse effects such as vomiting, weight loss, anorexia, normal cell damage and malabsorption. The major goal of this study was to determine the effect of irradiation on the nutritional and immune status in irradiated rats. A secondary goal was to determine the effectiveness of high protein diet (HP) and resveratrol (Res) in minimizing the adverse effects of radiation. Rats were divided into four groups: normal diet (NP), HP, NP + Res and HP + Res groups. Each group was further divided into subgroups that received radiation (RT group) and one that did not (non-RT group). Each diet was supplied from 12th day prior to irradiation treatment with irradiation dose of 17.5 Gy. The diets were continued until 10th day after radiation treatment and animals were sacrificed. The radiation treatment showed decreased body weight, serum protein and HDL levels and increased TG and LDL levels in nutritional status. HP, NP + Res and HP + Res groups reduced the level of serum LDL and TG in irradiated rats. NP + Res and HP + Res groups increased reduced albumin level of serum in RT group. In case of immune status, the radiation treat-ment showed decreased WBC, lymphocytes and increased neutrophil and eosinophil levels. The levels of serum IL-2 and IL-6 were significantly increased by radiation, however the cytokine levels decreased in all dietary treatment groups. These results showed that high protein diet and resveratrol supplementation seem to minimize the adverse effects of radiation on lipid nutritional status and inflammation response in the rat model.

Effects of Plant Water Extract Codonopsis Lanceolatae on Mouse Immune Cell Activation Ex Vivo

Codonopsis lanceolatae has been used as one of the traditional remedies as well as food source. However, few studies on their immunomodulating effects have been reported. We previously reported that ex vivo supplementation of Codonopsis lanceolatae water extracts enhanced splenocyte proliferation compared to the control group. In order to elucidate its ex vivo effect, six to seven week old balb/c mice were fed ad libitum on a chow diet and water extracts of Codonopsis lanceolatae were orally administrated every other day for four weeks at two different concentrations (50 and 500 mg/kg B.W.). After preparing the single cell suspension, the proliferation of splenocytes was determined by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-y]-2,5-diphenyl terazolium bromide) assay. The production of cytokine (IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha), secreted by macrophages stimulated with LPS or not, was detected by ELISA assay using a cytokine kit. After 48 hrs of incubation with the mitogen (ConA or LPS) stimulation, the mice splenocyte proliferation in experimental group was statistically increased at two different concentrations than that in control group. The cytokines production was more significantly enhanced at the lower supplementation (500 mg/kg B.W.) group rather than higher concentration (500 mg/kg B.W.) compared to the control group. The results of this study may suggest that the supplementation of water extract of plant mixture could regulate the immune function by increasing the splenocyte proliferation and enhance the immune function through regulating cytokine production capacity by activated macrophages in mice.

How much are patients willing to pay for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting? / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) remains a common complication of anesthesia. We tried to assess the amount patients were willing to pay for a hypothetical antiemetic that would completely prevent PONV. METHODS: Trained residents interviewed 86 patients, who were scheduled to undergo general anesthesia, and questionnaires were completed. RESULTS: Patients were willing to pay a median of 30,000 won for an antiemetic that would completely prevent PONV. The amounts patients were willing to pay correlated with age, previous history of PONV, and patient income. CONCLUSIONS: Patients assigned a value for avoidance of PONV. It is suggested that more efforts to prevent PONV would be helpful for the increase in patient satisfaction.