Comparison of hemodynamic responses to laryngoscopy and intubation with Truview PCDTM, McGrath® and Macintosh laryngoscope in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: A randomized prospective study.

Context: We hypothesized that reduced oropharyngolaryngeal stimulation with video laryngoscopes would attenuate hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and intubation. Aim: Comparison of hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and intubation with video laryngoscopes and Macintosh (MC) laryngoscope. Setting and Design: Superspecialty tertiary care public hospital; prospective, randomized control study. Methods: Sixty adult patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were randomly allocated to three groups of 20 each: MC, McGrath (MG), and Truview (TV). Hemodynamic parameters were serially recorded before and after intubation. Laryngoscopic grade, laryngoscopy, and tracheal intubation time, ST segment changes, and intra‑/post‑operative complications were also recorded and compared between groups. Statistical Analysis: SPSS version 17 was used, and appropriate tests applied. P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Heart rate and diastolic arterial pressure increased at 0 and 1 min of intubation in all the three groups (P < 0.05) while mean arterial pressure increased at 0 min in the MG and TV groups and at 1 min in all three groups (P < 0.05). A significant increase in systolic arterial pressure was only observed in TV group at 1 min (P < 0.05). These hemodynamic parameters returned to baseline by 3 min of intubation in all the groups. The intergroup comparisons of all hemodynamic parameters were not significant at any time of observation. Highest intubation difficulty score was observed with MC (2.16 ± 1.86) as compared with MG (0.55 ± 0.88) and TV (0.42 ± 0.83) groups (P = 0.003 and P = 0.001, respectively). However, duration of laryngoscopy and intubation was significantly less in MC (36.68 ± 16.15 s) as compared with MG (75.25 ± 30.94 s) and TV (60.47 ± 27.45 s) groups (P = 0.000 and 0.003, respectively). Conclusions: Video laryngoscopes did not demonstrate any advantage in terms of hemodynamic response in patients with normal airway undergoing CABG.

Anesthetic management for emergency cesarean section and aortic valve replacement in a parturient with severe bicuspid aortic valve stenosis and congestive heart failure.

Asymptomatic women with mild aortic stenosis (AS) and normal left ventricular functions can successfully carry pregnancy to term and have vaginal deliveries. However, severe AS (valve area <1.0cm 2 ) can result in rapid clinical deterioration and maternal and fetal mortality. So, these patients require treatment of AS before conception or during pregnancy preferably in the second trimester. In suitable patients percutaneous balloon aortic valvutomy appears to carry lower risk. It can also be used as a palliative procedure allowing deferral of aortic valve replacement until after delivery. The present patient had severe critical AS with congestive heart failure that was refractory to medical therapy and the fetus was viable (>28wks). So, combined lower segment cesarean section and aortic valve replacement were performed under opioid based general anesthesia technique to reduce the cardiac morbidity and mortality.

Anesthetic management of patient with myasthenia gravis and uncontrolled hyperthyroidism for thymectomy.

The relationship between myasthenia gravis (MG) and other autoimmune disorders like hyperthyroidism is well known. It may manifest earlier, concurrently orafter the appearance of MG. The effect of treatment of hyperthyroidism on the control of MG is variable. There may be resolution or conversely, deterioration of the symptoms also. We present a patient who was diagnosed to be hyperthyroid two and half years before the appearance of myasthenic symptoms. Pharmacotherapy for three months neither improved the myasthenic symptoms nor the thyroid function tests. Thymectomy resulted in control of MG as well as hyperthyroidism. In conclusion, effective control of hyperthyroidism in the presence of MG may be difficult. The authors opine that careful peri-operative management of thymectomy is possible in a hyperthyroid state.

Preoperative autologous plateletpheresis in patients undergoing open heart surgery.

Blood conservation is an important aspect of care provided to the patients undergoing cardiac operations with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). It is even more important in patients with anticipated prolonged CPB, redo cardiac surgery, patients having negative blood group and in patients undergoing emergency cardiac surgery. In prolonged CPB the blood is subjected to more destruction of important coagulation factors, in redo surgery the separation of adhesions leads to increased bleeding and difficulty in achieving the haemostasis and in patients with negative blood group and emergency operations, the availability of sufficient blood can be a problem. Harvesting the autologous platelet rich plasma (PRP) can be a useful method of blood conservation in these patients. The above four categories of patients were prospectively studied, using either autologous whole blood donation or autologous platelet rich plasma (PRP) harvest in the immediate pre-bypass period. Forty two patients were included in the study and randomly divided into two equal groups of 21 each, control group (Group I) in which one unit of whole blood was withdrawn, and PRP group (Group II) where autologous plateletpheresis was utilised. After reversal of heparin, autologous whole blood was transfused in the control group and autologous PRP was transfused in the PRP group. The chest tube drainage and the requirement of homologous blood and blood products were recorded. Average PRP harvest was 643.33 +/- 133.51 mL in PRP group and the mean whole blood donation was 333.75 +/- 79.58 mL in the control group. Demographic, preoperative and intra operative data showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups. The PRP group patients drained 26.44% less (p<0.001) and required 38.5% less homologous blood and blood products (p<0.05), in the postoperative period. Haemoglobin levels on day zero (day of operation) and day three were statistically not different between the two groups. We conclude that autologous plateletpheresis is a better method of blood conservation in terms of better haemostasis, and less requirement of blood and blood products in the postoperative period as compared with the autologous whole blood donation. This technique can be especially useful in the above-mentioned categories of patients.

Anaesthetic Considerations for Noncoronary Surgery on a Perfused Beating Heart under Cardiopulmonary Bypass.

Myocardial revascularisation on a beating heart with or without cardiopulmonary bypass has significantly reduced the incidence of cardioplegic myocardial injury. With this advantage in view, noncoronary open heart surgery was performed on a beating heart under cardiopulmonary bypass. We discuss the anaesthetic management of such cases. Thirty-three patients aged 14-56 years underwent open heart surgery on a perfused beating heart. Eleven of them underwent open mitral valvotomy, eighteen underwent mitral valve replacement, repair of atrial septal defect was performed in 3 patients and one had removal of left atrial myxoma. Cardiopulmonary bypass was instituted with aortic and bicaval cannulation. At normothermia, aorta was cross-clamped and continuous coronary perfusion was maintained through an aortic root needle at a rate of 4-6 mL/Kg/minute facilitating a beating heart. Trans-oesophageal echocardiography was routinely deployed. Anaesthetic considerations were focused towards the maintenance of the beating state of the heart, that included, strict control of electrolyte balance, maintenance of adequate perfusion pressure and ST segment monitoring. All the patients could be weaned off cardiopulmonary bypass without defibrillation or significant inotropic support. There was no operative mortality. Open heart surgery on a beating heart for non-coronary cardiac conditions appears to be a good and reproducible option to protect the myocardium from deleterious effects of cardioplegic arrest.