The Thai Anesthesia Incidents (THAI Study) of anesthetic risk factors related to perioperative death and perioperative cardiovascular complications in intracranial surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlations between anesthetic risk factors and perioperative cardiovascular complications as well as perioperative death within 72 hours. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This case controlled took the data from the Thai Anesthesia Incidents Study (THAI Study), a prospective multi-centered registry of anesthesia in Thailand. The authors included all the patients who received intracranial surgery from 20 hospitals throughout Thailand. The present study was divided into two groups and focused on anesthetic factors that possibly related to perioperative cardiovascular complications or perioperative death. The statistical analysis were Chi Square test and logistic regression model with the statistical significance if p-value < 0.05 demonstrated in Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: From the 7,430 patients, there were 63 patients (0.85%) with perioperative cardiovascular complication. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status 3-5 (OR 5.77, 95% CI 2.33-14.27) and the absence of anesthesiologists (OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.06-4.54) had statistical correlation with the cardiovascular complication. Eighty-four patients (1.13%) who died within 72 hours post operatively were found. The ASA physical status 3-5 (OR 10.14, 95% CI 3.42-30.02), the emergency circumstance (OR 3.55, 95% CI 1.31-9.60), and the absence of endtidal carbondioxide monitor (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.26-4.09) had statistical correlation with the perioperative death. CONCLUSION: Predictors of perioperative cardiovascular complications in intracranial surgical patients were ASA physical status 3-5 and absence of certified board anesthesiologists. Risk factors of perioperative death were ASA physical status 3-5, emergency condition, and absence or no monitoring of capnometer.

The first invasive EEG monitoring for surgical treatment of epilepsy in Thailand.

The authors report the first invasive electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring in Thailand in a patient who had intractable left temporal lobe epilepsy. The seizure origin and functioning cortices were identified The corresponding epileptogenic zone was resected without functional deficit. The patient has become seizure free 1 year since surgery. Subdural EEG monitoring with cortical stimulation have been developed at this tertiary epilepsy center The technique provides essential evidence for the surgical decision so that the best post operative outcome can be achieved.

Quality of life after successful epilepsy surgery: evaluation by occupational achievement and income acquisition.

OBJECTIVES: A comprehensive epilepsy surgery program has been developed at Chulalongkorn University Hospital, Thailand to reach an international standard level, rendering patients good surgical outcomes comparable to developed countries. After successful operation, seizure free patients have become independent, self earning or employed. However, quality of life (QOL) in terms of occupational achievement and income acquisition after epilepsy surgery has never been studied. These indicators reflect the ultimate QOL in the aspects of actual independency, intact brain functions, mental health and psycho-social interactions. The authors therefore conduct the study on improvement of QOL after successful epilepsy surgery using these parameters. MATERIAL AND METHOD: One hundred and eleven intractable epilepsy who have become seizure free to worthwhile improved (Engel class I to III) after standard presurgical evaluation and epilepsy surgery from January 2002 to December 2004 were evaluated. The patients were followed up for 3 years. The occupational status and incomes were categorized according to the ranking of the patients' functioning levels. The pre and post surgery work abilities, employment and incomes were interviewed and compared. Mc Nemar test and paired t-test were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: The average age of the 111 adults (54 males and 57 females) was 33.7 +/- 9.2 years. Eighty two percent of the patients had temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) and underwent standard anterior temporal lobectomy. The rest had tumors, cortical dysplasia or scar and received lesionectomy or cortical resection assisted by intra-operative or intra-cranial EEG. The overall seizure free rate is 83.8%. The occupational status of the subjects was shown to improve significantly after surgery from unemployed to higher categories of professional achievement (p < 0.001). The number of unemployed and no income individuals decreased from 66 to 25 cases (62.1% reduction rate) after surgery (p < 0. 001). Reciprocally, the number of persons who achieved professional jobs with regular incomes or salaries increase from 30 to 53 cases (43.4% increasing rate) (p < 0.001). The patients who have not acquired any income increment showed improvement in working ability after epilepsy surgery. The average annual incomes per capita shows the increasing rate of 45.08%, from 55,657.85 Baht (approximately U.S. dollars 1390) to 80,748.15 Baht (approximately U.S. dollars 2018), with strong statistical significance (p < 0.001). The improvement is best seen in seizure free than in non-seizure free subjects. CONCLUSION: The present study, to the authors 'knowledge, is the first to use work abilities, professional achievement and income acquisition to assess the ultimate QOL after epilepsy surgery. Most subjects have been shown to significantly improve their postoperative lives in terms of occupational accomplishment and income increment, especially in seizure free individuals. The need for expansion of epilepsy surgery is emphasized.