Diagnosis and treatment of nerve injury following venipuncture - A report of two cases -

Background@#Venipuncture is one of the one of the most commonly performed, minimally-invasive procedures; however, it may lead to peripheral nerve injury. Here, we describe the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of two self-reported cases of nerve injury during venipuncture with the aim of drawing attention to possible needle-related nerve injuries.Case: Two anesthesiologists in our hospital experienced an injury of the lateral antebrachial cutaneous branch of the musculocutaneous nerve during venipuncture. Immediately, they underwent ultrasound examinations and nerve blocks with oral medication, resulting in full recovery. @*Conclusions@#Ultrasonography is important for the early and confirmative diagnosis of a nerve injury during venipuncture, and for immediate treatment with a nerve block. Moreover, it is imperative for both the practitioner and the patient to be aware of the possible complication of nerve injury after venipuncture.

Anesthesia safety standards for operating rooms of small hospitals and surgery clinics

Access to surgical care and essential anesthesia is an integral part of universal health coverage. Also, increasing access to surgical care depends on a parallel increase in access to safe anesthesia. Today, five billion people (more than two-thirds of the world’s population) still do not have adequate, quality surgery and anesthesia care at the right time. Therefore, the World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists and the World Health Organization developed the International Standards for Safe Practice of Anesthesia. The standards include the following components, which are essential for the safety of patients undergoing surgical procedures: professional expertise, facilities and equipment, medications and intravenous fluids, monitoring, and anesthesia. In this article, it is emphasized that wherever and whenever possible, anesthesia should be provided, led, or overseen by an anesthesiologist. It is also strongly recommended that essential equipment is in place and adequate training to handle it safely has been provided. Unfortunately, some operating rooms of small hospitals and clinics does not meet the above standards. It may be difficult for each hospital to manage autonomously due to the lack of a unified checklist for essential standardized requirements. By introducing appropriate anesthesia safety standards in the operating rooms of small hospitals and surgery clinics, it will be possible to increase patient safety during surgery performed under general anesthesia, deep sedation, moderate sedation, or regional anesthesia. Through this process, it is expected that the mortality and morbidity rate of unexpected surgery patients can be minimized.

The first case of vaginal angiomatoid Spitz nevus causing vaginal bleeding

Angiomatoid Spitz nevus is a variant of melanocytic nevus with prominent vasculature. Due to its pathologic features, angiomatoid Spitz nevus in the vaginal wall is extremely rare. A 42-year-old woman presented to the hospital with abnormal vaginal bleeding. Vaginal examination revealed a 2×2-cm well-demarcated tumor on the posterior wall of the vagina. The mass was successfully removed by complete excision and was diagnosed as angiomatoid Spitz nevus on pathologic examination. We present the first reported case of vaginal angiomatoid Spitz nevus, which caused vaginal bleeding. Although angiomatoid Spitz nevus has many histopathological similarities with malignant melanoma, precise histopathological diagnosis is important for preventing overtreatment.

Laparoscopic total extraperitoneal hernia repair of fallopian tube indirect inguinal hernia in reproductive aged woman: a case report

An indirect inguinal hernia containing the fallopian tube alone is extremely rare in reproductive-aged women without any genital tract anomalies. Despite this rarity, early diagnosis and adequate management is important to prevent strangulation and recurrence. We present a case of an indirect inguinal hernia containing only the fallopian tube in the hernia sac, which was successfully reduced by using a laparoscopic total extraperitoneal approach and repaired with a polypropylene mesh.

Female with 46, XY karyotype

Disorders of sex development (DSD) are congenital conditions characterized by atypical development of chromosomal, gonadal, and phenotypic sex. 46, XY DSD can result from disorders of testicular development or disorders of androgen synthesis/action. Prophylactic gonadectomy should be considered in patients with 46, XY DSD because of the increased risk of gonadal malignancy. We report two rare cases of 46, XY DSD, including XY pure gonadal dysgenesis and complete androgen insensitivity syndrome, who underwent a prophylactic gonadectomy.

Microscopic Polyangiitis Presenting with Intracerebral Hemorrhage and Cerebral Infarction

No abstract available.

Comparison of the streamlined liner of the pharynx airway (SLIPA™) with the I-gel™ in paralyzed, anesthetized patients

BACKGROUND: I-gel™ and Streamlined Liner of the Pharynx Airway (SLIPA™) are the second generation supraglottic airway devices characterized by disposability and non-inflatable cuff that provide adequate sealing pressure and easy use. This study was designed to compare oro-pharyngeal leakage pressure of the I-gel™ with the SLIPA™. METHODS: Seventy-eight adult patients were randomly assigned to undergo general anesthesia with either I-gel™ or SLIPA™. Hemodynamic changes and Oro-pharyngeal leakage pressure were assessed at one minute after the insertion. The total insertion time, number of attempts, ease of insertion, and presence of blood staining and regurgitation were recorded. After surgery, postoperative sore throat and other complications (dysphonia, dysphagia or paresthesia of tongue) were evaluated. RESULTS: Oro-pharyngeal leakage pressure after device insertion was higher in the SLIPA™ group than the I-gel™ group. Insertion time was significantly shorter in the I-gel™ group than the SLIPA™ group. Blood staining was presented in 21.1% of the SLIPA™ group vs. 2.6% of the I-gel™ group. In the recovery room, postoperative sore throat measured in visual rating scale (VAS) was significantly higher in the SLIPA™ group than in the I-gel™ group. Ease of insertion, regurgitation, respiratory index and hemodynamic change after insertion showed no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the SLIPA™ devices provided higher oro-pharyngeal leakage pressure than I-gel™. However, the results verified ease of insertion, and safety of ventilation and hemodynamic changes, without any severe complications in both I-gel™ and SLIPA™.

Accidental middle turbinectomy by nasotracheal intubation: A case report

Nasotracheal intubation is an anesthetic technique widely used for maxillofacial surgery. It has the advantage of easier access to the surgical site to surgeon. However, when the nasothracheal intubation is performed a few complications may occur, such as nasal mucosa damage, epistaxis, sinusitis by sinus drainage occlusion and transient bacteremia. In addition, concha bullosa is a common anatomic variant of the middle turbinate, which is pneumatized, and very susceptible to trauma. We report a case of accidental middle turbinectomy by nasotracheal intubation, in the patient who had bilateral concha bullosa.

Postoperative pain management

The importance of perioperative pain management (POPM) has recently drawn increased attention, and pain is considered to be a fifth vital sign in some healthcare institutions in Korea. Developments in POPM over the years include patient-controlled analgesia, multimodal analgesia and the establishment of acute pain service units. Over time, the prevalent approach of preemptive analgesia has changed to one of preventive analgesia. Recently developed guidelines for POPM emphasize the importance of multimodal analgesia. Using more than two analgesic drugs that have different mechanisms or act on different receptors is more effective in postoperative pain control and is associated with reduced incidence of adverse effects. In addition, multimodal analgesia involves routes of administration other than oral and intravenous, such as central regional analgesia and peripheral nerve blocks. While developments in the technological and pharmacological approaches to multimodal analgesia continue to occur, new challenges have arisen, such as chronic post-surgical pain and acute neuropathic pain in acute pain service units. Despite the existence of many guidelines for POPM, many patients continue to complain of pain after surgery. Evidence-based, procedure-specific pain management represents a promising new concept. POPM must be considered as part of a process aimed at achieving fast-track surgery that facilitates early discharge and more rapid resumption of normal activities of living. Here, we review the recent guidelines and discuss possible causes of insufficient postoperative pain control.

The changes of non-invasive hemoglobin and perfusion index of Pulse CO-Oximetry during induction of general anesthesia / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: We hypothesized that induction of general anesthesia using sevoflurane improves the accuracy of non-invasive hemoglobin (SpHb) measurement of Masimo Radical-7(R) Pulse CO-Oximetry by inducing peripheral vasodilation and increasing the perfusion index (PI). The aim of this study is to investigate the change in the SpHb and the PI measured by Rad7 during induction of general anesthesia using sevoflurane. METHODS: The laboratory hemoglobin (Hb(lab)) was measured before surgery by venous blood sampling. The SpHb and the PI was measured twice; before and after the induction of general anesthesia using sevoflurane. The changes of SpHb, Hb(bias) (Hb(bias) = SpHb - Hb(lab)), and PI before and after the induction of general anesthesia were analyzed using a paired t-test. Also, a Pearson correlation coefficient analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the Hb(bias) and the PI. RESULTS: The SpHb and the PI were increased after the induction of general anesthesia using sevoflurane. There was a statistically significant change in the Hb(bias) from -2.8 to -0.7 after the induction of general anesthesia. However, the limit of agreement (2 SD) of the Hb(bias) did not change after the induction of general anesthesia. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the Hb(bias) and the PI was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: During induction of general anesthesia using sevoflurane, the accuracy of SpHb measurement was improved and precision was not changed. The correlation between Hb(bias) and PI was not significant.

Anesthetic management of laparoscopic pheochromocytoma excision in a patient with a Fontan circulation: a case report / 대한마취과학회지

An 18-year-old male with a Fontan circulation underwent excision of a pheochromocytoma after conversion from laparoscopic surgery. The pneumoperitoneum established for laparoscopic surgery may have adverse effects on the Fontan circulation, because it increases the intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), intra-thoracic pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, and systemic vascular resistance (SVR), and decreases cardiac preload and cardiac output. Meticulous monitoring is also required during carbon dioxide exsufflation, because a rapid decrease in IAP can provoke hemodynamic deterioration by decreasing venous return and SVR. Furthermore, catecholamines released by the pheochromocytoma can worsen the hemodynamic status of Fontan circulation during surgery. Therefore, sophisticated intraoperative anesthetic care is required during laparoscopic pheochromocytoma excision in patients with a Fontan circulation.

The effect of lidocaine on apoptotic neurodegeneration in the developing mouse brain / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: General anesthetics induce neuronal apoptosis in the immature brain. Regional anesthesia using local anesthetics can be an alternative to general anesthesia. Therefore, this study investigated the possible effect of lidocaine on neuronal apoptosis. METHODS: Fifty-one 7-day-old C57BL6 mice were allocated into control (group C), lidocaine (group L), lidocaine plus midazolam (group LM) and isoflurane (group I) groups. Group C received normal saline administration. Groups L and LM were injected with lidocaine (4 mg/kg, subcutaneously) only and the same dose of lidocaine plus midazolam (9 mg/kg, subcutaneously). Group I was exposed to 0.75 vol% isoflurane for 6 h. After 6 h, apoptotic neurodegeneration was assessed using caspase-3 immunostaining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) staining. RESULTS: For the entire brain section, neuronal cells exhibiting caspase-3 activation were observed more frequently in group I than in group C (P < 0.001). In the thalamus, apoptosis of group L was more frequent than that of group C (P < 0.001), but less freqent than that of groups LM and I (P = 0.0075 and P < 0.001, respectively). In the cortex, group I experienced more apoptosis than group L and C (all Ps < 0.001). On TUNEL staining, the difference in apoptosis between the lidocaine and control groups was marginal (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Lidocaine induced minimal apoptosis in the developing brain compared with isoflurane and lidocaine plus midazolam. However, we cannot fully exclude the possible adverse effect of subcutaneously administered lidocaine on the developing brain.

Ultrasound-Assisted Mental Nerve Block and Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment for Intractable Postherpetic Neuralgia: Three Case Studies

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is one of the most difficult pain syndromes to treat. Invasive treatments may be considered when patients fail to obtain adequate pain relief from noninvasive treatment approaches. Here, we present three cases of PHN in the mandibular branch treated with ultrasound-assisted mental nerve block and pulsed radiofrequency treatment. None of the patients had adequate pain relief from the medical therapy, so we performed the mental nerve block on the affected side under ultrasound assistance. Two patients showed satisfactory pain relief continuously over 12 months without any further interventions, whereas one patient only had short-term pain relief. For the patient had short-term pain relief we performed pulsed radiofrequency treatment (PRFT) on the left mental nerve under ultrasound assistance. After PRFT, the patient had adequate pain relief for 6 months and there was no need for further management.

Application of the continuous autotransfusion system (CATS) to prevent transfusion-related hyperkalemia following hyperkalemic cardiac arrest in an infant: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

Transfusion-induced hyperkalemia can lead to cardiac arrest, especially when the patient rapidly receives a large amount of red blood cells (RBCs), previously stored for a long period of time, irradiated or both. We report on a case of application of the Continuous AutoTransfusion System (CATS) to wash RBCs, in order to lower the high potassium (K+) level in the packed RBCs unit, during massive transfusion following transfusion-induced hyperkalemic cardiac arrest. After the washing process using CATS, there was no more electrocardiographic abnormality or cardiac arrest due to hyperkalemia. This case emphasizes the potential risk to develop transfusion-related hyperkalemic cardiac arrest, during massive transfusion of irradiated, pre-stored RBCs. CATS can be effectively used to lower the K+ concentration in the packed RBCs unit, especially when the risk of transfusion-induced hyperkalemia is high.

The influence of DNA polymorphism of multidrug resistant 1 (MDR1) on the effect of midazolam pretreatment in children / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: Patients showed a different response following intravenous midazolam injection. Some children showed irritability or were not sedated by midazolam. We hypothesized that there may be genetic variations of the MDR1 gene, based on the response to midazolam. METHODS: One hundred and ninety-three pediatric patients were recruited in this study. Midazolam (0.1 mg/kg) was injected intravenously before surgery. Anxiety score (activity, vocalizations, emotional expressivity, state of apparent arousal) was checked before and 5 minutes after midazolam injection. In addition, other manifestations after midazolam injection were recorded. After anesthesia, 2 ml of blood was sampled. Children were genotyped MDR1. Haplotype was analyzed using the software package PHASE, version 2.0. RESULTS: The observed frequencies of MDR1 haplotype of TTT, TGC, CAC, CGC were 0.334, 0.205, 0.182 and 0.225, respectively. There was no significant correlation between the response of midazolam and the MDR1 haplotype of TTT, TGC, CAC or CGC (P = 0.98). CONCLUSIONS: Genotyping of MDR1 may not be related to the response of midazolam in children.

Cervicogenic headache arising from hidden metastasis to cervical lymph node adjacent to the superficial cervical plexus: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

The differential diagnosis of headache is often difficult because the symptom of headache is overlapping. Superficial cervical plexus block is useful in diagnosis and treatment of headache. Headache arising from the neck and radiating to the frontotemporal regions and possibly to the supraorbital region has been defined as cervicogenic headache. A positive response to anesthetic blocks is one of the diagnostic criteria of cervicogenic headache. We experienced a case of headache arising from direct lymph node metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma adjacent to the superficial cervical plexus during treatment of cervicogenic headache under ultrasonographic guidance. Especially in patients with medical history of cancer, practitioners should consider the possibility of metastasis to cervical lymph nodes and using ultrasonography to evaluate the cervical area prior to the practice.

AN EFFECT OF COMBINATION WITH ARTHROCENTESIS AND STABILIZATION SPLINT TREATMENT ON TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DISORDER PATIENT

Prolonged paradoxical air embolism during intraoperative intestinal endoscopy confirmed by transesophageal echocardiography: A case report- / 대한마취과학회지

Venous air embolism (VAE) during intestinal endoscopy is a rare complication. We report a case of cardiovascular collapse due to VAE confirmed by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) during intraoperative intestinal endoscopy. TEE detected air bubbles in the left ventricle up to 1 hour after the event. When a patient deteriorates during endoscopic procedures, VAE and possible paradoxical air embolism (PAE) should be suspected. This case demonstrates that TEE can play an important role in diagnosing and managing an air embolism in anesthetized patients. In addition, this case demonstrates that PAEs may occur longer than expected after recovery from VAE-induced cardiovascular collapse.

Endoscopic approach for treatment of dentigerous cyst in maxillary sinus

The effects of tooth movement after corticotomy on the surrounding bone of upper molar in rats

The aim of this study is to examine the change of the osteoclastic activity in the surrounding bone with or without tooth movement after corticotomy by histologic study. Eighteen male Sprague Dawley rats with an average body weight of 300 g(range 250-350 g) were used. The rats were divided into three groups of six animals. They were operated corticotomy-assisted tooth movement and killed after 1 week, 2 weeks, and 3 weeks after tooth movement. Corticotomy was done in the surrounding of the both upper first molar. A split mouth design was used by referring to the contralateral side as control. After flap suturing, the upper left first molar was moved anteriorly by closed coil spring. The force applied was 1 N. The average of tooth movement of the 1 week group was 0.24+/-0.09 mm, 0.20+/-0.26 mm in 2 weeks group and 0.41+/-0.39 mm in 3 weeks group, respectively. The difference between the 1 week and the 2 weeks groups was very small to compare with the 3 weeks group. In the treatment group, the average numbers of cells that positively reacted to TRAP were 14.5 in the 1 week group, 12.0 in the 2 weeks group, and 6.0 in the 3 weeks group. In the control group, the numbers were 8.3 in the 1 week group, 12.8 in the 2 week group, and 1.5 in the 3 week group, respectively. The amount of tooth movement of the 3 week group was about twice as large as those of the 1 week and 2 week groups. From the standpoint of histology, the average number of cells that positively reacted to TRAP was initially larger in the treatment group than in the control group, similar in both group in 2 weeks, and became less in the treatment group in 3 weeks. Additionally, in the control group, their activity of osteoclast was higher in 2 weeks than in 1 week, and decreased rapidly in 3 weeks.