Lesión hepática inducida por fármacos anestésicos / Liver injury induced by anesthetic drugs

Resumen: El daño hepático por medicamentos no es tan raro, su diagnóstico es por exclusión, en algunos casos puede inducir falla hepática aguda. Se realizó una revisión de la bibliografía de los medicamentos más utilizados en los procedimientos anestésicos y el riesgo que existe en estos medicamentos de desarrollar daño hepático por fármacos; los únicos medicamentos que tienen mayor riesgo de hepatotoxicidad son los inhalados halogenados, particularmente el halotano, ahora en desuso, el resto de los medicamentos son seguros.

Abstract: Liver damage by drugs is not so rare, its diagnosis is by exclusion, in some cases can induce acute liver failure. A review of the literature of the drugs most used in anesthetic procedures and the risk that exists of these drugs in the development of liver damage by drugs was carried out; the only drugs that have a higher risk of hepatotoxicity are halogenated inhaled ones, particularly halothane now in disuse, the rest of the drugs are safe.

Anestesia y seguridad del paciente. Un llamado urgente… / Anesthesia and patient safety. An urgent call…

Introducción: el desarrollo de la Anestesiología dio un vuelco significativo en las últimas décadas, dado fundamentalmente por el cambio de la visión y misión de la especialidad. No se trata de dormir y despertar un paciente como en los años 50 del siglo pasado. Hoy se trata de cuidar la integridad de un ser humano que entrega su vida y esto lleva implícito velar por la hipnosis, la analgesia, el bloqueo neuromuscular, el control hemodinámico, neurovegetativo y la prevención del dolor. Se trata de una especialidad con mayor alcance. Objetivo: realizar una puesta al día de las posibles causas de errorores médicos en la prevención de complicaciones anestésicas. Desarrollo: los comisionados de salud están cada vez más conscientes de los problemas inherentes a la seguridad del paciente durante algún procedimiento quirúrgico. Se han creado múltiples iniciativas como la denominada «Check List o lista de verificación quirúrgica de la OMS. Existen diferentes fuentes de riesgo, en el quirófano y se agrupan en las siguientes categorías: electrocución, quemaduras de la piel, asfixia, barotrauma, sobredosis, embolismo, fuego y aplastamiento, por solo citar algunas. Durante la anestesia, la mayoría de los errores por administración de drogas son total o parcialmente atribuidos al error humano, que es una parte inherente de la psicología humana y de la actividad, de ahí la aparición de errores sólo se puede reducir, no eliminar. Conclusiones: se hace imperioso proponer elementos objetivos que relacionen los procedimientos anestésicos con la seguridad, de la misma forma que se trata de lograr un proceder quirúrgico seguro, en un ambiente idóneo y una transfusión segura en los cuales todos estemos imbuidos en un mismo fin: velar por la integridad y la seguridad del paciente anestesiado.

Background: the development of Anesthesiology changed significantly in the last decades, mainly because of the change of vision and mission of the specialty. It does not mean to sleep and wake the patient up as in the 50´s during the last Century. Today, it is about the caring for the integrity of a human being that gives his life and this implies ensuring hypnosis, analgesia, neuromuscular block, hemodynamic and neurovegetative control and pain prevention. It is a far-reaching specialty. Objective: to perform an update of the possible causes of medical errors in the prevention of anesthetic complications Development: health commissioners are increasingly aware of the problems that are inherent in the patients' safety during a surgical procedure. Many initiatives have been created such as the called "Checklist" or WHO surgical checklist. There are different risk sources in the operating room which are grouped in the following categories: electrocution, skin burns, asphyxia, barotraumas, overdose, embolism, fire and lethargy, just to mention some of them. During anesthesia, the majority of errors in drug administration are totally or partially attributed to human error which is an inherent part in human psychology and activity; hence, the occurrence of errors can only be reduced, not eliminated. Conclusions: it is imperative to propose objective elements that relate safe anesthetic procedures; similarly, it is intended to achieve a safe surgical procedure in an ideal ambient and a safe transfusion in which all of us are imbued with the same purpose: to ensure the integrity and safety of a patient under anesthesia.

Anatomical and clinical study of the subscapular nerves

Introduction: Painful shoulder on hemiplegic patients has been associated to subscapular muscle spasticity.An alternative for treatment is based on subscapular nerve block using phenol. However, there is lack ofinformation on anatomical references for subscapular nerves blockage technique. The aim of this study wasto determine mean values and confidence intervals for maximum penetration points in order to facilitateblockage during anesthetic procedure of subscapular nerves. Material and methods: Using 30 dissected adultcadaver limbs, the medial edge of scapula and a horizontal plan to the lower edge of the bone spine wereidentified. The maximal and minimal angles of the penetration points of the subscapular nerve both above andbelow the horizontal plan were measured, as well as the minimal and maximal distances from the medial edgeof scapula. Superior and inferior bisector angles and the mean horizontal distance (in mm) were calculatedfor descriptive analysis. Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test indicated the normal distribution of the data(p > 0.05). Results: Mean superior angle was 6.63° (confidence interval 4.52-8.75), mean inferior angle was11.30° (confidence interval 8.73-13.86) and mean horizontal distance was 72.53 mm (confidence interval69.25-75.80). Conclusions: According to this data, for maximum points blocking after solution injection, theneedle should be introduced horizontally at the scapula spine level under its medial edge to a mean depth of72.53 mm. Then, the needle must be driven upwards in a 6.63° angle and later, driven downwards to form a11.30° angle with the horizontal plan. Those mean values represent 95% of the distribution.

A Case of Pulmonary Aspiration during the Anesthetic Induction in the Post Total Gastrectomy Patient / 대한구급학회지

Pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents is a feared complication of anesthetic procedures. But aspiration of intestinal contents is rare, the influences of the aspirated contents and/or the consequnt events in the airway have not been fully settled in its provacative role for causing an acute pulmonary reaction. We experienced a case of pulmonary aspiration of intestinal content. The patinet who had undergone previous total gastrectomy was planed emergency operation due to intestinal obstructon. Aspiration during anesthetic induction occurred accidentally. Immediate endotracheal intubation and suction were followed. Right chest breathing sound was coarse and then it was getting better. Although supplement of O2 by Y-piece, arterial blood gas analysis of patient revealed pH 7.30, PaCO2 36 mmHg, PaO2 58 mmHg after emegence from anesthesia in the recovery room. Chest X-ray showed the focal air space consolidation in right lower lung and ill defined pulmonary opacity in left mid lung and retrocardiac area. The measured pH of aspiration content was 7.8 and nonpathogenic Gram negative bacilli species were cutured. Frequent suction, encouraging expectoration, antimicrobial agents therapy and O2 supplementation by Y-piece were performed in the ICU. Patient normalized following 24 hrs after the episode of aspiration.