Spinal anaesthesia in a case of kyphoscoliosis.

Kyphoscoliosis is forward and lateral bending of the spine commonly affecting the dorsal and lumbar spine. Spinal deformities are likely to be associated with physiologic derangements in cardiac and pulmonary function and may cause difficulties with both tracheal intubation and regional anaesthesia. Due to problems associated with respiratory system, spinal anaesthesia is used widely, though technically difficult. We present a case of thoracolumbar kyphoscoliosis posted for cystolithotomy successfully managed with spinal anaesthesia.

Litiasis vesical gigante / Giant bladder calculus

Las litiasis vesicales de gran tamaño son infrecuentes. Se manifiestan clínicamente por sepsis urinaria a repetición, polaquiuria y estranguria. Se presenta un nuevo caso de litiasis vesical gigante, así como aspectos de su diagnóstico y tratamiento. La paciente de 64 años de edad, asistió a la consulta y refirió padecer de infecciones urinarias reiteradas, incontinencia por urgencia miccional y dolor posmiccional en hipogastrio y uretra. Tenía el antecedente de haber sido operada, siete meses atrás, de un prolapso uterino total por vía vaginal. En el cultivo de orina se aisló Escherichia coli y, en el ultrasonido abdominal, se detectó una litiasis vesical de gran tamaño, la cual se confirmó en la radiografía simple de la pelvis. Se le realizó la cistolitotomía retropúbica, extrayéndose una litiasis de 9 x 6 x 5 cm de tamaño y 186 g de peso. La paciente evolucionó favorablemente con la desaparición total de los síntomas. La litiasis vesical gigante es rara, pero se debe sospechar en pacientes con síntomas urinarios sépticos e irritativos bajos persistentes. El ultrasonido del tracto urinario y la radiografía simple de la pelvis, son suficientes para establecer el diagnóstico de certeza. La cistolitotomía continúa siendo el tratamiento de elección de esta afección.

Giant bladder calculi are uncommon. Their clinical manifestations are recurrent urinary sepsis, polachiuria and strangury. A new case is presented of giant bladder calculus, as well as aspects of its diagnosis and treatment. A 64-year-old female patient attended consultation and stated that she suffered from recurrent urinary infection, urinary urgency incontinence and hypogastric and urethral post-miction pain. Seven months before she had undergone surgery for total uterine prolapse via the vagina. Escherichia coli was isolated from the urine culture, and abdominal ultrasonography revealed a large bladder calculus, which was confirmed by simple pelvic radiography. Retropubic cystolithotomy resulted in the removal of a 9 x 6 x 5 cm, 186 g calculus. The patient evolved favorably with total disappearance of all symptoms. Giant bladder calculus is a rare condition which should be suspected in patients with persistent irritative symptoms of lower urinary sepsis. Urinary-tract ultrasonography and simple pelvic radiography are sufficient to establish the certainty diagnosis. Cystolithotomy continues to be the treatment of choice for this condition.

Outpatient bladder stone surgery

From January to September, 1991, a total of 17 patients who underwent cystolithotomy and/or cystolithololapaxy in our institution were studied. In eight of these patients, the procedure was done on out-patient basis. This was compared with the nine patients who were confined for the same procedure. Results showed that out-patient cystolithotomy and cystolitholapaxy is as safe and as efficient as those done on in-patient basis. Moreover, out-patient cystolithotomy and cystolitholapaxy is more economical and is generally accepted by the patients. (Author)