Comparison of Postoperative Pain Control Methods in Patients with Spinal Stenosis after Posterior Spinal Decompression

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. OBJECTIVES: This study compared the early postoperative analgesic effects and the postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) associated with 3 methods of pain control after posterior spinal decompression. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Spinal surgery causes severe postoperative pain. Efficient and safe methods for postoperative analgesia after spinal surgery are necessary. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To determine the clinical symptoms and to assess improvements in postoperative pain, 52 patients in whom single-level posterior lumbar decompression was planned were randomly assigned to 3 groups. For postoperative pain control, 18 patients received a preoperative single-shot epidural injection (SEI), 16 patients received a postoperative continuous epidural injection (CEI), and 18 patients received only postoperative intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA). Patient ratings of pain intensity (visual analog scale score from 0 [no pain] to 10 [most severe pain]), nausea (from 0 [no nausea] to 5 [severe nausea]), and vomiting (from 0 [no vomiting] to 5 [severe vomiting]) were recorded immediately after the operation and at 4 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, and 2 days postoperatively. RESULTS: The CEI group showed significantly enhanced analgesic effects, followed by the SEI group and the IV PCA group (p < 0.05). PONV due to postoperative pain control was more severe in the IV PCA group than in the other 2 groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Continuous epidural injection (CEI) is effective for postoperative pain control and minimizes the occurrence of PONV after posterior spinal decompression.

Comparison of Postoperative Pain Control Methods in Patients with Spinal Stenosis after Posterior Spinal Decompression

OBJECTIVES@#This study compared the early postoperative analgesic effects and the postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) associated with 3 methods of pain control after posterior spinal decompression.SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Spinal surgery causes severe postoperative pain. Efficient and safe methods for postoperative analgesia after spinal surgery are necessary.@*MATERIALS AND METHODS@#To determine the clinical symptoms and to assess improvements in postoperative pain, 52 patients in whom single-level posterior lumbar decompression was planned were randomly assigned to 3 groups. For postoperative pain control, 18 patients received a preoperative single-shot epidural injection (SEI), 16 patients received a postoperative continuous epidural injection (CEI), and 18 patients received only postoperative intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA). Patient ratings of pain intensity (visual analog scale score from 0 [no pain] to 10 [most severe pain]), nausea (from 0 [no nausea] to 5 [severe nausea]), and vomiting (from 0 [no vomiting] to 5 [severe vomiting]) were recorded immediately after the operation and at 4 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, and 2 days postoperatively.@*RESULTS@#The CEI group showed significantly enhanced analgesic effects, followed by the SEI group and the IV PCA group (p < 0.05). PONV due to postoperative pain control was more severe in the IV PCA group than in the other 2 groups (p < 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Continuous epidural injection (CEI) is effective for postoperative pain control and minimizes the occurrence of PONV after posterior spinal decompression.

Anesthetic considerations in a child with Sotos syndrome: A case report

Sotos syndrome is a rare sporadic genetic disorder characterized by pathognomonic facial features, motor developmental delay induced by hypotonia, learning difficulties, and cardiac and renal anomalies. This report describes the case of a 4-year-old child with Sotos syndrome who underwent a right hydrocelectomy under general anesthesia. We report our experience with airway management, choice of anesthetic drugs, and other anesthetic implications in Sotos syndrome.

Effect of Pressurized Cement Insertion on Cardiopulmonary Parameters during Cemented Hip Hemiarthroplasty: A Randomized Prospective Study / 대한고관절학회지

PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate the cardiopulmonary effects of pressurized cement insertion in elderly patients undergoing cemented hip hemiarthroplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a randomized prospective study on elderly patients undergoing cemented hip hemiarthroplasty. Patients were divided into pressurized and non-pressurized groups based on the pressure application during cement insertion. We measured mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), arterial blood gases and serotonin concentration in blood. These variables were measured before bone cement insertion, and 3 and 5 minute after insertion. They were also measured immediately and 15 minutes after reduction. RESULTS: In cemented hip hemiarthroplasty, there were no significant change in MAP (P=0.92), SBP (P=0.85), DBP (P=0.98), HR (P=0.97) and serotonin concentration over time. There were no statistically significant difference between the two groups in MAP, SBP, DBP, HR, PO2, PaCO2, SaO2 and serotonin concentration, though three minutes after cement insertion, both groups showed decreases in SBP, DBP and MBP. CONCLUSION: The pressurization method in cemented hip hemiarthroplasty was not found to be related with development of bone cement syndromes in elderly patients.

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy after general anesthesia for total gastrectomy: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy, which is also known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, is a cardiac syndrome of a transient, reversible left ventricular dysfunction that is caused by emotional and/or physical stress and surgery. Its clinical manifestations are similar to those of myocardial ischemia without a coronary artery lesion. Stress-induced cardiomyopathy is more common in middle-aged women, and the prognosis is favorable. We report the case of a 50-year-old female patient who underwent a total gastrectomy and developed stress-induced cardiomyopathy after surgery.

Cricoarytenoid Subluxation after Tracheal Intubation: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

Arytenoid cartilage displacement (dislocation and subluxation) following endotracheal intubation is a rare event. Recognition of its occurrence and subsequent treatment are important to prevent longterm consequences. A 44-year-old healthy woman was admitted for total thyroidectomy and isthmusectomy. Anesthesia was induced and a number 7 cuffed endotracheal tube with a stylet was inserted under direct vision after two unsuccessful attempts without a stylet. The trachea was extubated without any difficulty in the recovery room after the surgery. About 8 hours later, the patient complained odynophagea, dysphagea, dysphonia and hoarseness. Indirect laryngoscopy and videolaryngotelescopy at the otolaryngology department revealed anterior subluxation of both cricoarytenoid cartilages with poor mobility and edema on the vocal cords. A follow-up indirect laryngoscopic examination performed after 5 days of conservative trearment showed return of the voice quality with slightly reduced mobility on the left vocal cord.

Nasal Mask BiPAP for the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Kyphoscoliosis / 대한마취과학회지

Chronic fatigue of the respiratory muscles has contributed to the decreased ventilatory capacity and reduced excercise tolerance of individuals with COPD, especially in kyphoscoliosis. Nasal mask BiPAP has been shown to be useful for the patient with nocturnal muscle fatigue and COPD. A 35-year-old man with severe kyphoscoliosis was admitted to ICU due to acute respiratory failure. He had been diagnosed of COPD and had been intubated with mechanical ventilatory support for 7 times. This time he was intubated with ventilatory support, too, in ICU and readmitted to the ICU for severe hypoxemia and hypercarbia from general ward. Thereafter he refused the intubation. Nasal mask BiPAP ventilatory support system was applied and IPAP, EPAP level being adjusted to the 12, 4 cmH2O under monitoring vital signs and arterial blood gas analysis. His condition was improved and discharged home with support of nasal mask BiPAP system after 33 day-stay in the ICU.

Upper Airway Obstruction & Brachial Plexus Injury Occurred after Microvascular Decompression under Fukushima Lateral Position: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

A 25 years old woman was adrnitted to the department of neurosurgery for a right hemifacial spasm. She was undertaken microvascular decompression in the Fukushima lateral position. Following completion of operation, she began to complain of dyspnea, but the phonation was not changed. Mild weakness and paresthesia on left upper extremity was complained, too. Severe swelling on the left side of face and neck expending to left shoulder was noted simultaneously. Immediate computerized tomography was taken to reveal the cause of respiratory distress, which suggested that venous and/or lymphatic congestion on the left side of neck. As respiratory distress was getting more severe, emergent tracheostomy was taken. The cause of above symptoms was suspected to an extreme rotation and flexion of the head resulting in direct contact of mandibular body to clavicle. A month after operation, there was still remained mild paresthesia on left thumb and index finger.