One-lung ventilation with a bronchial blocker through a single-lumen endotracheal tube in a small woman: A case report

One-lung ventilation with a double-lumen endotracheal tube or a Univent(R) tube may be difficult or dangerous in small patients, children, and patients with anatomic abnormalities of the airway. The use of a bronchial blocker through a single-lumen endotracheal tube has been used successfully in such situations. A 69-year-old woman was scheduled for Ivor-Lewis operation and right upper lobectomy. She could not be intubated with a internal diameter 6.0 mm Univent(R) tube owing to narrow diameter of the vocal cord. We report a successful one-lung ventilation using a Uniblocker(R) through an adult-size single-lumen endotracheal tube in a small woman, who needed postoperative ventilator care.

The effect of injection rate on etomidate-induced myoclonus / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: Etomidate frequently causes myoclonus. Since the myoclonus is caused by a transient disequilibrium due to etomidate exposure in the CNS, we hypothesized that a slow rate of injection of the drug may decrease the incidence of myoclonus. We conducted a prospective randomized study to compare the effect of two different types of the etomidate injection rate on the incidence and severity of myoclonus. METHODS: Fifty patients were randomly assigned to the fast-injection group (group F) or slow-injection group (group S): Group F patients received etomidate (0.3 mg/kg) over ten seconds. The same dose was administered over two minutes for group S patients. The response to the injection of etomidate was graded on a four-point scale in a blinded manner. The time to loss of consciousness (LOC) was also recorded. RESULTS: The incidence of myoclonus was significantly lower (P < 0.001) in group S patients; 84% and 28% in group F and group S patients, respectively. The myoclonus was also significantly less severe in group S patients (P < 0.001). The time to LOC was significantly longer in group S patients (106 +/- 22 sec) than that of group F patients (49 +/- 18 sec, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: With same dose, a slower rate of injection resulted in a lower incidence of myoclonus and can effectively reduce myoclonus without the use of a pretreatment agent.

Comparison of Hemodynamic Responses and Postoperative Courses between Sevoflurane-Remifentanil Anesthesia and Sevoflurane-Nitrous Oxide Anesthesia for Gynecologic Surgery

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to compare hemodynamic responses and postoperative courses between sevoflurane-remifentanil and sevoflurane-nitrous oxide anesthesia. METHODS: Forty ASA I or II patients undergoing gynecologic surgery were randomly assigned to receive sevoflurane-remifentanil (group R) or sevoflurane-nitrous oxide group (group N). In group R, remifentanil was continuously infused by using target-controlled infusion pump from anesthetic induction (effect-site target concentration: 4 ng/ml) to the end of surgery (1-5 ng/ml). In group N, fentanyl (2microg/kg) was administered before tracheal intubation and 50% N2O was used during anesthesia. In both groups, 2 vol% sevoflurane was used during anesthetic induction and then end-tidal sevoflurane concentrations were controlled between 1 to 3 vol% according to systolic blood pressure. We compared blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) before and after tracheal intubation and frequencies of hemodynamic aberrations between the two groups. Postoperative nausea/vomiting, sedation, pain scores at 2 and 24 hours after operation were also compared. RESULTS: Changes of BP and HR after tracheal intubation were similar in group R and group N, but MAP at 1 and 2 min after intubation was significantly decreased versus baseline MAP in group N. Intraoperative hypertensive episodes (systolic BP > 140 mmHg) were more frequent in group N compared to group R, and hypotensive episodes (SBP < 90 mm Hg) were similar in both groups. There were no differences in postoperative nausea/vomiting, sedation and pain scores. CONCLUSIONS: Sevoflurane/remifentanil anesthesia provided more stable intraoperative hemodynamic status than sevoflurane/N2O and postoperative adverse effects were similar in both groups.