Postoperative reintubation after planned extubation in Thai Anesthesia Incidents Study (THAI Study).

OBJECTIVE: To analyze precipitating causes, outcomes and corrective strategies especially anesthetic related factors associated with reintubation after planned extubation in anesthetic technique of general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Incidents of reintubation after planned extubation were extracted from the Thai Anesthesia Incidents Study (THAI Study) database conducted between February 1, 2003, and January 31, 2004, and analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The total of two hundred and thirty four patients of reintubation after planned extubation (RAP) at the end of general anesthesia was reviewed in this study. The incidence of RAP was 27:10,000 and the incidence in the university hospital was similar to the tertiary and secondary care hospital. The incidence was increased in extreme age group (age < 1 and > 70 year). One hundred and fifty eight cases of RAP (67.5%) occurred in operating theater and recovery room which included 83 cases occurring within 10 minutes after extubation. The two most common primary diagnoses were upper airway obstruction and hypoventilation. Three main precipitating factors were residual effect of neuromuscular blocking and anesthetic agents (53-57%), upper airway obstruction (31%) and unstable hemodynamics (26.3%). Nearly half of RAP incidents occurring in the operating theater and recovery room were successful reextubation within six hours and 58-72 % of these two subgroups were complete recovery. The chance for prevention was more than 80% by additional training and supervision. CONCLUSION: More than 90% of RAP occurred in operating theater and recovery room were completely or partially related to anesthetic process. Incidence of RAP could be decreased by quality assurance process of recording, reporting and modeling care process together with increase individual experience.

Malignant hyperthermia: a case report in Thai Anesthesia Incidents Study (THAI Study).

A 3-year-old Thai boy underwent open reduction and internal fixation with K-wire of condylar fracture of humerus under general anesthesia. The patients developed generalized muscle regidity, masseter muscle spasm, elevated creatinine kinase, high temperature (39.3 C), inappropriate tachycardia, and arterial base excess was more than-8 mEq/L. The clinical grading scale of diagnosis of malignant hyperthermia was 58 (grade D6; almost certain malignant hyperthermia). Succinylcholine has been identified as the trigger agent, as other possible trigger agents were not involved. The treatment included hyperventilation, external cooling and cold IV fluids without administration of dantrolene. The patient fully recovered and discharged on day 12. This case report showed an incidence of malignant hyperthermia of approximated 1:150,000 in Thai Anesthesia Incidents Study (THAI Study).