Anesthetic management of patients undergoing extra-anatomic renal bypass surgery for renovascular hypertension.

Renal artery disease is the most common cause for surgically curable form of hypertension. In a small subset of patients with severe aortic disease where the aorta is not suitable for endovascular technique and to provide an arterial inflow, an extra-anatomic renal bypass surgery (EARBS) is an option. Anesthetic management of such procedures has not been described so far in the literature. We retrospectively analyzed the anesthetic techniques used in all patients who underwent EARBS between February 1998 and June 2008 at this institute. We also further analyzed data concerning blood pressure (BP) control and renal function response following surgery as outcome variable measures. A total of 11 patients underwent EARBS during this period. Five received oral clonidine with premedication. During laryngoscopy, esmolol was used in 4 patients, while lignocaine was used in remaining 7 patients. Of 11 patients, 7 showed significant hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and intubation; among these, one had oral clonidine with premedicant, and 6 received lignocaine just before laryngoscopy. Intravenous vasodilators were used to maintain target BP within 20% of baseline during perioperative period. All patients received renal protective measures. During follow-up, 10% were considered cured, 70% had improved BP response, while 20% failed to show improvement in BP response. Renal functions improved in 54.5%, remain unchanged in 36.5%, and worsened in 9% of patients. Use of clonidine during premedication and esmolol before laryngoscopy were beneficial in attenuating hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy, while use of vasodilators to maintain target BP within 20% of baseline, and routine use of renal protective measures appear to be promising in patients undergoing EARBS.

Anesthetic management for surgical repair of Ebstein's anomaly along with coexistent Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in a patient with severe mitral stenosis.

Ebstein's anomaly (EA) is the most common cause of congenital tricuspid regurgitation. The associated anomalies commonly seen are atrial septal defect or patent foramen ovale and accessory conduction pathways. Its association with coexisting mitral stenosis (MS) has uncommonly been described. The hemodynamic consequences and anesthetic implications, of a combination of EA and rheumatic MS, have not so far been discussed in the literature. We report successful anesthetic management of a repair of EA and mitral valve replacement in a patient with coexisting Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome.

Anesthesia for awake craniotomy: A retrospective study.

Context: Awake craniotomy is increasingly performed the world over. We share our experience of performing craniotomy awake with our anesthetic protocol. Aims: To evaluate and analyze the anesthesia records of the patients who underwent awake craniotomy at our institution. Settings and Design: University teaching hospital, Retrospective study. Materials and Methods: We reviewed records of the 42 consecutive patients who underwent awake craniotomy under conscious sedation using Fentanyl and Propofol infusion until December 2005. The drugs were titrated (Bispectral monitoring was used in 16 patients) to facilitate intermittent intraoperative neurological testing. All patients received scalp blocks with a mixture of bupivacaine and lignocaine with adrenaline. Haloperidol and ondansetron were administered in all patients at induction of anesthesia. Results: All patients completed the procedure. One patient each needed endotracheal intubation and LMA for airway control during closure, while another required CPAP perioperatively because of desaturation to < 80%. There was significantly decreased use of anesthetics (P < 0.001) and a trend towards reduction in complications (e.g. respiratory depression and deep sedation) (P> 0.05) with the use of BIS as compared to without BIS. Intraoperative complications were hypertension (19%), tight brain (14.2%), focal seizure (9.5%) respiratory depression (7.1%), deep sedation (7.1%), tachycardia (7.1%) and bradycardia. Two patients desaturated to < 95%. 23.8% patients developed transient neurological deficits. The most frequent postoperative complications were PONV (19%) and seizures (16.6%). Conclusions: With the use of advanced monitoring and newer anesthetics, awake craniotomy is a relatively safe procedure with an accepted rate of complications.

Anesthesia and intracranial arteriovenous malformation.

Anesthetic management of intracranial arteriovenous malformation (AVM) poses multiple challenges to the anesthesiologist in view of its complex and poorly understood pathophysiology and multiple modalities for its treatment involving different sub-specialties. The diagnosis of AVM is based on clinical presentation as well as radiological investigation. Pregnant patients with intracranial AVM and neonates with vein of Galen malformation may also pose a special challenge and require close attention. Despite technological advancement, reported morbidity or mortality after AVM treatment remains high and largely depends on age of the patient, recruitment of perforating vessels, its size, location in the brain, history of previous bleed and post-treatment hyperemic complication. Anesthetic management includes a thorough preoperative visit with meticulous planning based on different modalities of treatment including anesthesia for radiological investigation. Proper attention should be directed while transporting the patient for the procedure. Protection of the airway, adequate monitoring, and maintaining neurological and cardiovascular stability, and the patient's immobility during the radiological procedures, appreciation and management of various complications that can occur during and after the procedure and meticulous ICU management is essential.

Ondansetron in prophylaxis of postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing breast surgery: a placebo-controlled double blind study.

The present study was to evaluate the efficacy of ondansetron, 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, versus placebo in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in a homogenous group of female patients undergoing breast reduction surgery under general anaesthesia. Approximately one hour before skin closure, 70 patients were randomly divided into two groups of 35 each. In a double blind manner each group of patients received either intravenous ondansetron (4mg) or a matching placebo. The overall incidences of PONV during first 24-hour were 60% and 20% in placebo and ondansetron group respectively (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference after 24-hour postoperatively. In placebo group 42.9% of patients received rescue anti-emetic (metoclopramide) for the treatment of severe PONV (ie, 2 or more episodes of PONV), whereas, only 8.6% patients were administered such intervention in the ondansetron group (p<0.05). It is, therefore, concluded that prophylactic administration of intravenous ondansetron (4mg) one hour before skin closure is safe and effective in preventing PONV in female patients undergoing breast surgery and routine use of ondansetron in the patient population is recommended.