An anesthetic experience in a patient with Stickler sydrome: A case report

Stickler syndrome is a connective tissue dysplasia disorder with characteristic midface hypoplasia, retromicrognathia, cleft palate, and a moon-shaped appearance. Incidence of the syndrome is estimated at around 1/10000 and the disorder is considered to be caused by mutations in the COL2A1, COL11A1, COL11A2, COL9A1 procollagen genes of type 2 and 11 collagen. Patients with a mandibular hypoplasia like Stickler syndrome present the anesthesiologist with considerable problems when mask ventilation or endotracheal intubation is attempted. We report a successful anesthetic experience, including blind endotracheal intubation with rigid laryngoscope without neuromuscular blockade, in a 9-year-old boy with Stickler syndrome for scleral buckling with cryotherapy.

Anesthetic experience for performing a cesarean section for a woman with refractory status epilepticus: A case report

The occurrence of seizure increases 15-30% in women who become pregnant while being treated for epilepsy, due to pharmacological changes in the antiepileptic drugs and, changes in the emotional status and hormones. It is reported that 1-2% of pregnant women experience status epilepticus. When refractory status epilepticus occurs in a pregnant woman, parturition may be an important method of treatment. We report here on a case of a 28 weeks pregnant woman who had epilepsy for 21 years and she had status epilepticus in a refractory status and so she underwent general anesthesia for cesarean section.

A comparative study on the usefulness of the Glidescope or Macintosh laryngoscope when intubating normal airways / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: The Glidescope Videolaryngoscope (GVL) is a newly developed video laryngoscope. It offers a significantly improved laryngeal view and facilitates endotracheal intubation in difficult airways, but it is controversial in that it offers an improved laryngeal view in normal airways as well. And the price of GVL is expensive. We hypothesized that intubation carried out by fully experienced anesthesiologists using the GVL with appropriate pre-anesthetic preparations offers an improved laryngeal view and shortened intubation time in normal airways. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the GVL with the Macintosh laryngoscope in normal airways and to determine whether GVL can substitute the Macintosh laryngoscope. METHODS: This study included 60 patients with an ASA physical status of class 1 or 2 requiring tracheal intubation for elective surgery. All patients were randomly allocated into two groups, GVL (group G) or Macintosh (group M). ADS (airway difficulty score) was recorded before induction of anesthesia. The anesthesiologist scored vocal cord visualization using the percentage of glottic opening (POGO) visible and the subjective ease of intubation on a visual analogue scale (VAS). The time required to intubate was recorded by an assistant. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in POGO when using the GVL (P < 0.05). However, there was no difference in the time required for a successful tracheal intubation using the GVL compared with the Macintosh laryngoscope. The VAS score on the ease of intubation was significantly lower for the GVL than for the Macintosh laryngoscope (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: GVL could be a first-line tool in normal airways.

Awake Glidescope(R) intubation in a patient with a huge and fixed supraglottic mass: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

Intubating patients with a huge, fixed supraglottic mass causing an obstruction of the glottis is difficult to most anesthesiologists. We attempted awake fiberoptic orotracheal intubation assisted by Glidescope(R) Videolaryngoscope (GVL) following topical anesthesia with 4% lidocaine spray and remifentanil infusion. The glottis could not be identified by the GVL view. However, by entering toward the right side of the mass with bronchoscope, the glottis was found. Due to stiffness of the mass, we were unable to further enter the area using the bronchoscope. Alternatively, we attempted to expose the glottis by GVL blade and then successfully intubated the patient by manually pressing the cricoids cartilage. GVL is nonetheless an excellent instrument in airway management compared to fiberoptic bronchoscope for patients with a huge and fixed supraglottic mass.

Effects of sevoflurane and desflurane on respiratory mechanics after tracheal intubation in children / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: Tracheal intubation causes a reflex tracheal constriction that leads to increased airway resistance. Inhalation anesthetics can prevent or minimize this response. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of 1 MAC sevoflurane or desflurane on respiratory mechanics in children after anesthetic induction using propofol and tracheal intubation. METHODS: Sixty children undergoing elective surgery with tracheal intubation were assigned into two groups at random, a 1 MAC concentration of sevoflurane (n = 30) and a desflurane (n = 30) group. Anesthesia was induced using propofol (1.5 mg/kg) and tracheal intubation was facilitated using rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg). A respiratory profile monitor was used to measure the respiratory resistance, dynamic compliance and peak inspiratory airway pressure. The measurements were made at three time points, after three inspirations from the beginning of mechanical ventilation (baseline) and at 5 and 10 min after the administration of inhalation anesthetics. RESULTS: Sevoflurane and desflurane led to a significant decrease in respiratory resistance and increased dynamic compliance at 5 and 10 min when compared to baseline. There were no significant differences in respiratory resistance and dynamic compliance between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: A 1 MAC concentration of sevoflurane and desflurane has a similar bronchodilatory effect after tracheal intubation in children.