Anesthetic Management for Paraesophageal Hernia Repair.

Paraesophageal hernia repairs are complex surgical cases frequently performed on patients of advanced age with multiple comorbidities, both of which create difficulties in the anesthetic management. Preoperative evaluation is challenging because of overlapping cardiopulmonary symptoms. The patient's symptoms and anatomy lead to an increased aspiration risk and the potential need for a rapid sequence induction. Depending on the surgical approach, lung isolation may be required. Communication with the surgeon is vital throughout the case, especially when placing gastric tube and bougies. Multimodal analgesia should include regional and/or neuraxial techniques, in addition to the standard intravenous and oral pain medications.

Efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of sugammadex for the reversal of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade in elderly patients.

BACKGROUND: The management of elderly patients can be challenging for anesthesiologists for many reasons, including altered pharmacokinetics and dynamics. This study compared the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of sugammadex for moderate rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade reversal in adult (aged 18-64 yr) versus elderly adult (aged 65 yr or older) patients. METHODS: This phase 3a, multicenter, parallel-group, comparative, open-label study enrolled 162 patients aged 18 yr and older, American Society of Anesthesiologists class 1-3, scheduled for surgery with general anesthesia and requiring neuromuscular blockade. After anesthesia induction, patients received rocuronium, 0.6 mg/kg, before tracheal intubation, with maintenance doses of 0.15 mg/kg as required. At the end of surgery, patients received sugammadex, 2.0 mg/kg, at reappearance of the second twitch of the train-of-four (TOF) for reversal. The primary efficacy variable was time from sugammadex administration to recovery of the TOF ratio to 0.9 or greater. Pharmacokinetics and safety were also evaluated. RESULTS: Overall, 150 patients were treated and had at least one postbaseline efficacy assessment; 48 were aged 18-64 yr (adult), 62 were aged 65-74 yr (elderly), and 40 were aged 75 yr or older (old-elderly). The geometric mean time (95% confidence interval) from sugammadex administration to recovery of the TOF ratio to 0.9 increased with age, from 2.3 (2.0-2.6) min (adults) to 2.9 (2.7-3.2) min (elderly/old-elderly groups combined). Recovery of the TOF ratio to 0.9 was estimated to be 0.7 min faster in adults compared with patients aged 65 yr or older (P = 0.022). Sugammadex was well tolerated by all patients. CONCLUSION: Sugammadex facilitates rapid reversal from moderate rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade in adults of all ages.

Anesthetic considerations in candidates for lung volume reduction surgery.

The administration of anesthesia to patients undergoing lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) requires a complete understanding of the pathophysiology of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the planned surgical procedure, and the anticipated postoperative course for this group of patients. Risk factors and associated morbidity and mortality are discussed within the context of patients with obstructive pulmonary disease in the National Emphysema Treatment Trial having surgical procedures. Preoperative evaluation and the anesthetic techniques used for patients undergoing LVRS are reviewed, as are monitoring requirements. Intraoperative events, including induction of anesthesia, lung isolation, management of fluid requirements, and options for ventilatory support are discussed. Possible intraanesthetic complications are also reviewed, as is the optimal management of such problems, should they occur. To minimize the potential for a surgical air leak in the postoperative period, positive-pressure ventilation must cease at the conclusion of the procedure. An awake, comfortable, extubated patient, capable of spontaneous ventilation, is only possible if there is careful attention to pain control. The thoracic epidural is the most common pain control method used with patients undergoing LVRS procedures; however, other alternative methods are reviewed and discussed.

Clevidipine in adult cardiac surgical patients: a dose-finding study.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of elevated blood pressure is frequently necessary after cardiac surgery to minimize postoperative bleeding and to attenuate afterload changes associated with hypertension. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of a short-acting calcium channel antagonist, clevidipine, in the treatment of hypertension in postoperative cardiac surgical patients. METHODS: Postoperative cardiac surgical patients were randomized to receive placebo or one of six doses of clevidipine. Hemodynamic parameters were recorded and blood samples were drawn for determination of clevidipine plasma concentrations during infusion and after discontinuation of clevidipine. The concentration-response relation was analyzed using logistic regression, and pharmacokinetic models were applied to the data using population analysis. RESULTS: There were significant decreases in mean arterial blood pressure and systemic vascular resistance at doses greater than or equal to 1.37 microg. kg-1. min-1. There were no changes in heart rate, central venous pressure, pulmonary artery occlusion pressure, or cardiac index with increasing doses of clevidipine. The clevidipine C50 value for a 10% or greater decrease in mean arterial pressure was 9.7 microg/l and for a 20% or greater decrease in mean arterial pressure was 26.3 microg/l. The pharmacokinetics of clevidipine were best described with a three-compartment model with a volume of distribution of 32.4 l and clearance of 4.3 l/min. The early phase of drug disposition had a half-life of 0.6 min. The context-sensitive half-time is less than 2 min for up to 12 h of administration. CONCLUSION: Clevidipine is a calcium channel antagonist with a very short duration of action that effectively decreases systemic vascular resistance and mean arterial pressure without changing heart rate, cardiac index, or cardiac filling pressures.