Gynecological tumors revealing hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer: analysis of a large Lebanese pedigree.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the aggregation of colorectal cancer (CRC) and hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC)-related extracolonic cancers in an extended Lebanese family with HNPCC. This was a pedigree analysis and a prospective follow-up over an 8-year period. The causative germ line mutation was detected using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of short fluorescent fragments, and direct DNA sequencing of purified PCR products. The penetrance of CRC is high and accounts for approximately two thirds of risk carriers with an early age of onset (21 years). The extracolonic cancer spectrum includes ovary, endometrium, small bowel, skin, and brain, with an age of onset as early as 30 years. The causative mismatch repair gene mutation is an MSH2 point mutation involving the splice donor site of intron 3 (G-->A). Scrutinized in genomic DNA from 35 consented members, it was found in 18 of them and cosegregates with the cancer phenotype in the family. Early-onset ovarian and endometrial carcinomas may reveal HNPCC families in the Middle Eastern region, with MSH2 germ line mutation. We propose a biannual screening program, starting around the age of 20-25 years, pending additional data on this topic.

Aspirated air capnography with esophageal detector device to confirm tracheal intubation in rapid sequence induction.

Verification of the proper placement of a tracheal tube by capnography in rapid sequence induction can lead to aspiration if the patient is ventilated with the tube in the esophagus. In this study we have associated the capnography with the esophageal detector device as modified by Nunn. In 49 patients, two endotracheal tubes were introduced, one in the esophagus and the other in the trachea. An anesthesiologist, unaware of which tube is in the trachea, squeezed the bulb of the esophageal detector device, attached it to the sidestream of the capnography and the endotracheal tubes, then released it. No reinflation of the bulb was seen with the esophageal tube. Two types of reinflation were seen with the tracheal tube: slow (6 cases), all were obese, and instant (43 cases) in the remaining patients. The air aspirated from the respiratory tract by the bulb was analyzed by the capnograph; CO2 was detected from all the tracheal tubes but not from the esophageal ones. We concluded that the esophageal detector device and capnography used as described in our study is a simple reliable test to confirm the proper placement of a tracheal tube before starting ventilation in rapid sequence induction.

Preanesthetic wrapping of legs for prevention of spinal induced hypotension.

Forty-four male patients undergoing herniorrhaphy under spinal anesthesia were allocated to 2 groups. Group I had 15 ml/kg of lactated ringer intravenously as prehydartion for prevention of spinal induced hypotension. Group 11 had the trendelenbourg position to 30 degrees for 2 minutes and the legs wrapped with elastic Esmarch bandage prior to spinal anesthesia without fluid prehydration. In both groups, ephedrine was used to treat spinal induced hypotension. The later was defined as a decrease in the systolic arterial pressure less than 75% of the baseline value. The incidence of hypotension was greater in the fluid prehydration group (4 of 22) as well as the mean dose of ephedrine required to treat hypotension (7 +/- 10 mg) than the group with wrapping of the legs (1 of 22 and 5 +/- 0 mg). It is concluded that trendelenbourg position and wrapping of the legs prior to the spinal block might prevent the sudden decrease in arterial blood pressure that occurs during spinal anesthesia.

Ischaemia of the hand after radial artery monitoring.

Percutaneous radial artery cannulation is commonly used for continuous monitoring of blood pressure and estimation of arterial blood gases. The purpose of this study is to define the incidence of radial artery thrombosis and associated hand ischaemia after cannulation. A prospective study of 40 patients who underwent radial artery cannulation was carried out with patients examined before and after cannulation for radial and ulnar pulses. Doppler waveforms, and finger/brachial and finger/wrist pressure indices were obtained. After cannulation 27.5% of patients developed abnormal radial artery flows with 10% having absent pulses and none having any symptoms of hand ischaemia. Radial artery cannulation is a safe procedure when performed properly and is associated with a very low incidence of hand ischaemia, despite a 27.5% incidence of abnormal radial artery flow after cannulation.

Depression of excitatory effects of propofol induction by fentanyl.

Propofol is an intravenous anesthetic drug commonly used in outpatient anesthesia for its rapid and smooth onset of action, short recovery period and its minimal perioperative side effects. However, propofol like other intravenous anesthetic drugs can produce excitatory signs during induction without signs of epilepsy on EEG. We studied 64 patients scheduled for various outpatient procedures. The patients were allocated to 2 groups: Group A (n = 32) received on induction xylocaine 1 mg.Kg-1 followed by propofol 2 mg.Kg-1 over 20 seconds, Group B (n = 32) received xylocaine 1 mg.Kg-1 and fentanyl 1.5 ug.Kg-1 followed by propofol 2 mg.Kg-1 over 20 seconds. The incidence of excitatory movements (cough, hiccup, hypertonus, twitching or tremors) was in group A (13) significantly higher than that in group B (1), there was no significant difference between the two groups in the time of stay in the post anesthesia care unit. Fentanyl 1.5 ug.Kg-1 used in outpatient anesthesia with propofol 2 mg.Kg-1 provides cardio-vascular stability, deepens the anesthesia level, decrease the awareness and decrease the excitatory effects or propofol.

Lidocaine cardioplegia for prevention of reperfusion ventricular fibrillation.

Lidocaine addition to crystalloid cardioplegic solution for prevention of reperfusion ventricular fibrillation after the release of the aortic cross-clamp was studied in 50 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and in 30 patients undergoing mitral or aortic valve replacement. Twenty-six of the patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting received lidocaine, 100 mg/L of cardioplegia, whereas a control group of 24 patients received cardioplegia without lidocaine. In the group undergoing valve replacement, 14 patients received lidocaine cardioplegia and 16 patients served as control. In the coronary artery bypass grafting group, lidocaine cardioplegia reduced significantly the incidence of reperfusion ventricular fibrillation from 100% to 42%. In the valve group, lidocaine cardioplegia also reduced significantly the incidence of reperfusion ventricular fibrillation from 93% to 42%. In both groups, lidocaine cardioplegia decreased the number of direct-current countershocks required to defibrillate the heart, with no significant increase in the incidence of high-grade atrioventricular block.

A comparison of epidural tramadol and epidural morphine for postoperative analgesia.

The present study compared epidural tramadol with epidural morphine for postoperative analgesia in 20 patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. Intraoperatively, the patients were anaesthetized by a balanced technique of general anaesthesia combined with lumbar epidural lidocaine. In ten of the patients 100 mg tramadol diluted in 10 ml normal saline was also injected epidurally, while 4 mg epidural morphine was used in the other ten patients. In all patients, the visual analogue pain score, PaO2, PaCO2 and respiratory rate were monitored every hour for the first 24 hr postoperatively. In both the tramadol and morphine groups, the mean hourly pain scores ranged from 0.2 +/- 0.6 to 1.4 +/- 2.5 throughout the period of observations. However, the mean PaO2 was decreased postoperatively in the epidural morphine group, while no change was observed in the epidural tramadol group. The maximal decrease of PaO2 in the epidural morphine group was observed at the tenth hour postoperatively, when it decreased to 72.8 +/- 10.3 mmHg. This was not associated with any increase in PaCO2 or a decrease of respiratory rate, suggesting that hypoxaemia rather than hypercarbia or decreased respiratory rate may be an earlier indicator of respiratory rate, suggesting that hypoxaemia rather than hypercarbia or decreased respiratory rate may be an earlier indicator of respiratory depression in patients breathing room air without oxygen supplementation. The absence of clinically relevant respiratory depression following epidural tramadol compared with epidural morphine may be attributed to the different mechanisms of their analgesic action. The results suggest that epidural tramadol can be used to provide prolonged postoperative analgesia without serious side effects.