A case of severe sciatica caused by a lymphocele after renal transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Sciatica is commonly caused by lumbar spinal disease. However, it can also be caused by tumors, infectious diseases, or muscle entrapment. We present a case of sciatica caused by a lymphocele after renal transplantation. PRESENTATION: A 50-year-old man who had undergone renal transplantation presented with sciatica and low back pain without leg edema. The patient was diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation during the first medical examination. Regardless of the treatment, the symptoms were exacerbated and red flag signs of low back pain were observed. Compression of the sciatic nerve by the lymphocele was confirmed by computed tomography. The sciatica was improved by ethanol injection for the lymphocele. CONCLUSIONS: We encountered a rare case of severe sciatica without edema caused by lymphocele after renal transplantation. Careful examination is required to make a different diagnosis of lymphocele from other lumbar spinal diseases.

The Oxygen Reserve Index as a determinant of the necessary amount of postoperative supplemental oxygen.

BACKGROUND: Although blood gas analysis (BGA) is important for supplemental oxygen titration, it is invasive, intermittent, costly, and burdensome for staff. We assessed whether the Oxygen Reserve Index (ORi™), a novel pulse oximeter-based index that reflects the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), could determine the amount of postoperative supplemental oxygen. We also evaluated the extent of hyperoxia and hypoxia. METHODS: Fifty patients scheduled to undergo breast surgery were randomly assigned to receive ORi-based oxygen (group O) or conventional postoperative oxygen (group C) treatments. Postoperatively, patients were transported to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) and then to general wards. In group O, oxygen was administered at 4 L·min-1 in the operation room after extubation and was decreased if the ORi was >0.00 until a continuous index of 0.00 was achieved for 30 min in the PACU and wards. In group C, oxygen was administered at 4 L·min-1 throughout the evaluation period. BGA was performed 1 h after anesthesia induction (T0), after extubation (T1), before PACU exit (T2), and on the first postoperative morning (T3). Percutaneous oxygen saturation was measured every two seconds from 9 PM after surgery to 6 AM the next morning. RESULTS: The supplemental oxygen amount and PaO2 were significantly lower in group O than group C at T2 (1.5 [0.5-3.0] vs. 4.0 [4.0-4.0] L/min, 117.3 [26.8] vs. 170.0 [42.8] mmHg) and T3 (1.0 [0.5-3.0] vs. 4.0 [4.0-4.0] L/min, 107.5 [16.5] vs. 157.1 [28.4] mmHg; median [interquartile ranges] and mean [1 SD]; P<0.01). No patient exhibited hypoxia. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, ORi might be useful to titrate postoperative oxygen supplementation.

Monitoring the Oxygen Reserve Index can contribute to the early detection of deterioration in blood oxygenation during one-lung ventilation.

BACKGROUND: Hypoxemia can occur during one-lung ventilation (OLV), but monitoring blood oxygenation using percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2) can be limited by detection latency, and SpO2 sometimes does not change during OLV. The Oxygen Reserve Index (ORi™) is a novel index reported to detect impending desaturation before this is observed with SpO2 monitoring. This study assessed whether the ORi decreased earlier than SpO2 during OLV and evaluated its correlation with the partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) during OLV. METHODS: The study enrolled 15 patients undergoing elective thoracic surgery. The patient's trachea was intubated with a left-sided double-lumen endotracheal tube and the lungs were mechanically ventilated in pressure-control mode for 10 min, with the fraction of inspired oxygen set at 0.6. Right OLV was then initiated for 15 min or until SpO2 declined to 91%, while continuously recording the ORi and SpO2. PaO2 was measured 5 min before and every 3 min during OLV. Mean (SD) times from the start of OLV to the start of the decreases in ORi and SpO2 were calculated. RESULTS: ORi started decreasing significantly before SpO2 (ORi vs. SpO2: 171 [102] vs. 372 [231] s; P<0.01). ORi showed a significant, strong correlation with PaO2 (r2=0.671, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: ORi decreased earlier than SpO2 during OLV. This index could contribute to the early detection of deterioration in blood oxygenation during OLV.

Effectiveness of intervention with a perioperative multidisciplinary support team for radical esophagectomy.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention by a perioperative multidisciplinary support team for radical esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 85 consecutive patients with esophageal cancer who underwent radical esophagectomy via right thoracotomy or thoracoscopic surgery with gastric tube reconstruction. Twenty-one patients were enrolled in the non-intervention group (group N) from May 2011 to September 2012, 31 patients in the perioperative rehabilitation group (group R) from October 2012 to April 2014, and 33 patients in the multidisciplinary support team group (group S) from May 2014 to September 2015. RESULTS: Morbidity rates were 38, 45.2, and 42.4% for groups N, R, and S, respectively. Although there were no significant differences in the incidence of pneumonia among the groups, the durations of fever and C-reactive protein positivity were shorter in group S. Moreover, postoperative oral intake commenced earlier [5.9 (5-8) days] and postoperative hospital stay was shorter [19.6 (13-29) days] for group S. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention by a perioperative multidisciplinary support team for radical esophagectomy was effective in preventing the progression and prolongation of pneumonia as well as earlier ambulation, oral feeding, and shortening of postoperative hospitalization.

Perioperative management of a pregnant patient with mediastinal tumor complicated by tuberculosis.

Mediastinal tumor in a pregnant woman, which had needed a multidisciplinary approach, was further complicated by tuberculosis. The clinical course of the current patient was very complicated. A 37-year-old female at 18 weeks of gestation with a mediastinal tumor was referred to our hospital due to dyspnea and orthopnea. The tumor compressed the left main bronchus causing bronchial stenosis. She was diagnosed with primary mediastinal large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Delivery after 24 gestational weeks with ongoing chemotherapy was planned by a multidisciplinary team comprising obstetricians, anesthesiologists, neonatologists, and hematologists. Her symptoms improved with chemotherapy; however, she was later diagnosed with tuberculosis leading to chemotherapy interruption to treat tuberculosis. The following confirmation by negative sputum smear microscopy, an elective cesarean section with spinal anesthesia was performed at 33 weeks of gestation, and she safely delivered a female infant. At postoperative day 23, she died due to cardiopulmonary arrest, following an irreversible coma subsequent to brain metastasis of malignant lymphoma. The infant died of respiratory failure at postoperative day 18. This case illustrates several implications, such as the necessity of a thorough systemic examination and treatment approaches for mothers and neonates with suspected tuberculosis during the perioperative period, for considering similar cases with neoplasms.

A comparative analysis of the effects of sevoflurane and propofol on cerebral oxygenation during steep Trendelenburg position and pneumoperitoneum for robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy.

PURPOSE: Steep Trendelenburg position and pneumoperitoneum during robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) increase intracranial pressure (ICP) and may alter cerebral blood flow (CBF) and oxygenation. Volatile anesthetics and propofol have different effects on ICP, CBF, and cerebral metabolic rate and may have different impact on cerebral oxygenation during RALP. In this study, we measured jugular venous bulb oxygenation (SjO2) and regional oxygen saturation (SctO2) in patients undergoing RALP to evaluate cerebral oxygenation and compared the effects of sevoflurane and propofol. We also verified whether SctO2 may be an alternative to SjO2. METHODS: Fifty patients scheduled for RALP were randomly assigned to undergo sevoflurane (group S) or propofol (group P) anesthesia. SjO2, SctO2, mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), cardiac index (CI), central venous pressure (CVP), partial pressures of arterial oxygen (PaO2) and carbon dioxide (PaCO2), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), Bispectral Index (BIS) and nasopharyngeal temperature (BT) were recorded 5 min before surgery commencement, 5 min after pneumoperitoneum, 5, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after pneumoperitoneum in a Trendelenburg position, and after desufflation in a supine position. RESULTS: SjO2 was significantly higher in group S than in group P at all measurement points [group S vs. group P: 77 % (11) vs. 65 % (13), mean of all measurement points (1SD); p < 0.01]. Linear regression analysis (ß = 0.106; r 2 = 0.065; p = 0.004) shows a weak relationship between SjO2 and SctO2. CONCLUSIONS: Sevoflurane maintains higher SjO2 levels than propofol during RALP. SctO2 does not accurately reflect SjO2.

Cerebral oxygenation measured by near-infrared spectroscopy and jugular vein oxygen saturation during robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy under total intravenous anaesthesia.

BACKGROUND: The effects of total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) on cerebral oxygenation in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) have not been investigated. We examined the changes in jugular venous oxygen saturation (SjvO2 ) and regional cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (rSO2 ) during RALP under TIVA. Whether rSO2 could reflect SjvO2 was also examined. METHODS: Forty patients (ASA 1-2) undergoing RALP were enrolled. Measurements were obtained at eight time points during the operation. RESULTS: SjvO2 did not decrease at any measurement point, whereas rSO2 fell significantly 120 min after pneumoperitoneum in a steep Trendelenburg position (p <0.01). There was a weak correlation between SjvO2 and rSO2 (Pearson correlation coefficient =0.34; p <0.01). Bland-Altman analysis showed a wide interval for the limit of agreement (47%) between the two measurements. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that TIVA could be safely used for RALP. It was also demonstrated that rSO2 did not accurately reflect SjvO2 during RALP. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[Anesthetic management for a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; the neuromuscular monitoring was useful to determine appropriate dosages of rocuronium].

We experienced an anesthetic management with rocuronium and neurostimulator for a surgical patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A 61-year-old man was scheduled for intrathecal baclofen pump implantation as treatment for his spasticity under general anesthesia. After oxygenation and totally intravenous induction with propofol and remifentanil, we administered 10 mg of rocuronium repeatedly monitoring with neurostimulator. When dosage of rocuronium reached 20 mg, train-of-four count reached 1 and his trachea was intubated without coughing or moving. Anesthesia was maintained intravenously. Train-of-four ratio recovered to 95%, 22 minutes after the first administration of rocuronium. Operation was accomplished uneventfully with no additional rocuronium. Bispectral index value recovered to 98 and the patient awoke and breathed spontaneously 19 minutes after termination of administration of anesthetic agents. We could confirm his stable and adequate respiration and trachea was extubated without reversal of rocuronium. In the postanesthesia care unit, he showed no discomfort and was returned to the ward. His symptoms did not deteriorate postoperatively and he was discharged on the 36th postoperative day.

Intravenous dexmedetomidine decreases lung permeability induced by intracranial hypertension in rats.

BACKGROUND: Intracisternal dexmedetomidine (Dex) attenuates cardiac dysfunction in rats with intracranial hypertension (ICH). However, the effects of IV Dex on cardiac function and lung permeability during ICH have not been evaluated. We tested the hypothesis that IV Dex attenuates hemodynamic changes and decreases lung permeability induced by ICH in rats. METHODS: Halothane-anesthetized and mechanically ventilated rats were divided into four groups. In two groups, a subdural balloon catheter was inflated for 60 s to produce ICH. Arterial blood gas analysis was performed before and 30 min after ICH. Mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate (HR) and intracranial pressure were monitored for 30 min. The Dex group (n = 8) received IV Dex 80 microg/kg, followed by 6 microg.kg(-1).min(-1) (40 microg/mL) for 10 min and the control group (n = 8) received IV saline 2 mL/kg, followed by at 0.15 mL.kg(-1).min(-1) for 10 min. Surgery was performed without ICH with Dex (Sham-Dex group, n = 5) and without Dex (Sham-control, n = 5). In all groups, pulmonary permeability was measured using a modification of the Evans blue dye extravasation technique. IV Evans blue dye 20 mg/kg was administered 2 h before being killed and Evans blue dye in plasma and lung tissue was quantified by dual-wavelength spectrophotometric analysis. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in basal arterial blood pressure, HR, and Pao(2) among groups. In the control group, ICH resulted in transient increases in mean arterial blood pressure and HR, followed by a rapid decline and a plateau. In the Dex group, mean arterial blood pressure showed a transient increase and subsequent, rapid decrease to baseline, whereas HR did not change during ICH. Pao2 was higher in the Dex group than in the control group after ICH [138 (127-169) vs 78 (59-124) mm Hg, median (range), P < 0.01]. The pulmonary permeability index was lower in the Dex group than the control group [430 (182-450) vs 570 (427-1170), P < 0.01]. It was however, higher in the Sham-Dex group than the Sham-Control group [25 (24-35) vs 6 (4-7), P < 0.01]. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic IV Dex decreases lung permeability as well as hemodynamic changes induced by ICH in rats.

[Severe airway obstruction relieved by sedation using sevoflurane in a pediatric patient with tracheobronchomalacia].

A 3-month-old baby with trisomy 18 syndrome was scheduled for tracheostomy under general anesthesia because of the prolonged tracheal intubation. Immediately after transferring the patient to the operating table, the patient suddenly began crying and coughing, resulting in severe hypoxia. The patient's lungs could not be ventilated by manual and positive pressure ventilation, and airway obstruction could not be relieved until the respiratory effort spontaneously decreased. We started to administer sevoflurane on the recommendation of pediatricians who had successfully treated the patient with sedation using either midazolam or trichlorethylphosphate in similar situations. After sevoflurane administration, the sedated patient never developed the respiratory effort, and the lungs could be ventilated by manual and positive pressure ventilation without difficulty. The patient was diagnosed as tracheobronchomalacia as a result of intraoperative flexible bronchoscopy performed through tracheostomy tube, revealing significant narrowing of both the trachea and mainstem bronchus lumens. Sedation using sevoflurane may be helpful in maintaining airway patency in the pediatric patient with tracheobronchomalacia.