The Japanese Epidemiologic Study for Perioperative Anaphylaxis, a prospective nationwide study: allergen exposure, epidemiology, and diagnosis of anaphylaxis during general anaesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of perioperative anaphylaxis is often challenging. This study describes the utility of a newly developed tool for identifying patients with a high possibility of anaphylaxis, and aimed to investigate the frequency of anaphylaxis with each drug during the perioperative period in Japan. METHODS: This study included patients with anaphylaxis of Grade 2 or higher severity during general anaesthesia at 42 facilities across Japan in 2019 and 2020. We developed and adopted a unique objective evaluation tool yielding a composite score for diagnosing anaphylaxis, which includes the results of skin tests and basophil activation tests, and clinical scores for perioperative anaphylaxis. The number of cases using each drug and the total number of anaphylaxis cases were investigated to calculate the frequency of anaphylaxis. RESULTS: General anaesthesia was performed in 218 936 cases, which included 55 patients with suspected perioperative anaphylaxis. The developed composite score diagnosed 43 of them with a high probability of anaphylaxis. The causative agent was identified in 32 cases. Plasma histamine levels showed high diagnostic accuracy for anaphylaxis. The top causative agents were rocuronium (10 cases in 210 852 patients, 0.005%), sugammadex (7 cases in 150 629 patients, 0.005%), and cefazolin (7 cases in 106 005 patients, 0.007%). CONCLUSIONS: We developed a composite tool to diagnose anaphylaxis, and found that the combination of tryptase levels, skin testing, and basophil activation testing results and clinical score improved the certainty of anaphylaxis diagnosis. The incidence of perioperative anaphylaxis in our study was 1 in about 5000 general anaesthesia cases. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN000035350.

A practical guide for perioperative smoking cessation.

The perioperative management of patients who are smokers presents anesthesiologists with various challenges related to respiratory, circulatory, and other clinical problems. Regarding 30-day postoperative outcomes, smokers have higher risks of mortality and complications than non-smokers, including death, pneumonia, unplanned tracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Given the benefits of smoking cessation and the adverse effects of smoking on perioperative patient management, patients should quit smoking long before surgery. However, anesthesiologists cannot address these issues alone. The Japanese Society of Anesthesiologists established guidelines in 2015 (published in a medical journal in 2017) to enlighten surgical staff members and patients regarding perioperative tobacco cessation. The primary objective of perioperative smoking cessation is to reduce the risks of adverse cardiovascular and respiratory events, wound infection, and other perioperative complications. Perioperative preparations constitute a powerful teachable moment, a "golden opportunity" for smoking cessation to achieve improved primary disease outcomes and prevent the occurrence of tobacco-related conditions. This review updates the aforementioned guidelines as a practical guide to cover the nuts and bolts of perioperative smoking cessation. Its goal is to assist surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other medical professionals and to increase patients' awareness of smoking risks before elective surgery.

Choice of desflurane or propofol for the maintenance of general anesthesia does not affect the risk of periprocedural myocardial damage in patients undergoing transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to reveal whether the occurrence of periprocedural myocardial damage (PMD) decreases in patients who received volatile anesthetics to maintain general anesthesia compared with those who received propofol during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). METHODS: We included one hundred and forty adult patients who underwent transfemoral TAVI under general anesthesia from January 2015 to March 2017 in this single-center retrospective review. We compared the rate of patients who developed PMD between those who received desflurane (Group D, n = 72) and propofol (Group P, n = 68) for anesthetic maintenance. PMD was represented by the peak levels of creatine kinase myocardial band (CK-MB) and troponin I within 72 h following the procedure and defined as an increase >5 times in CK-MB or >15 times in troponin I compared with the institutional upper reference limits. Further analysis was performed to identify the independent predictors of PMD. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the rate of PMD between groups (Group D 72.2% to Group P 70.6%, P = 0.85) or levels of CK-MB (Group D 7.85 [1.3-72.7] ng/mL to Group P 8.45 [1.8-49.7] ng/mL; P = 0.59) and troponin I (Group D 1.061 [0.050-10.8] ng/mL to Group P 1.214 [0.036-29.0] ng/mL; P = 0.97). The risk of PMD was higher in patients with more intraprocedural blood loss (odds ratio 1.49 per 100 mL, P = 0.048) and lower in those with an implanted permanent pacemaker (odds ratio 0.17; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Desflurane does not appear to be more cardioprotective than propofol when used for anesthetic maintenance in patients undergoing transfemoral TAVI.

Femoral nerve block with propofol sedation versus general anesthesia in patients with severe cardiac dysfunction undergoing autologous myoblast sheet transplantation.

PURPOSE: Regional anesthesia is more favorable than general anesthesia in patients with severe comorbidity; however, data on the superiority of peripheral nerve blocks over general anesthesia in patients with severe cardiac dysfunction are lacking. We aimed to demonstrate that peripheral nerve blocks reduce perioperative analgesic requirements and promote faster recovery compared to general anesthesia. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated intraoperative blood pressure, perioperative medications, and postoperative recovery in patients who underwent skeletal muscle harvesting for autologous myoblast sheet transplantation. We compared patients who received general anesthesia (group G, n = 27) to those who received femoral nerve block with propofol sedation (group B, n = 22). RESULTS: Left ventricular ejection fraction was 24% on average, with no significant difference between groups. Compared with group G, a lower dose of propofol was used intraoperatively (1.25 versus 2.0 µg/mL, respectively; P < 0.001) and fewer patients required opioids (13.6 versus 100%, P < 0.01) in group B. Additionally, the lowest intraoperative mean blood pressure was higher (54 versus 48 mmHg, respectively; P = 0.02) in group B. More patients received postoperative analgesic drugs (51.9 versus 13.6%, P = 0.01) and they received them more frequently (1 [0-3] versus 0 [0-1], P = 0.02) in group G. The length of heart care unit stay was shorter in group B than group G (0 [0-18.5] versus 17 [0-47] h, respectively; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Femoral nerve block with sedation was more beneficial than general anesthesia in patients with severe cardiac dysfunction who underwent skeletal muscle harvesting for autologous myoblast sheet transplantation.

[Pre-operative smoking cessation does not always reduce the incidence of surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery].

BACKGROUND: Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend pre-operative smoking cessation to reduce the risk of surgical site infection (SSI). However, whether pre-operative smoking cessation reduces the incidence of SSI for gastrointestinal surgery is unclear. We investigated whether pre-operative smoking cessation reduces the incidence of SSI among patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. METHODS: The study subjects were 512 consecutive patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery at Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases. SSI occurrence was determined by the hospital SSI surveillance team. Pre-operative smoking status was obtained by interview, and the patients were divided into four groups. Information on age, sex, operation time, operational organ, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status (ASA-PS), elective or emergency surgery, co-existing procedures, use of scopes, ileo-colostomy, properties of drain tube, use of floss, and wound contamination was obtained from the medical records. The relationship between smoking status and incidence of SSI, and risk factors associated with the incidence of SSI were investigated. RESULTS: SSI occurred in 83 patients. Pre-operative smoking status had no relation with the incidence of SSI. Operation time, gallbladder and pancreatic surgery, colon surgery, emergency surgery, co-existing procedures, ilea-colostomy, closed drain, usage of floss, and wound contamination were related significantly with SSI. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-operative smoking cessation does not reduce the incidence of SSI. However, since continuation of smoking has no benefits for the safety of surgery, anesthesiologists must advice patients to quit smoking before surgery.

Dopamine D2 receptor Taq IA polymorphism is associated with postoperative nausea and vomiting.

PURPOSE: The dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) is considered to be involved in the development of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Our aim was to examine the relationship between DRD2 Taq IA polymorphism and the occurrence of PONV. METHODS: We enrolled 1070 patients who were scheduled to undergo elective surgery under general anesthesia. Patients who vomited or required rescue antiemetics for severe nausea at two time points (within 6 and within 24 h after surgery) were defined as having early and total PONV, respectively. A polymerase chain reaction with confronting two-pair primers (PCR-CTPP) technique was adopted for DRD2 genotyping allele (A1A1, A1A2, or A2A2). The relationship between DRD2 Taq IA polymorphism and the occurrence of PONV was examined by multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The incidences of early PONV were 9.0%, 9.3%, and 14.4% in patients with the A1A1, A1A2, and A2A2 alleles, respectively. Sex, nature of the disease, smoking status, type of surgical department, duration of anesthesia, and the DRD2 Taq IA polymorphism were related to the emergence of early PONV. On multivariate analysis, the relative risk associated with the A2A2 allele in comparison with the A1A1 or A1A2 allele was 1.58 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-2.37) for early PONV. The incidences of total PONV were 12.5%, 13.6%, and 17.2% in patients with the A1A1, A1A2, and A2A2 alleles, respectively. Sex, smoking status, type of surgical department, and duration of anesthesia were related to the emergence of total PONV. On multivariate analysis, the relative risk associated with the A2A2 allele in comparison with the A1A1 or A1A2 allele was 1.27 (95% CI, 0.88-1.84) for total PONV. CONCLUSION: The DRD2 Taq IA polymorphism affected the occurrence of early PONV. Analysis of patients' genetic backgrounds may improve risk-stratification for PONV.

[Wound healing in reconstructive head and neck surgery].

BACKGROUND: Smoking cessation and shorter operative duration are known as factors to improve wound healing in reconstructive head and neck surgery. We investigated the other factors associated with wound healing. METHODS: Informations on age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, serum albumin level, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, preoperative steroid therapy, preoperative chemotherapy, preoperative radiation therapy, preoperative starvation care, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status (ASA-PS), intraoperative administration of prostaglandin E1, operative duration, and type of flap were obtained from the medical records of 370 patients. Requirements of postoperative intervention were also recorded. Factors associated with wound healing were estimated by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Compared with smokers, 22 to 42 day smoking quitters, over 43 day smoking quitters, and non-smokers had lower incidence of wound complications; odds ratio; 95% confidence intervals (CI) were 0.20; 0.06-0.68, 0.19; 0.07-0.51, and 0.15; 0.05-0.45, respectively. Other factors and odds ratios (95% CI) associated with wound complications were preoperative chemotherapy; 3.02 (1.09-8.41), preoperative starvation; 0.23 (0.06-0.84), every one minute of operation duration; 1.01 (1.00-1.01). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative smoking cessation, preoperative chemotherapy, preoperative starvation care, and operation duration were significantly associated with wound healings.

[Prophylactic strategies for perioperative pulmonary embolism: the second report; reevaluation of usefulness of combination of elastic stockings and intermittent pneumatic compression].

BACKGROUND: The incidence of perioperative pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) has increased in Japan. As the mortality rate of PE is very high, its prophylaxis is important. METHODS: From January 1998 to December 1999 no prophylactic strategies were employed. From May 2000 to December 2004, elastic stockings (ES) for prevention of perioperative deep vein thrombosis were worn from the morning of the operation until the beginning of ambulation. Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) apparatuses were used in combination with ES right after the induction of anesthesia until leaving ICU. Sixty percent of patients stayed in ICU until the next morning after the operation and the other patients for a few hours after the end of surgery. RESULTS: We managed 4,511 patients without any preventing method and 11,688 patients with the combination of ES and IPC. Seven patients developed PTE without any prophylaxis and one with preventative methods. The incidence of PTE was significantly decreased from 15.51 persons/10,000 cases to 0.86 person/10,000 cases. Symptomatic deep vein thrombosis occurred in 3 cases in spite of preventative methods. CONCLUSIONS: Our preventive strategies with the combination of ES and IPC seem to be useful to decrease the incidence and severity of perioperative PTE.

[Prophylaxis of perioperative pulmonary thromboembolism in a patient with anti-phospholipid antigen syndrome].

A 68-year-old woman with anti-phospholipid antigen syndrome (APS) was proposed to undergo partial pulmonary resection for lung cancer. She suffered from mild cerebellar ataxia. Exercised 201Tl myocardial scintigraphy was performed due to abnormal Q wave in preoperative electrocardiography and showed old myocardial infarction in inferior-to-posterior area without myocardial ischemia. Cardiac function was marginally decreased in cardiac echographic evaluation. Arterial thrombosis by APS might cause cerebellar ataxia and myocardial infarction. Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) was continuously infused from 1 hour prior to arrival in an operation room. Elastic stockings (ES) were worn from the morning of the operation in combination with the use of intermittent pneumatic compression apparatus (IPC). Significant bleeding was not observed perioperatively. Hypothermia was avoided by forced-air-warming therapy. She was transferred to ICU after the end of the operation. She was returned to her ward without IPC on the first postoperative day. Warfarin was given with the beginning of ambulation on the second postoperative day to keep PT-INR about 2. On the third postoperative day LMWH was discontinued and ES were taken off. The postoperative course was uneventful.

Determination of the duration of preoperative smoking cessation to improve wound healing after head and neck surgery.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative smoking cessation has been suggested to be effective in reducing various postoperative complications. However, the optimal duration of preoperative smoking cessation for reducing wound complications is unclear. METHODS: One hundred eighty-eight consecutive patients who underwent reconstructive head and neck surgery at the authors' institution were included in this retrospective study. Information on preoperative smoking habits was obtained from the patients' medical records. Smokers were defined as having smoked within 7 days before surgery. Late, intermediate, and early quitters were defined as patients whose duration of abstinence from smoking was 8-21, 22-42, and 43 days or longer before the operation, respectively. Patients who required postoperative debridement, resuture, or reconstruction of their flap before hospital discharge were defined as having had impaired wound healing. RESULTS: The incidences (95% confidence intervals) of impaired wound healing among the late, intermediate, and early quitters and nonsmokers were 67.6% (52-83%), 55.0% (33-77%), 59.1% (47-71%), and 47.5% (32-63%), respectively, and the incidence of impaired wound healing was significantly lower among the intermediate quitters, early quitters, and nonsmokers than among the smokers (85.7% [73-97%]). After controlling for sex, age, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, operation time, history of diabetes mellitus, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and the type of flap, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for development of impaired wound healing in the late, intermediate, early quitters, and nonsmokers were 0.31 (0.08-1.24), 0.17 (0.04-0.75), 0.17 (0.05-0.60), and 0.11 (0.03-0.51), respectively, compared with the smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative smoking abstinence of longer than 3 weeks reduces the incidence of impaired wound healing among patients who have undergone reconstructive head and neck surgery.

[Short-term bed rest as a cause of deep vein thrombosis in a patient with a huge abdominal tumor].

A 43-year-old female with a huge myoma uteri was scheduled for a simple total hysterectomy. However, there was massive penetration of the tumor into the retroperitoneum, and her first operation failed because we had no advance information on its posterior aspect. Angiography was done to obtain this information. She rested on bed until the day after the first operation and angiography. MRI, performed again due to early growing tumor, revealed deep vein thrombi in the left iliac vein to the left femoral vein which the last MRI had not shown. Therefore, just before the second operation a temporary vena-cava filter was inserted, to prevent acute pulmonary thromboembolism. The operation was performed without incident. The filter captured some thrombi, and these were resolved by urokinase postoperatively. No symptomatic pulmonary thromboembolism was recognized during the perioperative period. The postoperative course was uneventful.

[Anesthetic management of a patient with squeezed heart by huge sternal tumor].

We experienced perioperative management for excision of a huge sternal chondrosarcoma squeezing the heart. A 46-year-old woman could not sleep due to dyspnea for 6 months. Dyspnea increased in the right decubitus and disappeared in the left decubitus. This suggested that the heart was squeezing the tumor. MRI and echocardiography revealed no invasion to the heart. Surgical removal was proposed. Anesthesia was induced with propofol and fentanyl. As this tumor composed of bone-like tissue and was tightly connected with thoracic cage, we thought that the use of muscle relaxant at the induction of anesthesia would not cause cardiovascular collapse and ventilation insufficiency even if the tumor was huge. Vecuronium was administered to facilitate endotracheal intubation. Hemodynamic variables were stable and mask ventilation was uneventful. Anesthesia was maintained with propofol, sevoflurane, supplemental dose of fentanyl and epidural anesthesia. The tumor had invaded the myocardium and was successfully flaked off from the myocardium without using any assisted devices. The tumor was excised including thoracic wall (sternum and parts of 3rd to 12th ribs, 20 cm in diameter). Thoracoplasty was performed using Marlex Mesh. Muscle relaxant was reversed after the end of the operation. Respiration was stable without flail chest. Endotracheal tube was successfully removed in the operation room. The postoperative course was uneventful.

[The usefulness of the processed nasal airway for fiberscope guided nasotracheal intubation].

BACKGROUND: The fiberscopy has become an essential tool for tracheal intubation. As we realized that nasal airway acts like a conduit to guide a fiberscope toward the larynx, we have devised a unique nasal airway named "Osaka airway" which is suitable for fiberoptic naso-tracheal intubation. This airway has two pre-cut line from the head to the tip which can be peeled off easily after the insertion of fiberscope. To verify this advantages, we measured the length of nares-vocal cords and assessed the fiberoptic visibility of vocal cords under the aid of nasal airway. METHODS: At the end of operation, 54 patients were extubated and nasal airway was inserted to measure the length of nares-vocal cords and to observe vocal cords and epiglottis. Then, in another series, two beginners conducted fiberoptic intubation on several cases with the aid of Osaka airway. RESULTS: The length of nares-vocal cords of male was 20.2 +/- 1.0 S.D.cm, and that of female 17.3 +/- 1.1 S.D.cm. The length correlated with the body height. In 34 patient, we could see vocal cords just below the airway tip. Two beginners could complete the intubation within 2 min in almost all cases. CONCLUSION: Osaka airway was a help for fiberoptic naso-tracheal intubation for beginners.

[Anesthetic management of two patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy for percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation].

We experienced anesthetic management of two patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) for percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation (PTSMA). PTSMA had been performed more than a year earlier in both cases, and symptoms and exercise tolerance were improved after PTSMA. Laparotomy for suspected ovarian cancer in one patient and thoracotomy for metastatic lung cancer in the other patient were proposed. Preoperative echocardiography showed reduced left ventricular outflow tract pressure gradient (from 90 mmHg before PTSMA to 10 mmHg and from 81 mmHg to 17 mmHg, respectively) and decreased septal wall thickness. Systolic anterior movement of mitral valve apparatus had disappeared. General anesthesia in the former and general anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia in the latter were employed. Anesthesia was induced with propofol and fentanyl. A laryngeal mask was used to minimize hemodynamic fluctuations during induction and emergence in the former. Anesthesia was maintained with propofol, sevoflurane and supplemental fentanyl. Epidural anesthesia was also used to maintain anesthesia in the latter. The postoperative course was uneventful in each case. PTSMA for HOCM might be useful to prevent perioperative cardiac events.