Anesthetic Management of a Patient With Eagle's Syndrome: A Case Study.

Eagle's syndrome is a condition characterized by elongation of the styloid process or calcification of the styloid ligament that can manifest as a constellation of symptoms including dysphagia, globus sensation, hoarseness, headache, and neck pain. Anatomically, this can impinge neurovascular structures, distort the hypopharynx, and stiffen the epiglottis and other pharyngeal structures, increasing the difficulty of airway management. The objective of this case study was to discuss the features of Eagle's syndrome and anesthetic considerations in the management of the condition. Intubation may be challenging and presents a scenario where a glidescope is the preferred tool over direct laryngoscopy. Smooth emergence and extubation strategies, including the novel use of lidocaine and dexmedetomidine, are followed to minimize the risk of surgical complications.

Vasa Previa: A Case Report.

Vasa previa is a rare but serious medical condition characterized by a velamentous insertion of fetal blood vessels onto the placenta, which places those vessels at high risk of rupturing with rupturing of the membranes. Often vasa previa goes undetected until fetal compromise ensues following rupture of membranes. A recent case report of a 25-year-old pre-eclamptic female demonstrates the emergent and fatal nature of undiagnosed vasa previa.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Deficiency: A Case Report.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder that results in hyperhomocysteinemia. Elevated homocysteine levels in the blood can cause arterial and venous thrombosis, atherosclerosis, recurrent pregnancy loss, and neurologic symptoms. Emerging research suggests links to other chronic illnesses as well. Anesthetic management of patients with MTHFR deficiency should focus on decreasing the risk of arterial or venous thrombosis and minimizing elevations in homocysteine levels. Thrombosis prevention includes the use of antiembolism compression stockings, intermittent pneumatic compression sleeves, subcutaneous heparin or low-molecular-weight heparin, early ambulation, and adequate hydration. Nitrous oxide is known to inhibit methionine synthase, a vitamin B12-dependent enzyme responsible for the breakdown of homocysteine, resulting in homocysteine elevation, and should be avoided in these patients. Intravenous vitamin B12 infusion before surgery may help decrease homocysteine levels; however, it is not readily available in most operating rooms. Propofol and sevoflurane do not increase homocysteine levels and are considered safe for patients with MTHFR deficiency. This case study describes a 58-year-old man with known MTHFR deficiency and his subsequent uneventful anesthetic care during a total knee replacement.

Damage Control Resuscitation of a Patient With Traumatic Aortic Rupture: A Case Report.

Traumatic aortic rupture (TAR) is a highly fatal injury mechanism resulting from blunt deceleration forces against the descending aorta. The mechanism of TAR is directly attributed to the aorta suffering damage by indirect shearing forces. The descending aorta remains fixed to the posterior chest wall, while the heart and ascending aorta are exerted forward, thus causing the intimal tear. A characteristic triad presents as increased blood pressure in the upper extremities, decreased blood pressure in the lower extremities, and a widened mediastinum on radiography. Early recognition of signs and symptoms of the mechanism of injury is key to initiating early damage control surgery and ultimately decreasing morbidity and mortality. This case report describes the intraoperative management of an elderly female patient with TAR following a motor vehicle collision in a remote location in rural Pennsylvania.

Relationship of Tympanic and Temporal Temperature Modalities to Core Temperature in Pediatric Surgical Patients.

Temperature monitoring is a standard of anesthesia care as listed in Standard V of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Standards of Nurse Anesthesia Practice. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine which temperature modality (tympanic vs temporal) best correlates with pediatric surgical patients' core rectal temperature. Data were from a sample of 106 intraoperative pediatric surgical patients with ASA physical classification 1 or 2 who were scheduled for elective surgical procedures. Findings from this study support that tympanic temperature correlates more to core rectal temperature both before (Pearson r = 0.36 vs 0.16) and after surgery (Pearson r = 0.57 vs 0.33) and had less bias with core rectal temperature (r = -0.37 vs -0.55) than temporal temperature. Multiple regression analyses further supported tympanic temperature as the best predictor of core rectal temperature both before surgery (R² = 0.17, R²adj = 0.13, F(5, 100) = 4.18, P = .0007) and after surgery (R² = 0.34, R²adj = 0 .30, F(7, 99) = 7.47, P = .001). Although generalizations are limited beyond this study population, the findings add support to recommend tympanic temperature as the temperature modality of choice in the pediatric surgical population.

Isolated Harlequin Syndrome Following Brachial Plexus Nerve Block via Interscalene Approach: A Case Report.

Interscalene brachial plexus blockade is regularly used for postoperative pain management following shoulder surgery. A known but generally benign side effect of this technique is Horner syndrome. Another syndrome known as harlequin syndrome exists but does not appear to be as common. This syndrome consists of contralateral facial flushing and sweating secondary to ipsilateral sympathetic chain inhibition. Despite the alarming presentation in the perioperative setting, this syndrome appears to be benign and self-limiting when precipitated by regional anesthetic technique. This article describes an occurrence of harlequin syndrome without observed ptosis or miosis following a postoperative interscalene nerve block.

Comparison of Successful Intubation Between Video Laryngoscopy View Before Attempted Intubation and Direct Laryngoscopic Intubation by Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists: A Pilot Study.

Airway management is a primary focus when student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) begin clinical rotations in their nurse anesthesia program. Successful endotracheal intubation requires both knowledge of and experience with the airway and its structures. Lack of clinical maturity and unfamiliarity with the patient airway intensifies student anxiety in the clinical arena. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the success rate of direct laryngoscopy by 9 SRNAs who were just entering clinical practice rotations. This study required group 1 to perform direct laryngoscopy in their first clinical opportunity in the operating room; group 2 was required to observe a minimum of 3 video laryngoscopic (GlideScope, Verathon Inc) intubations performed by the clinical preceptor before the students' first attempt using direct laryngoscopy. Other modalities used to secure the airway in this study included the GlideScope and a laryngeal mask airway. Results of the data analysis revealed there was no significant difference between groups for success of direct laryngoscopy (group 1, 54%; group 2, 58%; P = .45).