Pediatric Neurogenic Pulmonary Edema After Brain Tumor Removal Complicated with Severe Myocardial Injury: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Neurogenic pulmonary edema (NPE) is a rare complication of neurological insults, such as traumatic brain injury and intracranial hemorrhage, in children. NPE frequently accompanies left ventricular (LV) dysfunction mediated via central catecholamine surge and inflammation. A high serum natriuretic (BNP) level was prolonged even after the LV contraction was improved in this case with severe myocardial injury. The overloading stress to the LV wall can last several days over the acute phase of NPE. CASE REPORT A 6-year-old boy developed NPE after the removal of a brain tumor in the cerebellar vermis, which was complicated by hydrocephalus. Simultaneously, he experienced LV dysfunction involving reduced global contraction with severe myocardial injury diagnosed by abnormally elevated cardiac troponin I level (1611.6 pg/ml) combined with a high serum BNP level (2106 pg/ml). He received mechanical ventilation for 4 days until the improvement of his pulmonary edema in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). On the next day, after the withdrawal of mechanical ventilation, he was discharged from the ICU to the pediatric unit. Although the LV contraction was restored to an almost normal range in the early period, it took a total of 16 days for the serum BNP level to reach an approximate standard range (36.9 pg/ml). CONCLUSIONS Even in a pediatric patient with NPE, we recommend careful monitoring of the variation of cardiac biomarkers such as BNP until confirmation of return to an approximate normal value because of the possible sustained overloading stress to the LV wall.

Incidence and characteristics of early elevation of cardiac troponin I after intrathoracic surgery: A single-center retrospective observational study.

The early elevation of cardiac troponins within 24 hours after noncardiac surgery is reportedly associated with increased postoperative morbidities. Several predisposing factors, including the frequent occurrence of hypoxia and increased pulmonary arterial pressure, may likely contribute to this elevation, especially after intrathoracic surgery. Therefore, this retrospective study aimed to elucidate the incidence and characteristics of the early elevation of cardiac troponin I after intrathoracic surgery. This study included 320 patients who underwent intrathoracic surgery between January 1, 2018, and June 30, 2021. Specific perioperative variables were retrospectively collected from their electrical clinical records. The serum concentration of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs cTnI) was measured twice immediately after the intensive care unit arrival and on the following day. We grouped these patients into two: the early elevation of hs cTnI (EECT) group (hs cTnI value > 26.2 ng/L by at least 1 measurement) and the non-early elevation (non-EECT) group. Patient characteristics were then compared between these groups. The hs cTnI level elevated within 24 hours postoperatively in 103 patients (32.2%). In univariate analysis, intraoperative variables, including the duration of unilateral ventilation (199.2 minutes, P = .0025) and surgery (210.6 minutes, P = .0012), estimated blood loss volume (406.7 mL, P = .0022), percentage of stored red blood cell (RBC) transfusion (10.7%, P = .0059), and percentage of lobectomy or combination of other lung resection types (88.3%, P = .00188), were significantly higher in the EECT group than in the non-EECT group. In the log-rank test, prolonged hospitalization was more prevalent in the EECT group (P = .0485). Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed 3 independent risk factors for the early elevation of hs cTnI: coexisting chronic renal failure (odds ratio [OR], 3.25), lobectomy or combined resections (OR, 2.65), and stored RBC transfusion (OR, 3.41). The early elevation of hs cTnI commonly occurs after intrathoracic surgery, with an incidence of 32.2%. Its 3 independent risk factors are coexisting chronic renal failure, lung resection type, and stored RBC transfusion.

Enhanced recovery from fulminant myocarditis by treatment with the combined use of the Impella left ventricular assist device with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a case series.

BACKGROUND: We experienced two adult cases of fulminant myocarditis with severe cardiogenic shock where Impella left ventricular assist device [left ventricle (LV)-Impella] was concomitantly used with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO). CASE PRESENTATION: A 67-year-old man and a 49-year-old man with fulminant myocarditis were transferred to our hospital with mechanical support of V-A ECMO and IABP. Impella 5.0 and Impella CP were implanted 21 h and 17 h after establishing V-A ECMO for each case. Within 1 week, the patients' LV function progressively improved. Then the Impellas were withdrawn after discontinuing V-A ECMO. They were discharged from the intensive care unit within the following 8 days. CONCLUSIONS: The optimal introducing timing of LV-Impella is not currently precise. However, this case report suggests that the initiation of LV-Impella within at least 24 h after establishing V-A ECMO may be acceptable for the recovery of cardiac function.

Perioperative management of emergent cesarean section in a patient with peripartum cardiomyopathy and orthopnea: a case report.

Perioperative management of pregnant women with heart failure is difficult. Management of anesthesia in pregnant women is especially difficult because all of the currently available choices present challenges. We report a patient with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) who required an emergent cesarean section and discuss the possible tactics for managing anesthesia. A 40-year-old primipara with severe cardiac and respiratory failure required an emergent cesarean section at 39+1 gestational weeks. Her left ventricular ejection fraction was between 10% and 15%, and she had orthopnea. General anesthesia was planned after inserting sheaths for percutaneous cardiopulmonary support from the femoral artery and vein. However, when the patient was asked to lie down on the operation bed, she panicked and resisted because of labor pain and dyspnea. Therefore, anesthesia was induced instead of the initial plan. Finally, we successfully managed the anesthesia and delivered the newborn. There are no alternatives to general anesthesia in patients with PPCM presenting with orthopnea. Anesthesia induction in the supine position is impossible in such patients owing to dyspnea. Anesthesia should be started with light sedation in the sitting position, and ketamine or low-dose remifentanil may be an option to maintain maternal hemodynamics and prevent neonatal asphyxia.

Independent Predicting Factors for Subcutaneous Emphysema Associated with Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy: A Retrospective Single-Center Study.

OBJECTIVES: Subcutaneous emphysema (SCE) is a complication associated with laparoscopic surgery. Severe SCE complicated by excessive hypercarbia may afford detrimental effects in surgical patients with cardiac dysfunction. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) has several predisposing factors that contribute to SCE. The main purpose of our single-center retrospective study was to determine the preoperative and intraoperative predicting factors for SCE associated with RALP and to determine the actual incidence of SCE. METHODS: In total, 229 adult male patients underwent standardized RALP for prostate cancer over the period of 1 May 2016 to 31 October 2018 at the Ehime University Hospital. We reviewed electronic clinical records for individual characteristics including age, body weight, height, coexisting disorders, preoperative ASA physical status, and the length of postoperative hospital stay. We also reviewed surgical and anesthetic records for the operation time, anesthetic method, and the partial pressure of end-tidal CO2 (PetCO2) during RALP. To determine the presence of SCE, we examined supine chest X-rays obtained after the completion of surgery. RESULTS: We found 55 cases (24.0%) of SCE. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that a BMI < 25 kg/m2 (OR: 3.0, 95% CI: 1.25-7.26) and a maximum value of PetCO2 of 46 mmHg or greater (OR: 23.3, 95% CI: 8.22-66.1) were independent predicting factors for SCE. CONCLUSION: These two predicting factors may be helpful to recognize the occurrence of SCE. Anesthesiologists should protect against SCE progression with the earlier detection of SCE for safe anesthetic management in patients undergoing RALP.

A case report of thrombotic complete obstruction of the ascending aorta as a complication of Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support: steps to prevent thrombosis.

BACKGROUND: Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is an essential device in the field of emergency and intensive-care medicine. However, long-term use of VA-ECMO has various severe complications, including thrombosis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 60-year-old man underwent his third aortic root replacement using a homograft because of infectious endocarditis. Although the operation was difficult because of severe adhesion caused by the two previous interventions, aortic root replacement using a homograft was performed. At the time of withdrawal from cardiopulmonary bypass, the maintenance of hemodynamics was difficult because of bleeding from the surgical site, leading to hypovolemic shock. Cardiac function subsequently deteriorated; therefore, VA-ECMO was established and the operation was finished. Three days later, thrombus was formed inside the homograft and completely occluded ascending aorta. Evacuation of hematoma was performed, however, cardiac function was not ameliorated. Eventually, the patient had brain infarction and died. To prevent thrombus formation in very severe low cardiac output cases under VA-ECMO management after surgery, to prevent the stagnation of the blood flow from VA-ECMO will be necessary because anticoagulant therapy will be difficult. Impella ventricular assist device which is recently used widely generates anterograde blood flow and effectively prevents stagnation. CONCLUSIONS: To prevent thrombus formation in cases of very severe low cardiac output, Impella® should be combinatorially introduced from the beginning of VA-ECMO establishment to prevent thrombosis.

Carbon monoxide poisoning-induced delayed encephalopathy accompanies decreased microglial cell numbers: Distinctive pathophysiological features from hypoxemia-induced brain damage.

Carbon monoxide (CO) causes not only acute fatal poisoning but also may cause a delayed neurologic syndrome called delayed encephalopathy (DE), which occasionally occurs after an interval of several days to several weeks post-exposure. However, the mechanisms of DE have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to clarify the pathophysiology of CO-induced DE and its distinctive features compared with hypoxemic hypoxia. Rats were randomly assigned to three groups; the air group, the CO group (exposed to CO), and the low O2 group (exposed to low concentration of O2). Impairment of memory function was observed only in the CO group. The hippocampus tissues were collected and analyzed for assessment of CO-induced changes and microglial reaction. Demyelination was observed only in the CO group and it was more severe and persisted longer than that observed in the low O2 group. Moreover, in the CO group, decreased in microglial cell numbers were observed using flow cytometry, and microglia with detached branches were observed were observed using immunohistochemistry. Conversely, microglial cells with shortened branches and enlarged somata were observed in the low O2 group. Furthermore, mRNAs encoding several neurotrophic factors expressed by microglia were decreased in the CO group but were increased in the low O2 group. Thus, CO-induced DE displayed distinctive pathological features from those of simple hypoxic insults: prolonged demyelination accompanying a significant decrease in microglial cells. Decreased neurotrophic factor expression by microglial cells may be one of the causes of CO-induced DE.

Two Japanese Pioneers in Anesthesiology: Seishu Hanaoka and Gendai Kamada.

Seishu Hanaoka and Gendai Kamada are two Japanese pioneers in anesthesiology. Seishu Hanaoka was the world's first surgeon on record to successfully perform surgery under general anesthesia in 1804. Seishu discovered that six medicinal herbs containing Datura, stramonium, and Aconitum had anesthetic properties. From these, he developed Mafutsusan. His fame spread across Japan, and he was inundated with requests from patients and prospective students. He founded a private medical school (Shunrinken) and trained more than 1000 students. Gendai Kamada was an outstanding pupil of Seishu Hanaoka. From the perspective of the history of anesthesiology, three of Gendai's achievements had a global impact. (1) In 1839, he wrote the first textbook of clinical anesthesiology, Mafutsuto-ron; (2) in 1840, he authored Gekakihai-zufu, which included some of the oldest illustrations of surgery under general anesthesia; and (3) he trained Gensei Matsuoka, the world's second anesthesiologist.