ABSTRACT
We report a case of complete paraplegia after general anesthesia for a right tympanomastoidectomy without any apparent predisposing factors related to the surgical procedure or the anesthetic. The case raises the possibility that the combination of neck rotation and relative hypotension may precipitate paraplegia in patients with preexisting spinal chord pathology.
Subject(s)
Mastoiditis/surgery , Paraplegia/etiology , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Adult , Anesthesia, General/methods , Female , Humans , Hypotension/chemically induced , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Paraplegia/therapy , Postoperative Complications/therapy , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Multimedia applications have been developed to explain many aspects of anesthesiology, including anesthesia machines, cardiopulmonary bypass systems, airway management, anesthetic pharmacology, regional anesthesia, and more recently, the history of the specialty. This article describes how computer-assisted instruction and multimedia have made it possible for an anesthesia department in a teaching hospital to become involved in the preservation, publication, and distribution of historically related anesthesia materials. The production of a digital video disc (DVD) based on the career of Leroy D. Vandam is discussed to illustrate the value of digital media in preserving, rejuvenating, and distributing anesthesia-related historical materials.
