Respiratory Complications of Adenotonsillectomy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the Pediatric Population.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of respiratory complications in the early postoperative period of children with sleep apnea who required adenotonsillectomy at a tertiary pediatric hospital and to establish recommendations for postoperative monitoring. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosed by polysomnogram (PSG), who underwent adenotonsillectomy for treatment of OSA. The prevalence of respiratory complications in the first 24 postoperative hours was measured. Patients with craniofacial malformations, obesity, and severe cardiovascular comorbidities were excluded. The prevalence of postoperative respiratory complications was compared with the severity of OSA according to the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) and NADIR. All data were taken in patients residing in Bogotá city, Colombia, at 2.640 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l). RESULTS: Between May 2014 and February 2017, 167 patients (108 males) required adenotonsillectomy for OSA, with an age range of 1 and 15 years (mean 5.3 years +/- 2.7). The prevalence of postoperative respiratory complications was 3.59% (6/167). There was a statistically significant relationship between the presence of respiratory complication and AHI greater than 44/h (p <0.04). There was an inverse correlation between the AHI and NADIR values. Risk groups of patients younger than 3 years and NADIR less than 70% had a higher prevalence of respiratory complications; however, this correlation was not statistically significant (p <0.08 and 0.89, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of respiratory complications in OSA patients undergoing adenotonsillectomy in high altitudes is similar to that reported in other heights. Preoperative AHI greater than 44/h could be considered a risk factor for early respiratory complication. We suggest ambulatory management after 6 hours in Postanesthetic Care Unit (PACU) observation in patients older than 3 years, with AHI less than 44/h and NADIR greater than 70% in altitudes higher than 2.500 m.a.s.l. Further research must be done to confirm this hypothesis.

Brainstem and Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction: A Neurosurgical Point of View.

Central autonomic control nuclei and pathways are mainly integrated within the brainstem, especially in the medulla oblongata. Lesions within these structures can lead to central dysautonomia.Central autonomic control structures can be damaged by tumors, during surgery, or by other neurosurgical pathologies. These may elicit clinical or subclinical autonomic complications that can constitute a serious clinical problem.The authors present a broad review of the central autonomic nervous system, its possible dysfunctions, and the relation between neurosurgery and this "not-well-known system". Preliminary results of an autonomic study of brainstem lesions that is currently being carried out by the authors are also shown.

Autonomic dysfunction elicited by a medulla oblongata injury after fourth ventricle tumor surgery in a pediatric patient.

We report the case of a 9-year-old male patient with a recurrent fourth ventricle anaplastic ependymoma who developed severe arterial hypertension and blood pressure lability during and after surgery. A punctual bilateral lesion located within mid dorsal medulla oblongata caused by both infiltration and surgical resection was observed in postoperative MRI. Three years later, the patient remained neurologically stable but the family referred the presence of a chronic tachycardia as well as palpitations and sweating with flushing episodes related to environmental stress. On autonomic evaluation, an increase in sympathetic outflow with tachycardia together with orthostatic hypotension caused by baroreceptor reflex dysfunction was observed. We postulate that a bilateral injury to both nuclei of the solitary tract may have caused central dysautonomia.

[Neuroendoscopic biopsy. Experience in 31 patients and literature review]. / Biopsia neuroendoscópica. Revisión de la literatura y experiencia en 31 pacientes.

OBJECTIVE. To describe our experience with the endoscopic management of intraventricular tumors, analyzing biopsy effectiveness, and to compare our results with those obtained from an extensive literature review. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Between 2003 and 2010, 31 patients aged between 7 months and 77 years, diagnosed of solid and/or cystic intra and/or periventricular tumors, underwent neuroendoscopic biopsy. We analyze operative technique, pathological result, management of associated hydrocephalus, rate of complications and postoperative technique. RESULTS. 32 endoscopic procedures were done and biopsy was successfully performed in 28 cases, with positive histological result in 25 of them (78% success rate per procedure and 89% success rate per biopsy). Most frequent pathological diagnosis was grade II astrocytoma. 30 patients had associated hydrocephalus that required endoscopic third ventriculostomy (19 cases, with 73.7% success rate) and/or septostomy (12 patients, 3 associated with ventriculostomy and 9 with ventriculo-peritoneal shunt). Frameless neuronavigation was used in three selected cases. During the surgery and the postoperative period the following complications appeared: intraventricular hemorrhage in four cases (two of them died), seizures in two patients, new neurological findings in three cases (Parinaud's sign, transient palsy of third cranial nerve and hemiparesis associated with palsy of third cranial nerve), and cerebrospinal fluid leak and infection in one case. 19 patients received subsequent treatment (microsurgical resection in 1, radiosurgery in 2, radiotherapy in 8, chemotherapy in 5 and chemo-radiotherapy in 3). CONCLUSIONS. Endoscopic management of intraventricular and/or periventricular brain tumors is effective, and allow diagnostic biopsy and simultaneous treatment of the associated hydrocephalus in many cases. So, it could be the treatment of choice in those tumors that are not suitable for microsurgical resection. Although this technique is not exempt of serious complications, morbimortality could be lower than conventional microsurgical approach.

Biopsia neuroendoscópica. Revisión de la literatura y experiencia en 31 pacientes / Neuroendoscopic biopsy. Experience in 31 patients and literature review

Objetivos. Presentar nuestra experiencia en el manejo endoscópico de tumores intraventriculares, analizando la efectividad diagnóstica de la biopsia, y comparar los resultados obtenidos con los datos publicados en la literatura. Material y métodos. Presentamos una serie de 31 pacientes con edades comprendidas entre los 7 meses y los 77 años, diagnosticados de proceso expansivo intra y/o periventricular, sólido y/o quístico, e intervenidos quirúrgicamente en nuestro servicio entre 2003 y 2010 para la realización de una biopsia neuroendoscópica. Analizamos la técnica utilizada, el resultado anatomopatológico obtenido, el manejo de la hidrocefalia asociada, la frecuencia de complicaciones del procedimiento y la actitud terapéutica posterior.Resultados. Se realizaron 32 procedimientos neuroendoscópicos, obteniéndose muestra para biopsia en 28 de ellos, con resultado positivo en 25 (78% de éxito por procedimiento y 89% de éxito por biopsia). El diagnóstico histológico más frecuente fue de astrocitoma grado II. 30 pacientes presentaban hidrocefalia asociada practicándose una ventriculostomía premamilar (VPM) en 19 casos (éxito en 14 casos, un 73.7%); además, se realizó una septostomía en 12 pacientes (en 3 casos asociada a VPM y en 9 casos seguida de derivación ventrículo-peritoneal). En 3 casos el procedimiento (..) (AU)

Objective. To describe our experience with the endoscopic management of intraventricular tumors, analyzing biopsy effectiveness, and to compare our results with those obtained from an extensive literature review.Materials and methods. Between 2003 and 2010, 31 patients aged between 7 months and 77 years, diagnosed of solid and/or cystic intra and/or periventricular tumors, underwent neuroendoscopic biopsy. We analyze operative technique, pathological result, management of associated hydrocephalus, rate of complications and postoperative technique.Results. 32 endoscopic procedures were done and biopsy was successfully performed in 28 cases, with (..)(AU)