Successful Intubation Using the Airtraq Double Lumen® with the Universal Adapter for Smartphones® in a Case of Intubation Difficulty.

OBJECTIVE: The Universal Adapter for Smartphones® c an record s till images and movies during intubation using the monitor display and recording functions of a smartphone. Here, we describe the successful use of the Airtraq Double Lumen® with the Universal Adapter for Smartphones® for airway management during anesthesia in a patient with intubation difficulty. METHODS: A 78-year-old man required thoracoscopic upper lobectomy for a pulmonary tumor. Preoperative examination revealed micrognathia, mouth opening equivalent to a three-finger width, Mallampati Class II, mentum-hyoid bone distance equal to a 2.5-finger width, hyoid bone-thyroid cartilage distance equal to a two-finger width, and Class I findings in the Upper Lip Bite Test. After inducing anesthesia and confirming the feasibility of mask ventilation, we administered 70 mg of rocuronium and inserted the Airtraq Double Lumen®. The Universal Adapter for Smartphones® connected to a 4-inch iPod Touch® was attached to its eye cup, through which the iPod Touch displayed images for easy visualization of the glottal area. RESULTS: Prompt and smooth intubation with a 35-Fr double-lumen tube (DLT) was achieved. There were no adverse events associated with intubation. CONCLUSION: Combination of the Universal Adapter for Smartphones® and the Airtraq Double Lumen® can facilitate smooth tracheal intubation with a DLT in cases of difficult intubation.

Anatomical variants of dorsal scapular nerve in relation to the middle scalene muscle in Japanese population.

Dorsal scapular nerve (DSN) block is often performed in Japanese pain clinics to treat neck pain and katakori (a unique symptom in Japanese population characterized by myofascial pain syndromes such as shoulder girdle pain). However, to the best of our knowledge, there are only a few studies regarding anatomical variations in DSN paths around the middle scalene muscle (MSM) in Japanese population. Thus, we conducted a cadaveric study to examine anatomical variations in DSN paths around the MSM in Japanese population.DSN anatomies of 70 adult Japanese cadavers used for research and gross anatomy practice at the Tokai University School of Medicine between 2015 and 2016 were examined.In all cadavers, DSNs originated from the brachial plexus (BP) and innervated the rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, and levator scapulae muscles via the MSM. Two types of DSN paths were observed: piercing-type (piercing the MSM) and anterior-type (running in front of the MSM). We surveyed all 140 sides in 70 Japanese cadavers; of these, 95 sides had piercing-type and 45 had anterior-type paths. Of the 70 cadavers, 42 had piercing-type and 17 had anterior-type paths on both the sides. In 9 cadavers, the left and right sides had piercing-type and anterior-type paths, respectively. In the other 2 cadavers, the right and left sides had piercing-type and anterior-type paths, respectively.We found 2 distinct anatomical variants for DSN paths around the MSM in this Japanese cohort. Our results suggest that the rate of anterior-type DSN path is higher in Japanese population. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain caution while injecting anesthetic agents during a DSN block and the type of DSN should be considered.

Evaluation of the antinociceptive activities of several sodium channel blockers using veratrine test in mice.

An important role of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) in many different pain states has been established in animal models and humans wherein sodium channel blockers partially ameliorate pain. However, behavioral tests for screening analgesics that exhibit pharmacologic action by acting on VGSCs are rarely reported, and there are no studies on antinociception using veratrine as a nociceptive agent. The aim of the present study was to examine the amount of nociceptive behavior evoked by subcutaneous administration of veratrine into the hind paw and investigate whether veratrine can be used as a VGSC agonist to test the pharmacological properties of candidate analgesics via sodium channel blockade. We report for the first time that intraplantar injection of veratrine produced a reproducible nociceptive response in mice. Furthermore, several sodium channel blockers, namely carbamazepine, valproate, mexiletine, and the selective Nav1.7 inhibitor PF-04856264, but not flecainide or pilsicainide, reduced veratrine-induced nociception. In contrast, calcium channel blockers gabapentin and ethosuximide did not change veratrine-induced nociception. The veratrine test in mice might be a useful tool, at least in part, to evaluate the potential analgesic effect of sodium channel blockers.

Case of Wenckebach-type atrioventricular block caused by administration of indigo carmine.

We report a case of first-degree atrioventricular (A-V) block progressing to second-degree (Wenckebach-type) A-V block after administration of indigo carmine in a patient undergoing hysterectomy under general anesthesia. We believe that the onset of Wenckebach-type A-V block may have been induced by one or more of three factors: 1) preoperative first-degree A-V block, 2) the anesthetics used (propofol and remifentanil), and 3) administration of indigo carmine.

Applicability of a compact PT-INR measuring device CoaguChek XS to perioperative management.

OBJECTIVE: In perioperative management, prothrombin time (PT) expressed as the international normalized ratio (INR) is an important preoperative test to assess bleeding risk. It is also used to assess the effect of discontinuing anticoagulant therapy, to determine whether to treat patients with vitamin K or fresh frozen plasma, and to decide whether a deep nerve block (e.g., epidural anesthesia) is needed. Compared with other devices used to measure prothrombin time, the CoaguChek XS is a smaller, lighter and more convenient-to-use PT-INR monitoring system that requires a smaller venous, skin puncture or arterial blood sample than other systems. In a surgical setting, it is often more convenient to collect arterial blood. However, the applicability of arterial blood PT-INR values has not been verified. METHODS: We evaluated the usefulness of the CoaguChek XS in anesthetic management by comparing PT-INR values for arterial blood with those of venous blood in 50 patients who were scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia. RESULTS: Arterial PT-INR values were well correlated with venous PT-INR values (r2 = 0.9239; regression line y = 0.9537x + 0.0505). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the CoaguChek XS system can provide arterial PT-INR values and should be available in operating and emergency rooms.