What should be done when appropriate antiplatelet therapy fails to prevent stent thrombosis? Two case reports.

When performing noncardiac surgery in high-risk patients with PCI, anesthesiologists should be prepared for in-stent thrombosis, that do not respond to conventional treatments and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. VA-ECMO is an advantageous treatment method in those patients.

Analgesic effects of ultrasound-guided fourquadrant transversus abdominis plane in patients with cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy: a prospective, randomized, controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pain occurring after cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is difficult to control because of extensive surgical injuries and long incisions. We assessed whether the addition of a four-quadrant transabdominal plane (4Q-TAP) block could help in analgesic control. METHODS: Seventy-two patients scheduled to undergo elective CRS with HIPEC and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV PCA) were enrolled. The patients received 4Q-TAP blocks in a 10 ml mixture of 2% lidocaine and 0.75% ropivacaine per site (4Q-TAP group, n = 36) or normal saline (control group, n = 33). Oxycodone in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and pethidine or tramadol in the ward were used as rescue analgesics. The primary outcome was less than 3 times of rescue analgesic administration (%) in the ward for 5 postoperative days. Secondary endpoints included oxycodone requirement in PACU, fentanyl doses of IV PCA, morphine milligram equivalent (MME) of total opioid use, hospital stay, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: During 5 postoperative days, there was no difference in pain scores and total rescue analgesic administration between two groups. However, the use of oxycodone in PACU (P = 0.011), fentanyl requirement in IV PCA (P = 0.029), and MME/kg of total opioid use (median, 2.35 vs. 3.21 mg/kg, P = 0.009) were significantly smaller in the 4Q-TAP group. Hospital stay and incidence of postoperative morbidity were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The 4Q-TAP block enhanced multimodal analgesia and decreased opioid requirements in patients with CRS with HIPEC, but did not change postoperative recovery outcomes.

Massive hemothorax after central venous catheter insertion in a patient with multiple trauma.

Central venous catheter (CVC) insertion is commonly used in the operating room and intensive care unit to monitor central venous pressure and secure an intravenous route to deliver medications and nutritional support that cannot be safely infused into peripheral veins. However, CVC insertion may be associated with serious complications such as arterial puncture, hematoma, pneumothorax, hemothorax, catheter infections, and thrombosis. Several methods have been recommended to prevent these complications. Here we report a case of massive hemothorax caused by attempts of CVC insertion into the internal jugular vein and subclavian vein in a patient with multiple trauma. CVC placement should be performed or supervised by an experienced physician to decrease the incidence of CVC-related complications. CVC insertion under ultrasound guidance is recommended.

Airway Management Failure after Delayed Extubation in a Patient with Oral Malignant Melanoma Who Underwent Partial Mandibulectomy and Reconstruction with a Free Flap.

Maxillofacial surgery may cause severe complications in perioperative airway management. We report a case of failed airway management in a patient who underwent segmental mandibulectomy, radical neck dissection, and reconstruction with a free flap. The patient was extubated approximately 36 hours after surgery. Approximately 7 hours after extubation, the patient complained of dyspnoea, and respiratory failure followed. Bag-mask ventilation, direct laryngoscopy, video laryngoscopy, and supraglottic airway access were ineffective. The surgical airway was secured with an emergency tracheostomy while performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. However, the patient experienced permanent hypoxic brain damage. The airway of patients with oral cancer may be compromised postoperatively due to surgical trauma and bulky flap reconstruction. Patients should be closely monitored during the postoperative period to prevent airway failure. Early diagnosis and airway management before airway failure occurs are important. Medical staff should be aware of airway management algorithms, be trained to perform difficult airway management, and have the required equipment readily available.

Successful management of uncontrolled postpartum hemorrhage due to morbidly adherent placenta with Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta during emergency cesarean section - A case report.

BACKGROUND: Morbidly adherent placenta (MAP) may cause life-threatening postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) requiring massive transfusions. Furthermore, it could endanger the lives of both mother and baby. Despite various efforts, such as adjuvant endovascular embolization and hysterectomy, massive PPH due to MAP still occurs and is difficult to overcome. CASE: Herein, we described the case of a 40-year-old woman with placenta previa totalis who experienced massive bleeding during a cesarean section. We used resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) and it improved the condition of the surgical field and the hemodynamic stability of the patient temporarily. The patient was successfully managed without further complications. CONCLUSIONS: REBOA can be used as a rescue procedure for uncontrolled bleeding situations in patients with MAPs. Anesthesiologists should consider and recommend REBOA as another resuscitative therapeutic option in the case of massive PPH.

Airway anesthesia with lidocaine for general anesthesia without using neuromuscular blocking agents in a patient with a history of anaphylaxis to rocuronium: a case report.

We experienced a case of induction of general anesthesia without using neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) in a 40-year-old woman with a history of anaphylaxis immediately after the administration of anesthetics lidocaine, propofol, and rocuronium to perform endoscopic sinus surgery 2 years before. The skin test showed a positive reaction to rocuronium and cis-atracurium. We induced general anesthesia without using NMBAs after inducing airway anesthesia with lidocaine (transtracheal injection and superior laryngeal nerve block). Deep general anesthesia was maintained with end-tidal 4 vol% sevoflurane. Hypotension was treated with phenylephrine infusion. The operation condition was excellent, and patient recovered without complications after surgery. Airway anesthesia with local anesthetics may be helpful when we cannot use NMBAs for any reason, including hypersensitivity to NMBA and surgery that needs neuromuscular monitoring.

Impacted dental bridge in the esophagus following general anesthesia: A case report.

A dental bridge impacted in the esophagus of a 43-year-old man was successfully removed using endoscopy, without any further complications. It is of utmost importance that the medical staff carefully assess the patient's dental condition, provide clear documentation, and notify the patient appropriately to prevent dental prosthesis-related complications and claims. Anesthesiologists also need to be more cautious in the perioperative period, even after extubation, because this complication may not be completely avoidable.

Efficacy of minimal invasive cardiac output and ScVO2 monitoring during controlled hypotension for double-jaw surgery.

BACKGROUND: Controlled hypotension (CH) provides a better surgical environment and reduces operative time. However, there are some risks related to organ hypoperfusion. The EV1000/FloTrac system can provide continuous cardiac output monitoring without the insertion of pulmonary arterial catheter. The present study investigated the efficacy of this device in double jaw surgery under CH. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent double jaw surgery between 2010 and 2015. Patients were administered conventional general anesthesia with desflurane; CH was performed with remifentanil infusion and monitored with an invasive radial arterial pressure monitor or the EV1000/FloTrac system. We allocated the patients into two groups, namely an A-line group and an EV1000 group, according to the monitoring methods used, and the study variables were compared. RESULTS: Eighty-five patients were reviewed. The A-line group reported a higher number of failed CH (P = 0.005). A significant correlation was found between preoperative hemoglobin and intraoperative packed red blood cell transfusion (r = 0.525; P < 0.001). In the EV1000 group, the mean arterial pressure (MAP) was significantly lower 2 h after CH (P = 0.014), and the cardiac index significantly decreased 1 h after CH (P = 0.001) and 2 h after CH (P = 0.007). Moreover, venous oxygen saturation (ScVO2) decreased significantly at both 1 h (P = 0.002) and 2 h after CH (P = 0.029); however, these values were within normal limits. CONCLUSION: The EV1000 group reported a lower failure rate of CH than the A-line group. However, EV1000/FloTrac monitoring did not present with any specific advantage over the conventional arterial line monitoring when CH was performed with the same protocol and same mean blood pressure. Preoperative anemia treatment will be helpful to decrease intraoperative transfusion. Furthermore, ScVO2 monitoring did not present with sufficient benefits over the risk and cost.

Fiberoptic bronchoscope and C-MAC video laryngoscope assisted nasal-oral tube exchange: two case reports.

In cases of multiple facial trauma and other specific cases, the anesthesiologist may be asked to convert an oral endotracheal tube to a nasal endotracheal tube or vice versa. Conventionally, the patient is simply extubated and the endotracheal tube is re-inserted along either the oral or nasal route. However, the task of airway management can become difficult due to surgical trauma or worsening of the airway condition. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was considered a novel method of airway conversion but this method is not useful when there are secretions and bleeding in the airway, or if the anesthesiologist is inexperienced in using this device. We report a successful airway conversion under the aid of both, a fiberoptic bronchoscope and a C-MAC video laryngoscope.

A comparison of the effects of epinephrine and xylometazoline in decreasing nasal bleeding during nasotracheal intubation.

BACKGROUND: Various techniques have been introduced to decrease complications during nasotracheal intubation. A common practice is to use nasal packing with a cotton stick and 0.01% epinephrine jelly. However, this procedure can be painful to patients and can damage the nasal mucosa. Xylometazoline spray can induce effective vasoconstriction of the nasal mucosa without direct nasal trauma. In this study, we aimed to compare the efficacy of these two methods. METHODS: Patients were randomly allocated into two groups (n = 40 each): xylometazoline spray group or epinephrine packing group. After the induction of general anesthesia, patients allocated to the xylometazoline spray group were treated with xylometazoline spray to induce nasal cavity mucosa vasoconstriction, and the epinephrine packing group was treated with nasal packing with two cotton sticks and 0.01% epinephrine jelly. The number of attempts to insert the endotracheal tube into the nasopharynx, the degree of difficulty during insertion, and bleeding during bronchoscopy were recorded. An anesthesiologist, blinded to the intubation method, estimated the severity of epistaxis 5 min after intubation and postoperative complications. RESULTS: No significant intergroup difference was observed in navigability (P = 0.465). The xylometazoline spray group showed significantly less epistaxis during intubation (P = 0.02). However, no differences were observed in epistaxis 5 min after intubation or postoperative epistaxis (P = 0.201). No inter-group differences were observed in complications related to nasal intubation and nasal pain. CONCLUSION: Xylometazoline spray is a good alternative to nasal packing for nasal preparation before nasotracheal intubation.

Inspection of the nasopharynx prior to fiberoptic-guided nasotracheal intubation reduces the risk epistaxis.

BACKGROUND: Various complications may occur during nasotracheal intubation. This may include epistaxis and damage to the nasopharyngeal airway. We tested the hypothesis that the use of fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB)-guided intubation is superior to endotracheal tube (ETT) obturated with an inflated esophageal stethoscope. METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups (n=22 each): either an FOB-guided intubation group or ETT obturated with an inflated esophageal stethoscope group. After the induction of general anesthesia, patients in the FOB group received an FOB inspection through the nostril without advancement of ETT. Then, after confirming the placement of the bronchoscope tip in the trachea, the lubricated ETT was advanced via the nostril to the trachea along the bronchoscope. In the obturated ETT insertion group, the proximal opening of the ETT was blunted with an inflated esophageal stethoscope. The ETT was inserted into the selected nostril and advanced blindly into the posterior oropharynx. Then, the esophageal stethoscope was removed and tracheal intubation was performed with the bronchoscope. The number of attempts for successful tracheal intubation, the degree of difficulty during insertion, and bleeding during bronchoscopy were recorded. Another anesthesiologist, blinded to the intubation method, estimated the severity of epistaxis 5minutes after the intubation and postoperative complications. RESULTS: The FOB group had significantly less epistaxis during bronchoscopy, better navigability, and fewer intubation attempts and redirections. CONCLUSION: Fiberoptic-guided nasotracheal intubation was associated with less epistaxis. It also showed better navigability and less redirection rate. Therefore, FOB as an intubation guide is superior to ETT with an inflated esophageal stethoscope when intubating a patient via the nasotracheal route.

Effectiveness of milrinone for cardiogenic shock due to massive pulmonary aspiration: a case report.

Pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents is one of the most frightening complications during anesthesia. Although pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents in general surgical patients is not common and resulting long-term morbidity and mortality are rare, severe hypoxemia and other sequelae of pulmonary aspiration continue to be reported. We report a case of massive aspiration of gastric contents during induction of general anesthesia, resulting in cardiac arrest due to severe pulmonary hypertension and myocardial infarction. Sustained cardiac arrest and shock that did not respond the conventional resuscitation was successfully treated using milrinone. The patient was discharged without complications in 20 days.

Tracheal intubation with rocuronium using a "modified timing principle".

BACKGROUND: Rapid sequence induction (RSI) is indicated in various situations. Succinylcholine has been the muscle relaxant of choice for RSI, and rocuronium has become an alternative medicine for patients who cannot be administered succinylcholine for various reasons. Although rocuronium has the most rapid onset time among non-depolarizing muscle relaxants, the standard dose of rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg) takes 60 seconds to achieve appropriate muscle relaxation. We evaluated intubating conditions using the "modified timing principle" with rocuronium and succinylcholine. METHODS: In this prospective controlled blinded study, all patients received 1.5 µg/kg fentanyl intravenously with preoxygenation for 2 minutes and were randomized to receive 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium followed by 1.5 mg/kg propofol or 1.5 mg/kg propofol and 1.5 mg/kg succinylcholine. The rocuronium group was intubated just after confirming loss of consciousness, and the succinylcholine group was intubated 1 minute after injecting succinylcholine. Intubation condition, timing of events, and complications were recorded. RESULTS: All patients were successfully intubated in both groups. Apnea time of the rocuronium group (38.5 seconds) was significantly shorter than that in the succinylcholine group (100.7 seconds). No significant differences were observed in loss of consciousness time or intubation time. The succinylcholine group tended to show better intubation conditions, but no significant difference was observed. None of the patients complained awareness of the intubation procedure or had respiratory difficulty during a postoperative interview. CONCLUSIONS: The modified RSI with rocuronium showed shorter intubation sequence, acceptable intubation conditions, and a similar level of complications compared to those of conventional RSI with succinylcholine.

Severe brachial plexus injury after retropubic radical prostatectomy -A case report-.

A 69-year-old man with prostate cancer underwent surgery for 16 h. Approximately 6 h after surgery, the patient developed severe pain and motor weakness in his right arm. After neurologic examinations that included a nerve conduction study and electromyography, the patient was diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury. The causes of the brachial plexus injury were thought to be abduction of both arms, direct compression of the shoulder brace, and prolonged surgery. Most of the postoperative peripheral nerve injuries due to patient position are preventable, and anesthetists and surgeons should be very careful in positioning the patient accurately.