Phrenic nerve block combined with stellate ganglion block for postoperative intractable hiccups: a case report.

Postoperative intractable hiccups slow patient recovery and generate multiple adverse effects, highlighting the importance of investigating the pathogenesis and terminating the hiccups in a timely manner. At present, medical and physical therapies account for the main treatments. We encountered a case in which postoperative intractable hiccups after biliary T-tube drainage removal ceased with the application of an ultrasound-guided block of the unilateral phrenic nerve and stellate ganglion. No complications developed, and the therapeutic effect was remarkable. To our knowledge, this approach has not been reported to date. Simultaneously blocking the phrenic nerve and stellate ganglion may be a treatment option for intractable hiccups.

Treatment of stellate ganglion block in diseases: Its role and application prospect.

The stellate ganglion (SG), as a type of sympathetic ganglion, consists of the sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae and the first thoracic sympathetic ganglia. SG block (SGB) is a minimally invasive injection that aims to inject low-concentration local anesthetics to induce a broad sympathetic blocking effect near the SG. There have been no changes and progress in the clinical application of SGB since the 1830s due to several potential risks, including hematoma from blood vessel injury, hoarseness from recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, and cardiopulmonary arrest. The feasibility and safety of SGB have greatly improved since the appearance of ultrasound-guided SGB. In recent years, SGB has been widely applied in the field of non-anesthesiology sedation, with significant therapeutic effects on pain, immunological diseases, somnipathy, psychological disorders, arrhythmias, and endocrine diseases. The present study reviews the present application of SGB in clinical practice.

Upper thoracic spine puncture and caudal advance of an epidural catheter for adequate analgesia in a patient with breast cancer with chest and upper back pain: A case report.

Patients with advanced cancer and metastasis frequently require analgesic treatments to relieve pain and maintain an acceptable quality of life. Continuous analgesic treatment with epidural drug infusion is one interventional approach to provide adequate pain relief. Most epidural analgesia procedures are performed with the catheter inserted in the lower thoracic or lumbar spine areas, which is then advanced in a cephalad direction to reach the level that requires analgesia. The present study reported on a patient with chest and upper back pain who failed oral oxycodone treatment. Epidural analgesia to target the T5 level was planned. However, a lower spinal puncture with cephalad advance of the catheter was not possible due to metastasis and compression in the T5-8 levels. Thoracic spine puncture was performed between the T1 and T2 vertebrae and the infusion catheter was advanced in a caudal direction to reach the T5 level. Successful pain relief and amelioration of clinical symptoms demonstrated that the method may be considered a feasible and safe approach to achieve adequate analgesia and improve the quality of life of patients with similar conditions.

Knotting together of gastric and tracheal tubes inserted under general anesthesia: A CARE-compliant case report.

RATIONALE: Gastric tube implantation is a routine part of preoperative preparation. Indwelling gastric tubes in patients under general anesthesia maintain gastrointestinal decompression and prevent gastrointestinal expansion. PATIENT CONCERNS: Gastric tube insertion can be associated with many complications, of which gastric tube knotting is a rare and often overlooked complication. DIAGNOSES: Knotting together of gastric and tracheal tubes. INTERVENTIONS: During the operation, the gastric tube was explored by endoscope and hand. LESSONS: Rare complications of knotted gastric and endotracheal tubes are identified and treated promptly. CONCLUSION: We recommend that the gastric tube be intubated first before insertion of the endotracheal tube, and visualization tools should be used in time if the insertion of the gastric tube is unsuccessful.

Stellate ganglion block rectifies excessive daytime sleepiness: a case report.

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is classified as a neurofunctional disorder that manifests as uncontrolled sleeping propensity in the daytime. Currently, consistent and effective therapeutic approaches for EDS are lacking. Stellate ganglion block (SGB) has a clear effect in various complicated pain syndromes, vascular insufficiency, hyperhidrosis, and posttraumatic stress syndrome. We report an EDS case that involved a patient who recovered after several sessions of SGB.

Stellate ganglion block successfully relieved medically unexplained chronic pain: a case report.

Medically unexplained symptoms refers to a clinical syndrome characterized by somatic symptoms that cannot be reasonably explained by any organic disease. Chronic pain can be a type of medically unexplained symptom. The current treatment modalities for chronic pain mainly include drugs and psychotherapy. The use of stellate ganglion block for treatment of chronic pain has rarely been reported. Herein, we report a patient whose chronic pain was completely relieved after receiving a stellate ganglion block.

Treatment of multiple physiological and psychological disorders in one patient with stellate ganglion block: a case report.

Patients with several concurrent illnesses often present with complex manifestations and therefore receive a variety of treatments. The purpose of this report was to describe a patient diagnosed with hypothyroidism, Hashimoto's encephalopathy, cerebral infarction, and ventricular arrhythmia. The patient also had multiple physiological and psychological disorders, including dizziness, frequent ventricular premature beats, hypotension, anxiety, and insomnia. Among other treatments, the patient received a stellate ganglion block and most symptoms were substantially alleviated. Therefore, stellate ganglion block appears to be a useful approach for treating perplexing clinical conditions in patients with autonomic dysfunction.

Analysis of fungal bloodstream infection in intensive care units in the Meizhou region of China: species distribution and resistance and the risk factors for patient mortality.

BACKGROUND: Fungal bloodstream infections (FBI) among intensive care unit (ICU) patients are increasing. Our objective was to characterize the fungal pathogens that cause bloodstream infections and determine the epidemiology and risk factors for patient mortality among ICU patients in Meizhou, China. METHODS: Eighty-one ICU patients with FBI during their stays were included in the study conducted from January 2008 to December 2017. Blood cultures were performed and the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the resulting isolates were determined. Logistic multiple regression and ROC curve analysis were used to assess the risk factors for mortality among the cases. RESULTS: The prevalence of FBI in ICU patients was 0.38% (81/21,098) with a mortality rate of 36% (29/81). Ninety-eight strains of bloodstream-infecting fungi, mainly Candida spp., were identified from these patients. Candida albicans was most common (43%). Two strains of C. parapsilosis were no-sensitive to caspofungin, C. glabrata were less than 80% sensitive to azole drugs. Logistic multiple regression showed that age, serum albumin, APACHE II score, three or more underlying diseases, and length of stay in ICU were independent risk factors for mortality in FBI. ROC curve analysis showed that APACHE II scores > 19 and serum albumin ≤25 g/L were the best predictors of mortality. CONCLUSION: Candida spp. predominated with high mortality rates among cases of FBI in ICU. Thus, clinical staff should enhance overall patient monitoring and concurrently monitor fungal susceptibility to reduce mortality rates.

A randomized trial to evaluate a modified tracheal catheter with upper and lower balloons for anesthetic administration: effect on the cardiovascular, stress response, and comfort in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate a modified endotracheal tube containing upper and lower balloons for anesthetic administration among patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: Ninety patients scheduled to undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly allocated to 3 equal groups: group A (conventional tracheal intubation without endotracheal anesthesia); B (conventional tracheal intubation with endotracheal anesthesia); and C (tracheal intubation using a modified catheter under study). Blood pressure, heart rate, angiotensin II level, blood glucose level, airway pressure before anesthesia (T1) were measured immediately after intubation (T2), 5 min after intubation (T3), and immediately after extubation (T4). The post-extubation pain experienced was evaluated using the Wong-Baker Face Pain scale. Adverse reactions within 30 min after extubation were recorded. RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, angiotensin II, and blood sugar level in group C at T2, T3 and T4, and heart rate at T2 and T4 were significantly lower than those in group A (P < 0.05); systolic blood pressure and blood sugar at T4, and angiotensin II levels at T2, T3, and T4 were significantly lower than those in group B (P < 0.05). Patients in group C reported the lowest post-extubation pain (P < 0.05 vs. Group A), and the lowest incidence of adverse events such as nausea, vomiting, and sore throat than that in groups A and B (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The modified endotracheal anesthesia tube under study is effective in reducing cardiovascular and tracheal stress response, and increasing patient comfort, without inducing an increase in airway resistance. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The clinical trial was retrospectively registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry with the Registration Number ChiCTR1900020832 at January 20th 2019.