[Comparison of saline, air, and a mixture oxygen-nitrous oxide for endotracheal cuff tracheal tube inflation in children? A prospective randomized trial]. / Comparaison de sérum salé, d'air et d'un mélange oxygène-protoxyde d'azote pour le remplissage des ballonnets de sondes d'intubation chez l'enfant? Étude prospective randomisée.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to compare how many inflate and deflate are necessary to maintain the endotracheal tube cuff pressure between 15 and 35 cm H2O by using air, O2-N2O mix or saline solution. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized and prospective study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety children from 1 month to 15 years of age were included in the study. All patients were ventilated with O250%-N2O50%. Subsequently, the patients were divided in three groups: (1) Group 1: patients with air inflated cuffs; (2) Group 2: patients with O2-N2O mix inflated cuffs; (3) Group 3: patients with saline solution inflated cuffs. In all groups cuffs were inflated to reach an intracuff pressure of 20 cm H2O. The cuff pressure was then monitored every 10 minutes and adjusted to be between 15 and 35 cm H2O. Laryngeal and tracheal symptoms were noted in the recovery room. RESULTS: The three groups of patients were similar for age, weight, and sex. The length of surgery was significantly longer in Group 3. The deflate rate was higher in Group 1 (60%) than in Group 2 (10%) or 3 (3.3%) (p<0.0001). The inflate rate was higher in Group 2 (76.6%) than in Group 1 or 3 (both 3.3%) (p<0.0001). Side effects were comparable in the three groups of patients. CONCLUSION: Using air or O2-N2O mix to inflate cuffs is not reliable. SSI helps to maintain a more stable cuff pressure but monitoring is difficult and sometimes contraindicated by tracheal tubes producers. Inflating cuffs with air and regularly monitoring pressure is the most reliable and easiest technique.

[Sedation using ketamine for pain procedures in Pediatric Oncology.]. / Sédation par kétamine en prévention de la douleur liée aux gestes invasifs en oncologie pédiatrique.

Procedural sedation and analgesia for children is widely practiced. Since 2005 to 2007, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of ketamine to control pain induced by diagnostic procedures in pediatric oncology patients. Eight hundred fifty procedures were carried out in 125 patients aged 2 to 16 years. We associated EMNO (inhaled equimolar mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen), atropin (oral or rectal), midazolam (oral or rectal) and ketamin (intravenous). An anesthesiologist injected ketamin. Average dose of ketamine was 0.33 to 2 mg/kg depending on number and invasiveness of procedures. This method requires careful monitoring and proper precautions. With these conditions, no complication was observed. All patients were effectively sedated. These results indicate that ketamine - in association with EMNO, atropine and midazolam - is safe and effective in pain management induced by diagnostic procedures in pediatric oncology patients. The sedative regimen of intravenous ketamine has greatly reduced patient, family and practitioners anxiety for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Continuous psoas compartment blocks after major orthopedic surgery in children: a prospective computed tomographic scan and clinical studies.

UNLABELLED: Femoral shaft or hip surgeries are very painful for children. We conducted both computed tomographic (CT) and clinical prospective studies to define new landmarks in children and to evaluate the effectiveness of continuous psoas compartment blocks (CPCBs) using disposable elastomeric pumps. In a preliminary CT scan study of 20 patients, the plexus depth was correlated to patient age and the optimal point of puncture for CPCB was three-quarters of the distance from the spinous process of L4 to a line parallel to the spinal column passing through the posterior superior iliac spine. In a subsequent prospective series, a CPCB was administered before surgery to 15 children for pain relief after femoral and hip osteotomies. After general anesthesia, a 0.5 mL/kg bolus of a mixture of 1% lidocaine with epinephrine (1/200.000) and 0.5% ropivacaine was injected through the CPCB catheter. After contrast media assessment of the catheter location, a disposable pump (Infusor LV); Baxter, Paris, France) with 0.2% ropivacaine was connected and pump flow was adjusted to the patient's weight (0.2 mg x kg(-1) x h(-1)). Postoperative pain was evaluated using a visual analog scale or the Children and Infants Postoperative Pain Score at hour H1, H6, H12, H18, H24, H36, and H48, and in terms of rescue analgesia, adverse events, and motor blocks. All blocks were effective during surgery. Postoperative analgesia was excellent. The median pain scores were 1 for H1 and 0 beginning H6. The motor blockade was minimal before 24 h and absent thereafter. No major adverse event was noted. Parents of 93% of the children were satisfied. We conclude that postoperative analgesia with CPCB is a very effective technique in children after major proximal lower limb orthopedic surgery. The CT scan landmarks described in this study were more medial than the conventional landmarks used in the literature. IMPLICATIONS: Continuous psoas compartment blocks provide optimal pain relief in children after major orthopedic surgery without major adverse events. The landmarks used, defined in a preliminary computed tomographic scan study, were more medial than conventional landmarks.

The risk of cardiac injury during laparoscopic fundoplication: cardiac troponin I and ECG study.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial trauma has been described during gastroesophageal reflux laparoscopic surgery, in association with the proximity of cardiac structures. In addition, specific haemodynamic changes induced by CO2 pneumoperitoneum could exacerbate perioperative cardiac complication even in patients without cardiac risk factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of gastroesophageal reflux laparoscopic surgery on the perioperative ECG, cardiac troponin I and myocardial enzyme changes. METHODS: Forty-two ASA I-II patients without ischaemic heart disease or combined double-risk factors were studied. Automated ST segment analysis was used intraoperatively. ECG, plasma myocardial enzyme and cardiac troponin I concentrations were reported on arrival in the recovery room (HO), 4 h (H4) and 24 h (H24) postoperatively. RESULTS: Intraoperative ST segment changes occurred in two patients: the first during a hypotensive episode (MAP<55 mmHg; 3/42 patients) and the second during a hypertensive episode (MAP >110 mmHg; 3/42 patients). One case of intraoperative subcutaneous emphysema occurred without ST disturbance. One case of pneumothorax was observed at H0-H4 in another patient without clinical symptoms. Cardiac troponin I and CK-MB were not increased postoperatively. Transaminase concentrations increased (2-fold normal values) in 26/42 patients. In these 26 patients, 7 experienced 5-fold isolated transaminase increase, associated with left hepatic artery section. CONCLUSION: According to perioperative ECG changes and/or specific cardiac troponin I measurements, we did not identify specific myocardial damage following gastroesophageal reflux laparoscopic surgery. Unexpectedly, the incidence of hepatic cytolysis was frequent (62%) and has not previously been reported in the literature.