Pulling versus guiding: a modification of retrograde guided intubation.

We describe a modification of retrograde guided intubation. With the help of a gliding knot fixed around the side hole of the tracheal tube, we use the catheter to pull and guide the tracheal tube down the larynx and trachea. The technique offers several advantages: it is surprisingly fast, relatively atraumatic, easy to perform, and eliminates most causes of failure.

Blood loss in total hip replacement: extradural v. phenoperidine analgesia.

The effects of phenoperidine and extradural analgesia on blood loss during and after total hip replacement were compared in 41 patients randomly divided into two statistically comparable groups. Mean blood loss in patients who received phenoperidine was 1065 +/- 316 ml and in patients who received extradural analgesia with 0.5% bupivacaine with adrenaline 1:200 000 it was 650 +/- 277 ml (p less than 0.001). There was no significant difference in postoperative blood loss between the two groups. The reduction in blood loss resulting from the extradural block may prove beneficial in decreasing the hazard and cost of blood transfusions and in facilitating autologous transfusion.

[Arterial hypotension induced by artificial cardiac pacing under general anaesthesia (author's transl)]. / Hypotension artérielle induite par l'entraînement électrosystolique ventriculaire sous anesthésie générale.

A case of haemodynamic decompensation is reported in a patient with a sick-sinus syndrome on a demand cardiac pacemaker, under-going surgery under general anaesthesia. While systemic arterial blood pressure showed adequate stability under the patient's own sinus drive, it consistently fell by 15 to 20 p. cent when artificial pacing was established. The possible mechanisms are discussed. The drop in arterial blood pressure with artificial pacing is probably due to the loss of the atrial contribution in maintaining adequate cardiac output. In the conscious patient, the resulting decrease in cardiac output is compensated by an increase in the peripheral resistance. Under general anaesthesia, this compensatory mechanism is lost, resulting in a drop in cardiac output and systemic arterial blood pressure. It needs to be emphasized therefore, that the patient who has a permanent pacemaker has significant under-lying cardiovascular disease and, that, continuous monitoring is indicated not only during surgery but also postoperatively until patient has stabilized.

Aetiology and control of cardiovascular reactions during trans-sphenoidal resection of pituitary microadenomas.

Two groups of 12 patients were studied to determine the causes of hypertension during trans-sphenoidal resection of pituitary microadenomas. Two concentrations of lidocaine, 0.5 and 1.0 per cent with epinephrine 1/200,000, were used to infiltrate the nose and upper gingiva. Heart rate, electrocardiogram lead II and systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressures were monitored. Three stages were observed for changes in above parameters: nasal infiltration, nasal dissection and sellar exploration. Highly significant reductions in arterial blood pressure and pulse rate responses to infiltration and nasal dissection were achieved by increasing the lidocaine concentration used for infiltration from 0.5 to 1.0 per cent (p < 0.05). Our findings implicate reflex from nasal stimulation as the main cause of the adverse cardiovascular effects. Only minimal changes accompanied the progress of the intrasellar dissection in both groups.

Anaesthesia for tracheal resection: a new way to manage the airway.

A case of lower tracheal resection is reported. A number 28 Foley catheter was modified and successfully used to ventilate the lungs through the short distal tracheal stump.

Cardiovascular reactions to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation following small and large intravenous doses of lidocaine.

The efficacy of intravenously administered lidocaine 0.75 mg/kg and 1.5 mg/kg to protect against cardiovascular reactions associated with laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation was studied in two comparable groups of ten patients and compared with a similar control group of ten patients given only saline. Following laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation, the 1.5 mg/kg dose afforded complete protection against cardiac arrhythmias of all types. The smaller dose was ineffectual in this respect. While the larger dose caused borderline protection against hypertension and tachycardia, the smaller dose prevented only the rise in systolic blood pressure. Possible mechanisms to account for these observations are discussed. These include a direct myocardial depressant effect, a central stimulant effect, a peripheral vasodilating effect and finally an effect on synaptic transmission.

[Effects of naloxone on postoperative analgesia]. / Etude des effets de la naloxone sur l'analgésie post-opératoire

Two comparable groups of ten patients were studied. After nitrous oxide-oxygen fentanyl-pancuronium anesthesia, half the patients were reversed with a titrated dose of naloxone. Even in titrated doses naloxone rapidly abolished residual post-operative fentanyl analgesia in 80 p. 100 of the patients. In the control group none of the patients complained of pain for an average of six to eight hours. Blood gases in the recovery room were practically the same in reversed and non-reversed patients and were satisfactory.