[Ilioinguinal nerve block during general anesthesia for inguinal herniorrhaphy in adult anticoagulated patients].

Two adult anticoagulated patients after valve replacement were scheduled for inguinal herniorrhaphy. For inguinal herniorrhaphy in adults, spinal anesthesia is a common anesthetic method. In order to avoid spinal hematoma due to spinal anesthesia, however, we employed general anesthesia combined with ilioinguinal nerve block. Following induction of anesthesia, a laryngeal mask airway was inserted. Ilioinguinal nerve block was performed with 0.25% bupivacaine 20ml. Ilioinguinal nerve block was effective for maintaining hemodynamic stability throughout the operation, and decreased postoperative pain. This technique appears to be a simple and safe method for providing effective and long-lasting perioperative analgesia following inguinal herniorrhaphy in adult patients.

Influence of patient variables and sensor location on regional cerebral oxygen saturation measured by INVOS 4100 near-infrared spectrophotometers.

Cerebral oximeter based on near-infrared spectroscopy has been used as a continuous, noninvasive monitoring of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2). Although the absolute rSO2 values have a wide range of variability, the factors affecting a variability of rSO2 values have not been extensively investigated. The authors investigated the influence of patient variables and sensor location on rSO2 measured by the cerebral oximeter INVOS 4100 in 111 patients anesthetized with sevoflurane, fentanyl, and nitrous oxide in oxygen. The sensors for rSO2 measurements were applied on the right forehead (R), 1 cm lateral to R (R1), on the left forehead (L), 1 cm lateral to L (L1), and on the center of the forehead (C). The relationship between the rSO2 values and patient variables were also analyzed. Values of rSO2 at R1 and L1 were significantly lower than those at R and L, respectively. Values of rSO2 at C were significantly higher compared with those at other sites. There were no significant correlations between the rSO2 values and values of weight, height, and head size. Values of rSO2 were similar between males and females. A significant negative correlation between the rSO2 values and age and a positive correlation between the rSO2 values and hemoglobin concentration were observed. These data indicate that patient age, hemoglobin concentration at the measurement, and sensor location can affect rSO2 values.

Mild hypothermia can enhance pial arteriolar vasodilation induced by isoflurane and sevoflurane in cats.

OBJECTIVE: Volatile anesthetics have been shown to dilate cerebral vessels. Recent evidence suggests that mild hypothermia can alter vascular reactivity of the cerebral vessels. However, the effect of mild hypothermia on volatile anesthetic-induced vasodilation of cerebral vessels is unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effect of mild hypothermia on pial arteriolar vasodilation induced by isoflurane and sevoflurane in cats. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, experimental study with repeated measures. SETTING: Investigational animal laboratory. SUBJECTS: Forty cats were used for the study of systemic administration of volatile anesthetics, and 22 cats were used for the study of topical administration of volatile anesthetics. INTERVENTIONS: This study was approved by the Animal Experiment Committee of Nara Medical University. Animals were anesthetized with pentobarbital to maintain suppressive electroencephalographic patterns, which were introduced to measure direct effects of anesthetic agents after removing metabolic effects. The cranial window technique, combined with microscopic video recording, was used for the measurement of small (50-100 microm) and large (100-200 microm) pial arteriolar diameter in an experiment. Animals were randomly assigned to either a normothermic (37 degrees C) or a hypothermic group (33 degrees C). Desired temperatures were maintained by using a water blanket. In the first phase of the study, the effect of hypothermia on pial arteriolar vasodilation induced by systemic administration of isoflurane or sevoflurane was assessed. Each cat received isoflurane or sevoflurane at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 minimum alveolar anesthetic concentrations, and the diameter of pial arterioles was measured. In the second group of animals, the direct effect of isoflurane and sevoflurane on pial vessels was evaluated. The artificial cerebrospinal fluid bubbled with isoflurane or sevoflurane (minimum alveolar anesthetic concentrations of 1 or 3) was topically administered in the cranial window. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Systemic and topical administration of isoflurane and sevoflurane produced significant dilation of both small and large pial arterioles in a dose-dependent manner during normothermia. In the hypothermic group, vasodilation of small pial arterioles by systemic administration of isoflurane and sevoflurane at a high concentration was significantly larger than in the normothermic group (p <.05). Vasodilation of both small and large pial arterioles by topical administration of isoflurane and sevoflurane was significantly greater in the hypothermic group than in the normothermic group (p <.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that pial arteriolar vasodilation induced by isoflurane and sevoflurane can be enhanced by mild hypothermia in cats anesthetized with pentobarbital.