Concomitant coronary artery revascularization and right pneumonectomy without cardiopulmonary bypass.

Combined coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and pneumonectomy has a high morbidity and mortality rate, especially when the right lung has to be removed. A patient is described who underwent a CABG operation through a midline sternotomy without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), and a right pneumonectomy through a right lateral thoracotomy in one operative session. To our knowledge, this is the first case in which this operative strategy was employed. CABG operations without the use of CPB might put concomitant lung surgery in a new perspective.

Extension of sensory blockade after thoracic epidural administration of a test dose of lidocaine at three different levels.

UNLABELLED: To evaluate the relationship between the level of thoracic epidural injection and the extension of sensory blockade, we inserted radiopaque epidural catheters in 87 patients at the high (C7-T2, n = 28), mid (T3-5, n = 29) or low (T7-9, n = 30) thoracic levels. Fifteen minutes after the epidural administration of 60 mg of lidocaine, the mean (+/- SD) sensory block extension varied from 5.4 +/- 3.1 to 7.7 +/- 1.8 segments. The level of epidural puncture was a statistically significant factor in determining the cranial and caudal borders of sensory blockade (P = 0.0001, analysis of variance), but in determining for the total number of segments blocked. The number of blocked dermatomes located cranially of the puncture level increased significantly with descending injection site (P = 0.0001). We acquired chest radiographs in 61 patients to determine epidural catheter tip position. Direction of the epidural catheter tip was not a significant factor in determining the extension or borders of sensory blockade. We conclude that the extension of sensory blockade in thoracic epidural anesthesia is not influenced by the level of epidural puncture or catheter tip direction. There is, however, a more cranial spread of sensory blockade in the low thoracic region compared with the high thoracic region. IMPLICATIONS: After evaluating the extension and pattern of sensory blockade in high, mid, and low thoracic epidural analgesia, the authors suggest that it is safe to use similar dosage regimens in all three regions, and that in high thoracic epidural analgesia, it is important to insert the epidural catheter at the level of the intended cranial border of blockade.

High thoracic epidural sufentanil with bupivacaine: continuous infusion of high volume versus low volume.

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether continuous infusion of a high volume of a sufentanil/bupivacaine mixture at a high thoracic level improves the analgesic effect of the mixture, compared with a dose-equivalent continuous low-volume infusion. In a prospective, observer-blind study, 60 patients scheduled for thoracic surgery received a thoracic epidural catheter for 3 days. The patients were randomly assigned by lot to one of two groups: a low-volume (LV) group (bupivacaine 0.75% with sufentanil 4 micrograms/mL, 1.0-1.3 mL/h), or a high-volume (HV) group (bupivacaine 0.125% with sufentanil 0.7 microgram/mL, 6-8 mL/h). On the first postoperative day significantly more patients in the LV group needed one or more epidural bolus injections because they experienced pain at rest (P < 0.05). On the second and third postoperative days there were no differences in bolus injections. Significantly more patients in the HV group did not require an extra epidural bolus injection (P < 0.05). There were no differences in the number of patients experiencing pain at exercise or in the incidence of side effects. A difference was found between both groups in the mean preoperative PaCO2 value (P < 0.05) and also for the PaCO2 values on Day 1 versus the preoperative values within the group (P < 0.05). On the first postoperative day the analgesic effects of a sufentanil/bupivacaine mixture at a high thoracic epidural level can be improved when injected at a continuous high-volume rate compared with a dose-equivalent continuous low-volume rate. This is true for pain at rest; for pain at exercise, there were no differences.

Accidental overdose of epidural bupivacaine and sufentanil.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A case is described of an accidental high thoracic epidural infusion of 337.5 mg 0.75% bupivacaine and 180 micrograms sufentanil in less than 30 minutes. It occurred in a post-thoracotomy patient with lung cancer. RESULTS: Severe hypotension and an extensive sensory and motor block developed. Only a mild respiratory depression was seen. The patient recovered after treatment without adverse sequelae.

Coronary artery bypass grafting using two different anesthetic techniques: Part I: Hemodynamic results.

Hemodynamic changes were studied during two different anesthetic techniques in 54 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). All patients had normal to moderately impaired left ventricular function and were randomly assigned to two groups. In 27 patients, high thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) with bupivacaine 0.375% plus sufentanil 1:200,000 (ie, 5 micrograms/mL) was used in combination with general anesthesia with midazolam/N2O; in the other 27 patients, general anesthesia (GA) with midazolam and sufentanil was used. After induction of epidural analgesia, heart rate and mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased. Changes in cardiac index, systemic vascular resistance, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure were not observed, whereas the stroke volume index increased significantly. After induction of intravenous anesthesia MAP decreased (20%) in both groups. During the pre-bypass period, metaraminol was used in 7 of 27 patients in the GA group and in 5 of 27 patients in the TEA group to treat hypotension. Inotopic drugs were used in 5 patients in the GA group and in none in the TEA group to treat a low CO. Ten GA patients and 4 TEA patients developed hypertension after sternal spread and the GA patients required more nitroprusside. Four GA patients developed electrocardiographic evidence of prebypass ischemia and, therefore, more nitroglycerin was needed for treating myocardial ischemia. More sodium nitroprusside was needed in the GA group during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and the post-bypass period to treat hypertension with a high SVR. In conclusion, hemodynamic stability was more pronounced in the TEA than the GA group before and after CPB.

Coronary artery bypass grafting using two different anesthetic techniques: Part 2: Postoperative outcome.

The aim of the present investigation was to study the effects of intraoperative and postoperative epidural pain management during and after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on the recovery time, postoperative pulmonary and cardiac parameters, visual analog scale (VAS) scores, and sedation scores (SS) compared with patients anesthetized with general anesthesia (GA) whose postoperative pain was relieved with intermittent intravenous (IV) administration of nicomorphine. Fifty-four patients were studied postoperatively after uncomplicated CABG. In the thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) group (n = 27), intraoperative analgesia was based on high TEA in combination with GA. In the GA group (n = 27), IV anesthesia with high-dose sufentanil and midazolam was used. Postoperative pain management in the GA group consisted of intermittent IV administration of nicomorphine, 0.1 mg/kg every 6 hours, whereas for the TEA group continuous high TEA with 0.125% bupivacaine plus sufentanil, 1:1,000,000 (0.05 mL/cm body length/hr) was used. Patients in the TEA group awakened earlier (148 [34] minutes vs 335 [51] minutes), resumed spontaneous respiration earlier (326 [79] minutes vs 982 [52] minutes), and were extubated earlier (463 [79] minutes vs 1140 [58] minutes). VAS score, SS, and postoperative PaO2 were significantly (P less than or equal to 0.01) better in the TEA group. The incidence of tachycardia (15 vs 2 patients) and postoperative myocardial ischemia (12 vs 4 patients) was higher in the GA group. It is concluded that intraoperative and postoperative pain treatment with epidurally administered bupivacaine plus sufentanil improved the recovery time, as well as pulmonary and cardiac outcome after CABG, when compared with IV postoperative pain treatment after intraoperative GA with sufentanil and midazolam.

Coronary artery bypass grafting using two different anesthetic techniques: Part 3: Adrenergic responses.

Twenty patients were studied during and after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The patients were randomly assigned to two groups. In 10 patients, intraoperative general anesthesia (GA) was based on a combination of intravenous (IV) sufentanil and midazolam. In 10 other patients, thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) with 0.375% bupivacaine plus sufentanil, 1:200,000 (5 micrograms/mL), and intraoperative GA with midazolam/N2O were used. During the prebypass period, lower heart rates (HR), less variability in mean arterial pressure (MAP), and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) was accompanied by less variability in plasma norepinephrine (NE) concentrations in the TEA group. Although no differences were observed between the groups in perfusion pressure and the amount of vasoactive drugs used during the bypass period, variability in SVR was less in the TEA group. This was accompanied by less increase in NE and less variability in epinephrine (E) plasma concentrations. However, cortisol (Co) release was higher during this period in the TEA group. Weaning from bypass was accompanied by higher MAP and SVR in the TEA group at a lower HR, whereas no differences were observed in the E, NE, and Co plasma concentrations between the groups. During the first and second postoperative days, better pain relief and lower E and Co plasma concentrations were found in the TEA group. It can be concluded that better hemodynamic stability during the prebypass and bypass periods was accompanied by less E and NE release during these periods. Co release in the TEA group was higher during the bypass period. Weaning from bypass was characterized by better hemodynamics in the TEA group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Thoracic epidural analgesia in a patient with bilateral phaeochromocytoma undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

A patient suffering from phaeochromocytoma and coronary artery stenoses needed coronary artery bypass grafting before adrenalectomy. High thoracic epidural analgesia (T1-T2) with bupivacaine and sufentanil in combination with general anaesthesia was used. Plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline concentrations decreased during the period before bypass grafting compared to the baseline value and no important haemodynamic changes were seen during this period. Thoracic epidural analgesia failed to suppress the release of catecholamine during the bypass period. After the operation, the plasma catecholamine concentrations returned to the baseline value. Excellent analgesia (visual analogue scale = 1-2) was achieved with a postoperative epidural, but the plasma catecholamine concentration increased considerably.

The influence of high thoracic epidural analgesia on the cardiovascular system.

The effect of high thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) on the cardiovascular system was investigated in 10 patients (5 with cardiovascular disease and 5 without known cardiovascular disorder), who were scheduled for a thoracotomy. An epidural catheter was inserted at T1-T2 level. Plain bupivacaine (Marcaine) 0.5%, 4 to 6 ml was used and resulted in a mean analgesic level from C7 to T5. TEA did not significantly affect the following parameters: heart rate, mean arterial pressure, cardiac index, central venous pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, stroke volume index, systemic vascular resistance, pulmonary vascular resistance, right and left ventricular stroke work index. From this study it is concluded that high TEA with bupivacaine has only minor effects on the cardiovascular system.