[Anesthetic Management of a Pediatric Case of Blue Rubber Bleb Nevi Syndrome Combined with Small-intestinal Intussusception].

We report the anesthetic management of a pediatric case of blue rubber bleb nevi syndrome combined with small-intestinal intussusception. A 2-year-old girl was transferred to our hospital for small-intestinal intussusception. Emergent ablation of the upper gastrointestinal tract nevus under general anesthesia was planned. Given the presence of several nevi in the oral and pharyngeal space, we utilized the McGRATH MAC (McGRATH; Aircraft Medical Ltd, United Kingdom) laryngoscope for gentle and stress-free tracheal intubation. The venous line was kept patent preoperatively, and rapid-sequence intubation was performed with the McGRATH (size 2 pediatric blade). A 4.5-mm tracheal tube was inserted uneventfully under direct visualization. The trachea was observed and the tube maintained in a proper position with a bronchofiberscope. During the procedure, cuff volume was regulated to avoid excessive increase by upper gastrointestinal endoscope insertion. The girl was extubated in the operating room and showed no postoperative complications such as hemorrhage or hoarseness.

Tracheal Tube Position Shift During Infant Resuscitation by Chest Compression: A Simulation Comparison by Fixation Method and With or Without Cuff.

BACKGROUND: Tracheal tube placement during infant resuscitation is essential for definite airway protection. Accidental extubation due to tracheal tube displacement is a rare event, but it results in severe complications, especially in infants. OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluated how infant tracheal tube displacement is affected by tape vs. tube holder fixation using a manikin. METHODS: A tracheal tube with internal diameter of 3.5 mm was placed 10 cm from the gum ridge in an advanced life support (ALS) Baby(®) simulator (Laerdal, Stavanger, Norway). In the first trial, cuff pressure was set at 15, 20, and 25 cmH2O and trials were performed at each setting with no fixation, Durapore(®) (3M, St Paul, MN) tape fixation, Multipore(®) (3M) tape fixation, and Thomas(®) Tube Holder (Laerdal) fixation. After 5 min of chest compression, the tracheal tube shift was measured. In the second trial, we compared the tube shift by chest compression with or without cuff in the same way. RESULTS: Relative to no fixation, tracheal tube shift was significantly less in the Durapore, Multipore, and tube holder groups (p < 0.05) at all cuff settings. Of the three fixation methods, the tube holder showed significantly less shift (p < 0.05) relative to tape, regardless of the initial cuff pressure. The positional shift after chest compressions was significantly larger in the trials with cuff than in those without cuff in Durapore or Multipore fixation (p < 0.05), but did not in tube holder fixation. CONCLUSIONS: There is less tracheal tube displacement with tube holder fixation than with tape during continuous infant chest compression simulation. The tube cuff can contribute to the positional shift of the tube during infant chest compression.

[A Case of Septic Shock Immediately following Cesarean Section].

Here we report a case of severe septic shock immediately following cesarean section. A pregnant woman with dichorionic diamniotic twins was diagnosed with preterm rupture of membranes (PROM). Ritodrine hydrochloride and betamethasone did not sufficiently relieve abdominal extension; emergency cesarean section was scheduled 4 days later, at 31 week 5 day gestation. The patient did not show any symptoms or laboratory data suggesting infection. Spinal anesthesia was initiated with 2.2 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine hydrochloride and fentanyl 10 µg at L3-4; sensory loss (T3) was confirmed. Epidural anesthesia at L1-2 was performed for postoperative pain control. Surgery proceeded uneventfully, but the first baby did not respond to neonatal CPR. One hour after surgery, the patient showed signs of shock and a fever of 40.9 degrees C. Catecholamine and antibiotics relieved her symptoms. Retrograde infection of Escherichia coli was attributed to fetal distress and septic shock. Early phase septic shock should be considered in pregnant women with PROM.

[New Insights into Maternal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation--Significance of Simulation Research and Training].

Pregnancy-related mortality, estimated to occur in approximately 1: 50,000 deliveries, is rare in developed countries. The 2010 American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines for Resuscitation emphasize the importance of high-quality chest compression as a key determinant of successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation. During pregnancy, the uterus can compress the inferior vena cava, impeding venous return and thereby reducing stroke volume and cardiac output. To maximize the effectiveness of chest compressions in pregnancy, the AHA guidelines recommend the 27-30 degrees left-lateral tilt (LLT) position. When CPR is performed on parturients in the LLT position, chest compressions will probably be more effective if performed with the operator standing on the left side of the patient. The videolaryngoscope Pentax-AWS Airwayscope (AWS) was found to be an effective tool for airway management during chest compressions in 27 LLT simulations, suggesting that the AWS may be a useful device for airway management during maternal resuscitation.

Utility of a gum-elastic bougie for difficult airway management in infants: a simulation-based crossover analysis.

BACKGROUND: Direct laryngoscopy with the Miller laryngoscope (Mil) for infant tracheal intubation is often difficult to use even for skilled professionals. We performed a simulation trial evaluating the utility of a tracheal tube introducer (gum-elastic bougie (GEB)) in a simulated, difficult infant airway model. METHODS: Fifteen anesthesiologists performed tracheal intubation on an infant manikin at three different degrees of difficulty (normal [Cormack-Lehane grades (Cormack) 1-2], cervical stabilization [Cormack 2-3], and anteflexion [Cormack 3-4]) with or without a GEB, intubation success rate, and intubation time. RESULTS: In the normal and cervical stabilization trials, all intubation attempts were successful regardless of whether or not the GEB was used. In contrast, only one participant succeeded in tracheal intubation without the GEB in the anteflexion trial; the success rate significantly improved with the GEB (P = 0.005). Intubation time did not significantly change under the normal trial with or without the GEB (without, 12.7 ± 3.8 seconds; with, 13.4 ± 3.6 seconds) but was significantly shorter in the cervical stabilization and anteflexion trials with the GEB. CONCLUSION: GEB use shortened the intubation time and improved the success rate of difficult infant tracheal intubation by anesthesiologists in simulations.

[Successful Tracheal Intubation Using Videolaryngoscope in an Infant with Massive Tongue Swelling].

We report use of videolaryngoscope for difficult airway management in an infant with severe tongue swelling after laceration repair. A 3-month-old male infant was transferred to our hospital for respiratory difficulty. He could not open his mouth sufficiently, and the examination revealed massive swelling of the left side of the tongue. Emergent surgical repair of the tongue was scheduled, anticipating a difficult airway. The venous line was kept patent preoperatively, and 8% sevoflurane was administered maintaining spontaneous ventilation. We then inserted the Pentax Airway Scope with an infant-sized Intlock (AWS-I) from the right side of the mouth and obtained a good view at laryngoscopy. A 3.5-mm tracheal tube was passed uneventfully under the view of AWS-I. The AWS-I is useful for difficult airway management in infants, preserving spontaneous ventilation.

[Nitrous Oxide Exposure-mediated Increases in Cuff Pressure: A Comparison of Disposable Type and Re-use Type air-Q Devices].

UNLABELLED: BaCKGROUND: The present study aimed to compare nitrous oxide-mediated increases in cuff pressure between the disposable type air-Q (air-Q-DT) and re-use type air-Q (air-Q-RU) in a simulated adult airway model. METHODS: Automated cuff pressure was adjusted to 10, 20, and 30 cmH2O. The air-Q-DT and air-Q-RU were exposed to 80% nitrous oxide and cuff pressure was measured 15 and 30 minutes later. RESULTS: Cuff pressure of the air-Q-DT was significantly lower than that of the air-Q-RU after 15 and 30 minutes, regardless of the initial pressure. CONCLUSIONS: The polyvinyl chloride-based air-Q-DT may be more effective than the silicon-based air-Q-RU in preventing hyperinflation of the tracheal tube cuff in response to nitrous oxide exposure.

[Successful Resuscitation from Cardiac Arrest due to Pulmonary Artery Rupture Utilizing Cardiopulmonary Bypass].

We report a case of successful resuscitation from cardiac arrest due to pulmonary artery rupture utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass. A 79-year-old man was diagnosed with lung cancer; segment resection of the upper lung was scheduled under general anesthesia. Anesthesia was induced uneventfully and surgery began in the right lateral position. During lung resection, the pulmonary artery was ruptured and led to cardiac arrest with pulseless electrical activity. Astriction, volume overload, and hypertensive medication led to vital sign recovery. Percutaneous cardiopulmonary support was achieved with improvements in the blood flow of the femoral vein and artery. Yet, bleeding from the ruptured artery did not stop. Cardiopulmonary bypass with pulmonary artery blood removal and femoral artery blood transmission stopped the bleeding of the damaged part, leading to the repair of the artery. Rapid establishment of cardiopulmonary bypass may be useful in cases of pulmonary artery damage.

Use of central venous saturation monitoring in a patient with pediatric cardiac beriberi.

The patient was a 1-year-and-4-mo-old boy. He had drunk about 1 L of an isotonic drink for infants daily since about 10 mo after birth. He was examined by a local doctor due to anorexia and vomiting, found to have cardiomegaly, and transported to our hospital with suspected myocarditis. After admission, the patient showed polypnea, a decreased level of consciousness, and marked metabolic acidosis and lapsed into circulatory insufficiency, requiring catecholamine administration, endotracheal intubation, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Initially, low-output heart failure due to acute myocarditis was suspected, but the central venous oxygen saturation was high, at 82%. Considering high-output heart failure to be more likely, we evaluated its cause and noted, by urinary organic acid analysis, increases in lactate, pyruvate, 3-OH-butyrate, acetoacetate, metabolic products of branched-chain amino acids, 2-ketoglutarate, 2-OH-glutarate, 2-keto-adipate, and 2-OH-adipate. Since the vitamin B1 level was reduced to 12 ng/mL (normally 20-50 ng/mL), a diagnosis of cardiac beriberi due to vitamin B1 deficiency was made. When unexplained heart failure is observed in children, cardiac beriberi must be excluded as a differential diagnosis of myocarditis and cardiomyopathy. The measurement of the central venous oxygen saturation may be useful for the diagnosis.

[Usefulness of tranexamic acid in patients with severe head injury].

UNLABELLED: It is known that patients with severe head injury experience marked hypercoagulability and excessive hyperfibrinolysis due to the release of tissue factors from injured cerebral parenchyma. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the usefulness of tranexamic acid (TA) in patients with single, severe head trauma, who showed a Glasgow coma scale (GCS) 8 or D-dime > or = 20 microg ml-1. Twenty-five patients receiving TA [TA (+) ] were given the agent 2 g taking 30 minutes soon after their visit. Those not receiving TA [TA (--)] were 25 consecutive patients who met the criteria before the initiation of treatment with TA. RESULTS: The mortality rate was 4% in TA (+) and 24% in TA (-), significantly lower than in the former. The prognosis showed a tendency to improve in TA (+), but without significant differences between the groups. D-dimer was compared between the groups with a favorable prognosis in TA (+) and those in TA (-), its value was significantly higher in the former (60+/-56 microg ml-1) than the latter (28 +/- 27 microg ml-1) group. In addition, no thrombotic complications occurred in the former. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with severe head injury receiving TA showed a significantly better mortality rate without complications suggesting its usefulness.

Successful one-lung ventilation in a patient with the Fontan circulation undergoing thoracotomy: a case report.

The incidence of noncardiac surgery in patients with the Fontan circulation has increased over the years due to the elongated life expectancy of these patients. In patients with the Fontan circulation, pulmonary blood flow is passive, so it is important to keep pulmonary vascular resistance low. One-lung ventilation (OLV) can have adverse effects on the Fontan circulation due to hypoxia, hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, hypercarbia, and increased airway pressure. We present a case of successful OLV in a patient with the Fontan circulation and describe our perioperative management.

[A case of respiratory insufficiency after resection of the aortic aneurysm and replacement with a synthetic conduit which recovered by airway pressure release ventilation].

We experienced a patient with respiratory insufficiency after resection of the aortic aneurysm and replacement with a synthetic conduit which recovered by airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) dramatically. A 44-year-old man diagnosed as aortic aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta was admitted to our hospital and an operation was scheduled. The operation lasted for 19 hours and the time of general anesthesia was 23 hours. The immediate post-operative chest x-ray showed atelectasis of the right upper lobe, elevated right diaphragm and poor aeration of the lungs. A volume-limited mechanical ventilation was used for this patient postoperatively in ICU. But accumulation of carbon dioxide and poor oxygenation were observed. We started APRV by Bennet 840 (Tyco Healthcare, Tokyo). Specifically, we used Bilevel mode (PEEP 20/3 cmH20/3, inspiratory time 3.2 seconds, respiratory rate 15 times per minute, pressure support 20 cm H2O, FI(O2) 1.0). Promptly accumulation of carbon dioxide was improved and atelectasis of the right upper lobe vanished. Additionally, oxygenation was improved. He was weaned from a ventilator on postoperative day 5. We have demonstrated that APRV is an important tool that should be used to improve severe respiratory insufficiency.

[General anesthesia for pediatric cardiac magnetic resonance imaging].

The performance of MRI in children under 5 or 6 years of age usually requires sedation. Cardiac MRI takes even longer time to perform than regular MRI and such patients have cardiac diseases. It is therefore desirable for anesthesiologists to secure the airway and pay close attention to patients'vital signs. We perform general anesthesia for cardiac MRI using non-MRI-compatible monitors and anesthesia machines at our institution, and we therefore use appropriate devices to perform MRI safely. For that purpose, we either obtain peripheral intravenous access or perform tracheal intubation outside the MRI scan room and use extension cables for monitoring the patient.