Inferior vena cava filter removal - Hope for the best and prepare for the worst: An anesthesiology perspective.

A patient presented to our institution for an elective removal of an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter under local anesthesia. Once removed, it was noticed that the filter had a missing secondary leg. The patient had a chest CT done which showed a hyper-attenuating structure in the region of the tricuspid valve highly suspicious for the fractured strut of the filter. Upon these findings, the patient was taken once again to the surgical suite for an endovascular retrieval of the strut. For fear of a possible cardiac injury and a potential need for a sternotomy, the patient received general anesthesia and was placed with appropriate IV access and full cardiac monitors. The strut was removed successfully without any complications. Despite the relative benign nature of this endovascular procedure, one should always be prepared for an appropriate resuscitation in case of an occurrence of a surgical complication.

Novel Interventional Nonopioid Therapies in Headache Management.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Headaches encompass a broad-based category of a symptom of pain in the region of the head or neck. For those patients who unfortunately do not obtain relief from conservative treatment, interventional techniques have been developed and are continuing to be refined in an attempt to treat this subset of patients with the goal of return of daily activities. This investigation reviews various categories of headaches, their pathophysiology, and types of interventional treatments currently available. RECENT FINDINGS: Injection of botulinum toxin has been shown to increase the number of headache free days for patients suffering from chronic tension-type headaches. Suboccipital steroid injection has been demonstrated as a successful treatment option for patients suffering from cluster headache. Occipital nerve stimulation (ONS) has been described as a treatment for all types of trigeminal autonomic cephalgias. Percutaneous ONS is a minimally invasive and reversible approach to manage occipital neuralgia performed utilizing subcutaneous electrodes placed superficial to the cervical muscular fascia in the suboccipital area. Radiofrequency lesioning is another commonly used treatment in the management of chronic pain syndromes of the head and neck. If a diagnostic sphenopalatine ganglion block successfully resolves the patient's symptoms, neurolysis can be employed as a more permanent solution. Although many patients who suffer from headaches can be treated with conservative, less-invasive treatments, there still remains at present an ever-increasing need for those patients who are refractory to conservative measures and thus require interventional treatments. These procedures are continually evolving to become safer, more precise, and more readily available for clinicians to provide to their patients.

Irreversible electroporation of hepatic malignancy.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a worldwide problem of epidemic proportions, best treated in a multidisciplinary setting. Major advances have been made in all specialties that manage patients with HCC, with surgical options at one end of the spectrum and palliative chemotherapy on the other, and the vast majority of patients require the involvement and expertise of interventional oncology. Several ablative and transarterial technologies are currently available. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a new ablative technology that uses high-voltage, low-energy DC current to create nanopores in the cell membrane, disrupting the homeostasis mechanism and inducing cell death by initiating apoptosis. This article discusses the evolution of IRE as well as its safety and efficacy in the context of other ablative therapies in the treatment of hepatic malignancies.