Internal carotid artery dissection after laparoscopic surgery / Dissecção da artéria carótida interna após cirurgia laparoscópica

Abstract Headache is a common symptom in the postoperative period and may be attributable to, dehydration, sleep deprivation, intentional or inadvertent dural puncture during a neuraxial anesthesia technique, from an inhaled anesthetic agent, or from specific surgical procedures, among other etiologies. However, more serious, uncommon and life-threatening conditions as carotid artery dissection can be associated with severe neurologic sequelae in otherwise young, healthy patients. For these reasons, clinicians involved with postoperative patients should be familiar with the presentation and management strategies for this complication.

Resumo A cefaleia é um sintoma comum no período pós-operatório e pode ser atribuída à desidratação, privação do sono, punção dural intencional ou acidental durante a administração de anestesia neuraxial, ao anestésico inalatório ou a procedimentos cirúrgicos específicos, entre outras etiologias. Entretanto, condições mais graves, incomuns e potencialmente fatais, como a dissecção da artéria carótida, podem estar associadas a sequelas neurológicas graves em pacientes jovens e, sob outros aspectos, saudáveis. Portanto, os médicos envolvidos com pacientes pós-operados devem estar familiarizados com as estratégias de apresentação e manejo dessa complicação.

[Internal carotid artery dissection after laparoscopic surgery]. / Dissecção da artéria carótida interna após cirurgia laparoscópica.

Headache is a common symptom in the postoperative period and may be attributable to, dehydration, sleep deprivation, intentional or inadvertent dural puncture during a neuraxial anesthesia technique, from an inhaled anesthetic agent, or from specific surgical procedures, among other etiologies. However, more serious, uncommon and life-threatening conditions as carotid artery dissection can be associated with severe neurologic sequelae in otherwise young, healthy patients. For these reasons, clinicians involved with postoperative patients should be familiar with the presentation and management strategies for this complication.

Comparison of sevoflurane administered through a face mask versus rectal thiopental sodium in children undergoing magnetic resonance imaging.

OBJECTIVE: Sevoflurane (S) and thiopental sodium (T) are commonly used to produce sedation for routine MRI procedures. However, to date there have been no comparative studies evaluating both techniques. We herein present the firt study comparing S and T techniques for pediatric sedation in MRI procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 21 children, aged from 3 months to 6 years, scheduled for MRI were randomly assigned to either S or T group. Sedation performed under spontaneous respiration was induced with inspired 1-8% S in oxigen by face mask connected to a Mapleson C circuit or T (25 mg/kg) administered in distal rectum by cannula. The observed parameters included: time for induction, MRI time, first movement activity postprocedure and recovery time; MRI pauses from patient movement; technique failure, quality of the study, emergence agitation, critical events; and parental and radiologist satisfaction. RESULTS: S compared with T showed significantly shorter anesthesia induction time (1.93 ± 0.7 versus 13.5 ± 2.6 min), first movement time (3.38 ± 1.2 versus 5.9 ± 2.1 min), recovery time (6.8 ± 1.6 versus 10.14 ± 3.3 min), and discharge MRI time (27.83 ± 5.1 versus 47.5 ± 8.7 min). There were fewer pauses during MRI from patient movement in S versus T (0 versus 3). The radiologists reported good quality and satisfaction scores in both groups. There were less behavioral disturbances in T group compared with S group (1 versus 3). There were no critical events in either group. There were no differences in parental satisfaction in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Sevoflurane shortens the induction and recovery time, enabling earlier discharge. Sevoflurane and rectal thiopental sodium protocols are safe and effective, providing adequate conditions for MRI in pediatric outpatients, although rectal thiopental is more unpredictable.

Efficacy and safety of sublingual fentanyl tablets for the management of breakthrough pain in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain with neuropathic component: multicenter prospective study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Despite its prevalence and impact, breakthrough pain (BTP) in chronic non-cancer pain with neuropathic component, has not been well studied and is sometimes unrecognized and often undertreated. We evaluated the efficacy of sublingual fentanyl tablet (SLF) for the treatment of BTP in opioid-tolerant patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain with neuropathic component in terms of relief of pain intensity and assessed whether hypothetical pain relief impacts on quality of life (QoL). METHODS: A multicenter, prospective, open-label study was conducted over a 30-day period. Efficacy was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and time to onset of action of SLF. The incidence of dependence was assessed by the Leeds Dependence Questionnaire (LDQ). Changes in QoL were evaluated using the Brief Pain Questionnaire (BPI) and the EuroQol (EQ-5D). Adverse events (AE) were recorded throughout. RESULTS: 106 patients were enrolled and 105 completed the study. The average pain reduction across the study was -3.30 points [95 % confidence interval (CI) 2.9-3.7; P < 0.0001]. Pain intensity improvement from baseline was statistically significant at first assessment and all subsequent assessments (P < 0.0001). The most common AEs included nausea (33.87 %), constipation (33.06 %), somnolence (19.35 %) and vomiting (6.45 %). No significant differences were observed on LDQ (P = 0.71). QoL as measured by BPI showed statistically significant improvement in all four severity items and all interference items (P < 0.0001) and a significant improvement in the percentage of pain relief reported by patients (P < 0.0001). EQ-5D results showed a trend towards improvement. Mean self-rate health status, as measured by the EQ VAS scale increased significantly (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: SLF provides significant reductions in BTP intensity. The results of the BPI and EQ-5D assessments indicate that pain relief is associated with improvement of functioning and enhancement of QoL.

Preoperative low-dose ketamine has no preemptive analgesic effect in opioid-naïve patients undergoing colon surgery when nitrous oxide is used - a randomized study.

BACKGROUND: The analgesic properties of ketamine are associated with its non-competitive antagonism of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor; these receptors exhibit an excitatory function on pain transmission and this binding seems to inhibit or reverse the central sensitization of pain. In the literature, the value of this anesthetic for preemptive analgesia in the control of postoperative pain is uncertain. The objective of this study was to ascertain whether preoperative low-dose ketamine reduces postoperative pain and morphine consumption in adults undergoing colon surgery. METHODS: In a double-blind, randomized trial, 48 patients were studied. Patients in the ketamine group received 0.5 mg/kg intravenous ketamine before surgical incision, while the control group received normal saline. The postoperative analgesia was achieved with a continuous infusion of morphine at 0.015 mg∙kg-¹âˆ™h-¹ with the possibility of 0.02 mg/kg bolus every 10 min. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), morphine consumption, and hemodynamic parameters at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 24 hours postoperatively. We quantified times to rescue analgesic (Paracetamol), adverse effects and patient satisfaction. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in VAS scores between groups (P>0.05), except at 4 hours postoperatively (P=0.040). There were no differences in cumulative consumption of morphine at any time point (P>0.05). We found no significant differences in incremental postoperative doses of morphine consumption in bolus, except at 12 h (P =0.013) and 24 h (P =0.002). The time to first required rescue analgesia was 70 ± 15.491 min in the ketamine group and 44 ± 19.494 min in the control (P>0.05). There were no differences in hemodynamic parameters or patient satisfaction (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative low-dose-ketamine did not show a preemptive analgesic effect or efficacy as an adjuvant for decreasing opioid requirements for postoperative pain in patients receiving intravenous analgesia with morphine after colon surgery.

Estimulación Medular (EEM) en el tratamiento de la enfermedad vascular periférica. Parte I / Spinal cord Stimulation for peripheral vascular disease treatment

Las técnicas de neuromodulación suponen un abordaje no destructivo y reversible en el tratamiento del dolor. Su utilización se establece como estrategia de control del dolor no controlable dentro de las directrices de la O.M.S. y como alternativa a otras terapias invasivas menores o neuroablatibas que no han sido eficaces o que están contraindicadas. De entre ellas el uso clínico de la estimulación eléctrica medular (EEM) o neuroestimulación, demuestra día a día su utilidad y eficacia en el tratamiento de diferentes síndromes de dolor crónico. Estudios de Cook y cols en 1.976, ya demostraron en sus trabajos la efectividad de esta técnica en la manifestación clínica del dolor isquémico así como en la arterioesclerosis o vasculopatía diabética, o en el dolor isquémico producido por vaso espasmo periférico, en entidades específicas como la Enfermedad de Buerguer, Esclerodermia o Síndrome de Raynaud. Durante la última década, se ha extendido la utilización de la EEM en la cardiopatía isquémica de carácter intratable (angina de pecho refractaria a tratamientos, síndrome “X”,...) y la patología vascular periférica, objeto de esta revisión. Esta técnica se presenta como una de las principales indicaciones con altos niveles de efectividad (80%), tanto en el aspecto clínico por el alivio sintomático que produce, como en los beneficios isquémicos fisiopatológicos que induce la neuroestimulación (AU)

The Neuromodulation technologies are a not destructive and reversible approach in the treatment of the pain. They are used as a strategy for the control of untreatable pain according to the directives of the OMS and as an alternative of other invasive minor or neuroablatives therapies that have been not effective or that are not indicated. Between them the clinical use of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has demonstrated its usefulness and efficiency in the treatment of different syndromes of chronic pain. Cook´s and cols. in 1.976, demonstrated in their reports the efficiency of this technique in the clinical manifestation of ischemic pain as well as in the arteriosclerosis, diabetic vasculopaty, or in the ischemic pain related with peripheral vasospasm, in specific pathologies as the Buerguer´s disease, Scleroderma or Raynaud´s syndrome. During the last decade, the utilization of the SCS has spread in the ischemic cardiopathy of untreatable character (refractory angina pectoris, syndrome “X”,…) and vascular peripheral pathology, subject of this review. This technique appears as one of the main indications with high levels of efficiency (80%), so much in the clinical aspect for the symptomatic relief as well as in the ischemic physiopatologic benefits that induces the neuroestimulation (AU)

Evaluation of the Roche cobas s 201 system and cobas TaqScreen multiplex test for blood screening: a European multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: The Roche cobas TaqScreen test, an automated, multiplex nucleic acid test for blood screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) groups M and O, and HIV-2 RNA, on the cobas s 201 platform, was evaluated by six European blood screening laboratories. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The 95 percent limit of detection (LOD) of the cobas TaqScreen test for HBV, HCV, and HIV-1, using dilutions of the WHO International Standards, were evaluated. The clinical performance was determined by testing between 2000 to 6000 routine donor samples. Some laboratories evaluated the robustness, cross-contamination, and workflow. RESULTS: The mean 95 percent LOD (95% lower and upper confidence intervals) for HBV, HCV, and HIV-1 across all the laboratories were 3.8 (range, 3.0-5.2), 10.8 (range, 8.4-14.4), and 56.7 (range, 43.0-79.2) IU/mL, respectively. A total of 23,716 donors were tested in pools of 6. Fourteen initially reactive pools were detected, of which 6 contained a reactive donation, giving a positive predictive value of the pool results of 43 percent. One of the reactive donations was a HBV yield case (hepatitis B surface antigen-negative/anti-HBc-positive). Evaluation of the workflow for the system showed that an optimized batch loading in which a pipettor (Hamilton Microlab Star IVD) was utilized to half capacity was better than a full batch loading. CONCLUSION: The 95 percent LOD for the three viruses were comparable to those obtained by Roche. The test and platform were shown to be sensitive, specific, flexible, and robust.

Control del embarazo y manejo intraparto en la enfermedad de McArdle / Pregnancy control and management of labor in McArdle’s disease

Describimos el caso de un embarazo y parto en una mujer afectada de déficit de miofosforilasa muscular (enfermedad de McArdle o glucogenosis tipo V). Es una rara miopatía hereditaria que se caracteriza por síntomas de fatiga y dolor muscular, así como calambres durante el ejercicio intenso y mantenido. Temíamos que el aumento del esfuerzo muscular requerido en el parto podría interferir con el desarrollo normal éste y que fuese necesario realizar una cesárea (AU)

We describe the pregnancy course and labor in a woman with myophosphorylase deficiency (McArdle’s disease or glycogen storage disease type V). McArdle’s disease is an uncommon hereditary disorder characterized by symptoms of muscular fatigue and pain, as well as by muscle cramps during heavy and continuos exercise. We feared that the increase in muscular effort during labor might complicate delivery, necessitating cesarean section (AU)

Diferencias entre ERPS y EMG durante las tareas de discriminación sensormotora entre grupos de alta y baja habilidad motora / Differences in ERPS and EMG during sensorimotor discrimination tasks between high and low motor-ability groups

Se registraron eventos de potenciales sincronizados relacionados con las respuestas EMG durante tareas sensoriales motoras en sujetos (N=20) con habilidades motores variadas. Las latencias ERP y EMG aumentaron con tareas de mayor dificultad: El grupo de habilidad superior incrementó las amplitudes N100 (para estímulos frecuentes) y P200 (para estímulos raros) y decremento el tiempo de movimiento. Los resultados sugieren que la habilidad motora superior modificó la respuesta motora pero no afectó la latencia de ERP. El grupo de habilidades superiores necesitó un tiempo más corto, menos preparación o expectativa y menos errores para realizar la tarea sensoriomotora.

Event Related potentials synchronized with EMG responses were recorded during sensorimotor tasks for subjects (N=20) who varied in motor ability. ERPs and EMG latencies increases with increasing task difficulty. The high ability group increases N100 (for frequent stimuli) and P200 (for rare stimuli) amplitudes and decreases the movement time. Results suggest that the high motor ability modify motor response but the ERPs latency are unaffected. The high motor ability group needs a shorter time, less preparedness or expectancy and less errors for carrying out the sensorimotor tasks.