Comparison of the recovery profile of remimazolam with flumazenil and propofol anesthesia for open thyroidectomy.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have consistently reported a slower recovery of consciousness following remimazolam-based total intravenous anesthesia without flumazenil than with propofol. This study aimed to compare the reversal effect of flumazenil on the recovery of consciousness after remimazolam-based total intravenous anesthesia with the propofol recovery profile. METHODS: This prospective, single-blinded, randomized trial included 57 patients undergoing elective open thyroidectomy at a tertiary university hospital. Patients were randomly allocated to receive either remimazolam- or propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia (remimazolam group: 28 patients, propofol group: 29 patients). The primary outcome was the time from the end of general anesthesia to first eye opening (min). The secondary outcomes were the time from the end of the general anesthesia to extubation (min), initial modified Aldrete score measured at the post-anesthesia care unit, length of stay at the post-anesthesia care unit (min), occurrence of postoperative nausea and vomiting during the first 24 h postoperatively, and Korean version of Quality of Recovery-15 score at 24 h postoperatively. RESULTS: The remimazolam group showed significantly faster first eye opening time (2.3 [interquartile range, IQR: 1.8-3.3] min vs. 5.0 [IQR: 3.5-7.8] min, median difference:-2.7 [95% confidence interval, CI: -3.7 to -1.5] min, P < 0.001) and extubation time (3.2 [IQR: 2.4-4.2] min vs. 5.7 [IQR: 4.7-8.3] min, median difference: -2.7 [97.5% CI: -5.0 to -1.6] min, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in other postoperative outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The planned incorporation of flumazenil with remimazolam-based total intravenous anesthesia provided rapid and reliable recovery of consciousness.

Development of prediction models to estimate extubation time and midterm recovery time of ophthalmic patients undergoing general anesthesia: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: To develop prediction models for extubation time and midterm recovery time estimation in ophthalmic patients who underwent general anesthesia. METHODS: Totally 1824 ophthalmic patients who received general anesthesia at Joint Shantou International Eye Center were included. They were divided into a training dataset of 1276 samples, a validation dataset of 274 samples and a check dataset of 274 samples. Up to 85 to 87 related factors were collected for extubation time and midterm recovery time analysis, respectively, including patient factors, anesthetic factors, surgery factors and laboratory examination results. First, multiple linear regression was used for predictor selection. Second, different methods were used to develop predictive models for extubation time and midterm recovery time respectively. Finally, the models' generalization abilities were evaluated using a same check dataset with MSE, RMSE, MAE, MAPE, R-Squared and CCC. RESULTS: The fuzzy neural network achieved the highest R-Squared of 0.956 for extubation time prediction and 0.885 for midterm recovery time, and the RMSE value was 6.637 and 9.285, respectively. CONCLUSION: The fuzzy neural network developed in this study had good generalization performance in predicting both extubation time and midterm recovery time of ophthalmic patients undergoing general anesthesia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is prospectively registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, registration number: CHiCRT2000036416, registration date: August 23, 2020.

Catatonia associated with prolonged stupor after general anesthesia in a patient with multiple neuropsychiatric disorders -a case report.

BACKGROUND: Delayed emergence after general anesthesia may significantly affect a patient's condition. We present the case of a patient who experienced prolonged delayed recovery of consciousness, language, and motor response due to catatonia after eight hours of total elbow arthroplasty under general anesthesia. CASE: A 68-year-old woman with neuropsychiatric disorders and Parkinson's disease did not respond adequately during recovery after more than eight hours of general anesthesia. Following the operation, the patient was semi-comatose and appeared to have nonconvulsive status epilepticus upon awakening from anesthesia. However, subsequent examinations did not reveal any organic causes. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with catatonia, treated, and discharged following gradual improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Although rare, patients taking psychiatric drugs for an extended period may experience delayed emergence after prolonged general anesthesia without identifiable causes. Catatonia should be considered in the differential diagnoses of these patients.

Psychogenic coma after general anesthesia with remimazolam and remifentanil -a case report.

BACKGROUND: Delayed emergence from general anesthesia is associated with life-threatening conditions with pharmacological, neurological, metabolic, and rarely, psychiatric causes. This case report was presented to report psychogenic coma after recovery from anesthesia with remimazolam and remifentanil. CASE: An elderly woman was unresponsive after recovery from anesthesia with remimazolam and remifentanil. Physical examination, laboratory testing, and radiographic imaging did not reveal any obvious organic causes. Pharmacological or metabolic abnormalities were not found. Absence of those causes strongly suggests that prolonged unconsciousness is related to psychiatric origin. The patient spontaneously regained consciousness after 48 h without any neurological complications. CONCLUSIONS: Anesthesiologists should be aware of the possibility of psychogenic coma for patients with unexplained delay in emergence from anesthesia after the exclusion of other causes.

Risk factors for administration of additional reversal following neuromuscular blockade with rocuronium in children: A retrospective case-control study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence and risk factors for residual neuromuscular blockade in children remain poorly characterized. We hypothesize that specific patient and anesthetic risk factors may be associated with the administration of additional reversal in children following initial reversal of rocuronium with neostigmine. METHODS: Our electronic health record was queried for patients <18 years of age who received rocuronium and reversal with neostigmine from 2017 through 2020. Patients receiving other nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking drugs were excluded. The outcome of interest was defined as the administration of additional neostigmine or sugammadex following primary reversal with neostigmine. Time between the last dose of rocuronium and initial dose of neostigmine, and the cumulative dose of rocuronium were dichotomized. These were combined with other covariates including age, weight, sex, racial group, procedure type, ASA physical status, >1 rocuronium dose administered during the procedure, initial neostigmine dose <0.05 mg kg-1 , use of train-of-four monitoring, duration of anesthesia, inpatient or outpatient, emergency case, neuromuscular disease, and extremes of weight, to assess possible associations with the primary outcome. RESULTS: During the study period, 101/6373 (1.58%) patients received rocuronium and additional reversal. Dichotomization of time between last dose of rocuronium and neostigmine yielded <28 min since the last dose of rocuronium and cumulative dose of rocuronium >0.45 mg kg-1 hr-1 . These were associated with the administration of additional reversal with an OR 1.52 (95% CI, 1.08-2.35) and OR 1.71 (95% CI, 1.10-2.67), respectively. Other risk factors included an initial neostigmine dose <0.05 mg kg-1 , OR 4.98 (95% CI, 2.84-6.49), and African American race, OR 1.78 (95% CI, 1.07-2.87). CONCLUSION: Risk factors associated with the administration of additional reversal included time <28 min from the last dose of rocuronium to initial dose of neostigmine, cumulative dose of rocuronium >0.45 mg kg-1 hr-1 , initial neostigmine dose <0.05 mg kg-1 , and African American race.

Effect of Caffeine on the Acceleration of Emergence from General Anesthesia with Inhalation Anesthetics in Children Undergoing Inguinal Herniorrhaphy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Awakening following general anesthesia (GA) is one of the most important concerns of anesthesiologists in their daily work. Previous studies on adult humans found that caffeine could accelerate awakening after anesthesia. This study aimed to determine whether or not caffeine can accelerate awakening after anesthesia in children undergoing inguinal herniorrhaphy under GA. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, we enrolled 18 children undergoing inguinal herniorrhaphy under GA with inhaled anesthetics from June 2019 to September 2019 in the tertiary hospital affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (Shiraz, Iran). These children were randomly allocated to two groups. In group A, the children received intravenous caffeine (10 mg/Kg) at the end of the surgery, and in group B, the children received intravenous normal saline at the end of the surgery. The primary outcome was laryngeal mask airway (LMA) removal time at the end of anesthesia. Intra-operative hemodynamic data and side effects such as nausea, vomiting, dysrhythmia, cyanosis, and seizures in the recovery room were recorded and compared between the two groups. We used the independent-samples t test, Fisher's exact test, and repeated measures ANOVA for analyzing the data. P values<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: There were no significant differences in terms of demographic characteristics and hemodynamic data between the two groups. Furthermore, the time from the induction of anesthesia to laryngeal mask removal was 44.77±7.87 min in the placebo group and 44.55±10.68 min in the caffeine group. Therefore, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.961). Conclusion: In children undergoing inguinal herniorrhaphy under GA, 10 mg/Kg of caffeine could not accelerate awakening from GA. However, caffeine did not increase the blood pressure and heart rate in the children, and no significant side effects were observed. Trial Registration Number: IRCT20190511043550N1.

The Comparison of the Efficacy of Early versus Late Administration of Dexmedetomidine on Postoperative Emergence Agitation in Children Undergoing Oral Surgeries: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Emergence Agitation (EA) is a dissociated state of consciousness characterized by irritability, uncompromising stance, and inconsolability. The etiology of EA is not completely understood. Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective α2-adrenoreceptor agonist with sedative and analgesic properties, which has been used to reduce the incidence of EA. We aimed to assess the efficacy of early versus late administration of dexmedetomidine on EA in children undergoing oral surgery. METHODS: A randomized, parallel, double-blind clinical trial was conducted at Mofid Children's Hospital affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Tehran, Iran) from November 2016 to March 2017. A total of 81 children, who underwent adenotonsillectomy or cleft palate repair surgery were enrolled in the study. Based on simple randomization, the children were assigned to two groups, namely early (group A, n=41) and late (group B, n=40) administration of dexmedetomidine. Intra-operative and postoperative hemodynamic variables, extubation time, post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) length of stay, and the scores on Ramsay sedation scale and FLACC pain scale were measured and compared. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 20.0), and P<0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean FLACC score was lower in the late group than in the early group (2.0±1.5 vs. 4.2±1.6, P<0.001). The mean Ramsay sedation score was higher in the late group than in the early group (3.5±1.4 vs. 1.8±0.8, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Late administration of dexmedetomidine 1 µg/kg reduced the incidence of EA and PACU length of stay and improved postoperative pain management. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: IRCT 2016122031497N1.

The use of sugammadex in an infant with prolonged neuromuscular blockade - A case report.

BACKGROUND: Residual neuromuscular blockade (RNMB) is a frequent event after general anesthesia, which can lead to serious complications, such as upper airway obstruction. Sugammadex is useful in reversing RNMB. However, its use in infants has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Therefore, anesthesiologists can be hesitant use it, even in situations where no other choice is available. CASE: A two-month-old baby presented to the hospital for umbilical polypectomy. At the end of the surgery, neostigmine was administered. Even after waiting for 30 min and injecting an additional dose of neostigmine, neuromuscular blockade was not adequately reversed. Eventually, sugammadex was administered, and spontaneous breathing returned. CONCLUSIONS: If there were no particular causes of delayed return to spontaneous breathing in infants, RNMB should be considered and reversal with sugammadex would be useful.

Effects of Increased Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter on Inadequate Emergence from Anesthesia in Patients Undergoing Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy: A Prospective Observational Study.

(1) Background: Robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) is preferred over open prostatectomy because it offers superior surgical outcomes and better postoperative recovery. The steep Trendelenburg position and pneumoperitoneum required in Robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, however, increase intracranial pressure (ICP). The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of elevated ICP on the quality of emergence from anesthesia. (2) Methods: Sixty-seven patients undergoing RALP were enrolled. We measured optic nerve sheath diameter at four timepoints during surgery. Primary outcome was inadequate emergence in the operating room (OR). Secondary outcomes were postoperative neurologic deficits of dizziness, headache, delirium, cognitive dysfunction, and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). (3) Results: A total of 69 patients were screened for eligibility and 67 patients completed the study and were included in the final analysis. After establishing pneumoperitoneum with the Trendelenburg position, ONSD increased compared to baseline by 11.4%. Of the 67 patients, 36 patients showed an increase of 10% or more in optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD). Patients with ΔONSD ≥ 10% experienced more inadequate emergence in the OR than those with ΔONSD < 10% (47.2% vs. 12.9%, p = 0.003). However, other variables related to the quality of emergence from anesthesia did not different significantly between groups. Similarly, neurologic deficits, and PONV during postoperative day 3 showed no significant differences. (4) Conclusions: ICP elevation detected by ultrasonographic ONSD measurement was associated with a transient, inadequate emergence from anesthesia.

The latest trend in neuromuscular monitoring: return of the electromyography.

To reduce the risk of residual neuromuscular blockade, neuromuscular monitoring must be performed. Acceleromyography (AMG)-based neuromuscular monitoring was regarded as "clinical gold standard" and widely applied. However, issues related to patient's posture and overestimation of train-of-four ratio associated with AMG-based neuromuscular monitoring have increased. Recently, electromyography (EMG)-based neuromuscular monitoring is receiving renewed attention, since it overcomes AMG's weaknesses. However, both AMG-based and EMG-based systems are useful when certain considerations are followed. Ultimately, to assure the patient's good outcomes, the choice of monitoring system is not as important as the monitoring itself, which should be always implemented in such patients.

Non-convulsive status epilepticus in the immediate postoperative period following spine surgery -a case report.

BACKGROUND: Non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE), in which continuous epileptiform discharges occur without seizure-like movement, is rare and unfamiliar to anesthesiologists, both of which make this condition overlooked in patients with decreased levels of consciousness following general anesthesia. CASE: We report on an elderly female patient who developed NCSE in the immediate postoperative period after the spine surgery. Initially, delayed emergence from anesthesia was suspected, but the electroencephalogram confirmed NCSE, and anticonvulsant therapy was initiated. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed emergence is commonly attributed to cerebrovascular events or residual anesthetic effects, but NCSE must be included in the differential diagnosis, especially in elderly patients. Anticonvulsant therapy should be initiated as soon as possible for a better prognosis.

Effect of different withdrawal sequences on quality of recovery in patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery under combined intravenous and inhalation anesthesia / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the effect of two different withdrawal sequences on the quality of recovery in patients undergoing nasal endoscopic surgery under combined intravenous and inhalation anesthesia.Methods:Seventy patients scheduled for endoscopic sinus surgery in The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, China from January to June 2019 were included in this study and randomly assigned to undergo intravenous anesthesia alone (Group A, n = 35) or combined intravenous and inhalation anesthesia (Group B, n = 35). Propofol 2-4 mg/kg, fentanyl 3-4 μg/kg, cisatracurium besylate 0.2 mg/kg were used to induce anesthesia. Propofol 4-6 mg/kg/h, remifentanil 6.5-13.0 mg/kg/h, sevoflurane ≥ 0.30 minimum alveolar concentration were used to maintain anesthesia. At 30 minutes before the end of surgery, inhalational sevoflurane administration and pump propofol administration were stopped in the groups A and B respectively. At 10 minutes before the end of surgery, pump propofol administration and inhalational sevoflurane administration were stopped in the groups A and B respectively. At the end of surgery, pump remifentanil administration was stopped in both groups A and B. The time to spontaneous breathing recovery, the time to consciousness recovery, and the time to tracheal extubation were recorded. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate were recorded at the time of entering the operation room (T0), at the end of anesthesia (T1), at the time of spontaneous breathing recovery (T2), consciousness recovery (T3) and tracheal extubation (T4), 5 minutes (T5) and 10 minutes after tracheal extubation (T6). Agitation score was recorded at T2-T6 and at 20 minutes after tracheal extubation (T7). Cough score was recorded at T4. Results:The time to spontaneous breathing recovery, the time to consciousness recovery, and the time to tracheal extubation in group A were (16.0 ± 4.6) minutes, (18.0 ± 5.3) minutes, (19.0 ± 5.5) minutes, respectively, which were significantly longer than (8.8 ± 3.5) minutes, (9.5 ± 4.1) minutes, (10.7 ± 4.5) minutes, respectively in the group B ( t = 9.554, 8.881, 9.011, all P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in mean arterial pressure and heart rate recorded at T0-T6 between groups A and B (all P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in agitation score measured at T3-T6 between groups A and B (all P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in cough score recorded at T4 between groups A and B ( P > 0.05). Conclusion:Two different withdrawal sequences can maintain stable hemodynamics and reduce agitation during recovery period and cough during extubation. The recovery time of remifentanil combined with propofol is longer than that of remifentanil combined with sevoflurane.

Sugammadex versus neostigmine for reversal of rocuronium-induced residual neuromuscular blockade in patients undergoing renal transplantation: a large-scale, retrospective study / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To compare the efficacy of sugammadex versus neostigmine on reversal of rocuronium-induced residual neuromuscular blockade in patients undergoing renal transplantation. Methods:The clinical data of patients undergoing kidney transplantation from donation after cardiac death in our hospital from January 2018 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.Patients were divided into sugammadex group (group S) and neostigmine group (group N) according to the use of muscle relaxant antagonists.The onset time of antagonism, time of tracheal extubation, and time of postanesthesia care unit stay were recorded.The creatinine clearance rate was recorded before operation and at 1, 3, 5 and 7 days after operation.The occurrence of postoperative complications was recorded.Results:A total of 603 patients were enrolled in this study, with 278 patients in group S and 325 patients in group N. Compared with group N, the onset time of antagonism, time of extubation , and time of postanesthesia care unit stay were significantly shortened, the incidence of hypoxemia within 24 h after surgery and pulmonary infection occurred within 7 days after surgery was decreased ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the creatinine clearance rate at each time point and incidence of postoperative cardiovascular complications and graft complications in group S ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Compared with neostigmine, sugammadex can reverse rocuronium-induced residual neuromuscular blockade more quickly, which is helpful for early recovery with a higher safety when applied in the patients undergoing renal transplantation.

Opioid-free general anesthesia and induced recovery from anesthesia in a patient with myotonic dystrophy type-1: a case report / Anestesia geral sem opioide e recuperação induzida da anestesia em paciente com distrofia miotônica tipo-1: relato de caso

Abstract Myotonic dystrophy type-1 (Steinert disease) is an autosomal dominant, progressive multisystem disease in which myotonic crisis can be triggered by several factors including pain, emotional stress, hypothermia, shivering, and mechanical or electrical stimulation. In this report, dexmedetomidine-based general anesthesia, in combination with a thoracic epidural for laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a patient with Steinert disease, is presented. An Aintree intubation catheter with the guidance of a fiberoptic bronchoscope was used for intubation to avoid laryngoscopy. Prolonged anesthetic effects of propofol were reversed, and recovery from anesthesia was accelerated using an intravenous infusion of theophylline.

Resumo A Distrofia Miotônica (DM) tipo-1 (Doença de Steinert) é uma doença multissistêmica progressiva autossômica dominante em que a crise miotônica pode ser desencadeada por vários fatores, incluindo dor, estresse emocional, hipotermia, tremores e estímulo mecânico ou elétrico. O presente relato descreve anestesia geral realizada com dexmedetomidina em combinação com peridural torácica para colecistectomia laparoscópica em paciente com Doença de Steinert. Para evitar laringoscopia, a intubação traqueal foi realizada utilizando cateter de intubação Aintree guiado por broncofibroscopia óptica. Os efeitos anestésicos prolongados do propofol foram revertidos e a recuperação anestésica foi acelerada pelo uso de infusão intravenosa de teofilina.

[Opioid-free general anesthesia and induced recovery from anesthesia in a patient with myotonic dystrophy type-1: a case report]. / Anestesia geral sem opioide e recuperação induzida da anestesia em paciente com distrofia miotônica tipo­1: relato de caso.

Myotonic dystrophy type-1 (Steinert disease) is an autosomal dominant, progressive multisystem disease in which myotonic crisis can be triggered by several factors including pain, emotional stress, hypothermia, shivering, and mechanical or electrical stimulation. In this report, dexmedetomidine-based general anesthesia, in combination with a thoracic epidural for laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a patient with Steinert disease, is presented. An Aintree intubation catheter with the guidance of a fiberoptic bronchoscope was used for intubation to avoid laryngoscopy. Prolonged anesthetic effects of propofol were reversed, and recovery from anesthesia was accelerated using an intravenous infusion of theophylline.

Incidence, risk factors, and consequences of residual neuromuscular block in the United States: The prospective, observational, multicenter RECITE-US study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence burden and associated risk factors of residual neuromuscular block (rNMB) during routine U.S. hospital care. DESIGN: Blinded multicenter cohort study. SETTING: Operating and recovery rooms of ten community and academic U.S. hospitals. PATIENTS: Two-hundred fifty-five adults, ASA PS 1-3, underwent elective abdominal surgery with general anesthesia and ≥1 dose of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) for endotracheal intubation and/or maintenance of NMB between August 2012 and April 2013. INTERVENTIONS: TOF measurements using acceleromyography were performed on patients already receiving routine anesthetic care for elective open or laparoscopic abdominal surgery. Measurements allowed assessment of the presence of residual neuromuscular block (rNMB), defined as a train-of-four (TOF) ratio <0.9 at tracheal extubation. We recorded patient and procedural characteristics and assessed TOF ratios (T4/T1) at various times throughout the procedure and at tracheal extubation. Differences in patient and clinical characteristics were compared using Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and t-test for continuous variables. Multivariate logistic regression assessed risk factors associated with rNMB at extubation. MAIN RESULTS: Most of the study population, 64.7% (n = 165) had rNMB (TOF ratio < 0.9), among them, 31.0% with TOF ratio <0.6. Among those receiving neostigmine and/or qualitative peripheral nerve stimulation per clinical decision, 65.0% had rNMB. After controlling for confounders, we observed male gender (odds ratio: 2.60, P = 0.008), higher BMI (odds ratio: 1.04/unit, P = 0.043), and surgery at a community hospital (odds ratio: 3.15, P = 0.006) to be independently associated with increased odds of rNMB. CONCLUSIONS: Assessing TOF ratios blinded to the care team, we found that the majority of patients (64.7%) in this study had rNMB at tracheal extubation, despite neostigmine administration and qualitative peripheral nerve stimulation used for routine clinical care. Qualitative neuromuscular monitoring and clinical judgement often fails to detect rNMB after neostigmine reversal with potential severe consequences to the patient. Our data suggests that clinical care could be improved by considering quantitative neuromuscular monitoring for routine care.

Comparison of sugammadex and pyridostigmine bromide for reversal of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade in short-term pediatric surgery: a prospective randomized study

BACKGROUND: Sugammadex reverses rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade quickly and effectively. Herein, we compared the efficacy of sugammadex and pyridostigmine in the reversal of rocuronium-induced light block or minimal block in pediatric patients scheduled for elective entropion surgery. METHODS: A prospective randomized study was conducted in 60 pediatric patients aged 2–11 years who were scheduled for entropion surgery under sevoflurane anesthesia. Neuromuscular blockade was achieved by administration of 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium and assessed using the train-of-four (TOF) technique. Patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups receiving either sugammadex 2 mg/kg or pyridostigmine 0.2 mg/kg and glycopyrrolate 0.01 mg/kg at the end of surgery. Primary outcomes were time from administration of reversal agents to TOF ratio 0.9 and TOF ratio 1.0. Time from the administration of reversal agents to extubation and postoperative adverse events were also recorded. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the demographic variables. Time from the administration of reversal agents to TOF ratio 0.9 and TOF ratio 1.0 were significantly shorter in the sugammadex group than in the pyridostigmine plus glycopyrrolate group: 1.30 ± 0.84 vs. 3.53 ± 2.73 min (P < 0.001) and 2.75 ± 1.00 vs. 5.73 ± 2.83 min (P < 0.001), respectively. Extubation time was shorter in the sugammadex group. Adverse events, such as skin rash, nausea, vomiting, and postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade (airway obstruction), were not statistically different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Sugammadex provided more rapid reversal of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade in pediatric patients undergoing surgery than did pyridostigmine plus glycopyrrolate.

Infrared pupillometry helps to detect and predict delirium in the post-anesthesia care unit.

This study evaluates the capability of pupillary parameters to detect and predict delirium in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU-D) following general anesthesia. PACU-D may complicate and prolong the patient's postoperative course, consequently increasing hospital costs. After institutional approval, 47 patients undergoing surgical interventions with general anesthesia were included in the study. We measured the pupillary reflexes at signing of informed consent, during surgery 20 min after intubation and when the primary inhaled anesthetic was turned off, and 15 and 45 min after PACU admittance and upon discharge from the PACU. We evaluated patients for delirium using the confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit (CAM-ICU) score after 15 and 60 min in the PACU. We chose receiver operating curve (ROC) and area under the curve (AUC) to compare the performance of non-pupillary parameters to pupillary parameters, such as pupil diameter, percent constriction, and dilation velocity, to detect and predict PACU-D. Percent constriction (AUC = 0.93, optimal threshold = 18.5%) and dilation velocity (AUC = 0.93, optimal threshold = 0.35 mm/s) showed excellent ability to detect and predict delirium persisting throughout the PACU stay. These pupillary measures showed superior performance compared to other pupillary measures and features commonly associated with delirium, e.g., age (AUC = 0.73), total opioids (AUC = 0.56), or length of surgery (AUC = 0.40). Our results suggest that pupillometry and the parameters derived from the recording may identify delirious patients in the PACU. This information can help to efficiently structure their care in a timely manner, and potentially avoid adverse complications for the patient and financial consequences for the hospital.

2p24.1p23.2 deletion and delayed recovery after a general anesthesia for gastrointestinal endoscopic procedure.

Interstitial 2p deletions are very rare and may include proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene (2p23.3). Our 10-year-old patient, known to carry this genetic anomaly, underwent an endoscopic interventional procedure under general anesthesia. After a sevoflurane induction, alfentanil (8.5 µg·kg-1 ) was given. The procedure lasted 22 min. There was an unexpected delayed recovery likely reflecting an unexpected delayed recovery likely due to opioid hypersensitivity. The deletion of POMC may cause a deficit in endorphin and may lead to an up-regulation of opioid receptors. Exogenous opioids should be used with particular caution in patients suffering a deficit of POMC.

Relajación residual posoperatoria en la unidad de cuidados postanestésicos de un hospital universitario: Estudio de corte transversal / Postoperative residual curarization at the post-anesthetic care unit of a university hospital: A cross-sectional study

Abstract Introduction: Postoperative residual curarization has been related to postoperative complications. Objective: To determine the prevalence of postoperative residual curarization in a university hospital and its association with perioperative conditions. Method: A prospective registry of 102 patients in a period of 4 months was designed to include ASA I-II patients who intraoperatively received nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockers. Abductor pollicis response to a train-of-four stimuli based on accelleromyography and thenar eminence temperature (TOF-Watch SX®. Organon, Ireland) was measured immediately upon arrival at the postanesthetic care unit and 30 s later. Uni-bivariate analysis was planned to determine possible associations with residual curarization, defined as two repeated values of T4/T1 ratio <0.90 in response to train-of-four stimuli. Results: Postoperative residual curarization was detected in 42.2% of the subjects. Pancuronium was associated with a high risk for train-of-four response <0.9 at the arrive at postoperative care unit [RR:2.56 (IC95% 1.99-3.30); p = 0.034]. A significant difference in thenar temperature (°C) was found in subjects with train-of-four <0.9 when compared to those who reach adequate neuromuscular function (29.9 ± 1.6 vs. 31.1 ± 2.2; respectively. p = 0.003). However, we were unable to demonstrate a direct attribution of findings in train-of-four response to temperature (R² determination coefficient = 0.08%). Conclusions: A high prevalence of postoperative residual curarization persists in university hospitals, despite a reduced use of "long-lasting" neuromuscular blockers. Strategies to assure neuromuscular monitoring practice and access to therapeutic alternatives in this setting must be considered. Intraoperative neuromuscular blockers using algorithms and continued education in this field must be priorities within anesthesia services.

Introducción: La relajación residual postoperatoria ha sido asociada con mayores complicaciones postoperatorias. Objetivo: determinar la prevalencia de relajación residual postoperatoria en un hospital universitario y su relación con condiciones perioperatorias. Métodos: Se diseñó un registro prospectivo de 4 meses de duración, que incluyó pacientes ASA I-II que intraoperatoriamente recibieran bloqueadores neuromusculares. Se registró la respuesta del abductor pollicis a un estímulo de tren de cuatro mediante aceleromiografía y se midió la temperatura de la eminencia tenar (TOF-Watch SX®.Organon, Ireland) inmediatamente al ingreso a recuperación y a los 30 segundos. Se realizó análisis uni y bivariado para determinar posibles asociaciones con relajación residual postoperatoria, definida como dos respuestas sucesivas al estímulo tren-de-cuatro con una relación T4/T1 <0.90. Resultados: Se reclutaron 102 pacientes, encontrando una prevalencia de relajación residual del 42.2%. Pancuronio fue asociado con un riesgo elevado de TOF < 0.9 al ingreso a recuperación [RR:2,56 (IC95% 1.99-3.30); p = 0.034]. Se evidenció una diferencia significativa en la temperatura tenar de los pacientes que presentaban relajación residual, al compararla con pacientes que recuperaron su función neuromuscular [Grupo evento = 29.9 ± 1.6 (n = 43); Grupo control = 31.1 ±2.2 (n = 59)]. Sin embargo no se logró determinar una atribución directa de relajación residual a esta medición (coeficiente de determinación = 0.08%). Conclusión: Persiste una alta prevalencia de relajación residual postoperatoria en los hospitales universitarios, a pesar del uso reducido de bloqueadores neuromusculares de larga duración. Se hace indispensable encaminar estrategias para incentivar la monitoria neuromuscular y establecer algoritmos que permitan un manejo eficiente de los bloqueadores neuromusculares.