Serratus Plane Block: A Cadaveric Study to Evaluate Optimal Injectate Spread

Background and Objectives Although serratus plane block reportedly provides satisfactory analgesia for breast and thoracic surgeries, the optimal technique for consistent success has not been studied. The goal of this anatomical study was to evaluate the impact of volume, level, and site of injection on the extent of injectate spread that can influence anesthetic coverage. Methods Ultrasound-guided dye injection and subsequent dissection were performed in 39 cadaveric hemithoraces. Methylene blue was injected according to 1 of 4 injection protocols as follows: one 20-mL bolus, either superficial or deep to the serratus anterior muscle (SAM), at the fifth rib level (groups SUP-20 and DEEP-20, respectively), or two 20-mL boluses, either superior or deep to the SAM, one at the third rib and one at the fifth rib level (group SUP-40 and group DEEP-40, respectively). Following injection, dissection and 3-dimensional digitization were performed to map the area of dye spread. Results We found that the extent of dye spread was mostly influenced by the volume of injection rather than the plane of injection (superficial vs deep to SAM). Increasing the volume from 20 to 40 mL doubled the area of injectate spread and promoted dye spread preferentially to the anterior chest wall, with some impact on cephalad-to-caudad spread and no impact on posterior spread. Dye was found most consistently in the axilla when a separate injection was performed at the third rib level. Conclusions Our data showed that a high-volume double-injection technique provides extensive and consistent dye spread in the anterior chest wall and axilla, regardless of the plane of injection relative to the SAM. This technique likely provides more reliable analgesic coverage for breast procedures especially those that involve the axilla, pending confirmation in future clinical studies. Accepted for publication April 22, 2018. Address correspondence to: Vincent Chan, MD, FRCPC, FRCA, Department of Anesthesia, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, 399 Bathurst St, MCL 2-405, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada (e-mail: vincent.chan@uhn.ca). V.C. has received honorarium from SonoSite, BBraun, and Aspen Pharma. He also sat on the Medical Advisory Board of Smiths Medical. A.P. has a research grant from Fisher and Pykel for an unrelated study. She is associate editor of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. A.A. is an anatomy faculty at Allergan Academy of Excellence. The other authors declare no conflict of interest. Copyright © 2018 by American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine.

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Pericapsular Nerve Group (PENG) Block for Hip Fracture

Fascia iliaca block or femoral nerve block is used frequently in hip fracture patients because of their opioid-sparing effects and reduction in opioid-related adverse effects. A recent anatomical study on hip innervation led to the identification of relevant landmarks to target the hip articular branches of femoral nerve and accessory obturator nerve. Using this information, we developed a novel ultrasound-guided approach for blockade of these articular branches to the hip, the PENG (PEricapsular Nerve Group) block. In this report, we describe the technique and its application in 5 consecutive patients. Accepted for publication April 14, 2018. Address correspondence to: Philip W.H. Peng, MBBS, FRCPC, Founder (Pain Med), Department of Anesthesia, McL 2-405, TWH, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 2S8 (e-mail: philip.peng@uhn.ca). A.P. has a research grant from Fisher and Pykel. P.W.H.P. has equipment support from Fujifilm/Sonosite Canada. The other authors declare no conflict of interest. The authors have no sources of funding to declare for this article. Copyright © 2018 by American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine.

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Comparison of the ED50 and ED95 of Intrathecal Bupivacaine in Parturients Undergoing Cesarean Delivery With or Without Prophylactic Phenylephrine Infusion: A Prospective, Double-Blind Study

Background and Objectives While prophylactic phenylephrine infusions during cesarean delivery are often used to counteract the sympathectomy associated with spinal anesthesia, their use has been associated with decreased rostral spread of local anesthetic. The purpose of this study was to determine the median effective dose (ED50) and 95% effective dose (ED95) of intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine for cesarean delivery in the presence and absence of prophylactic phenylephrine infusion. Methods One hundred healthy parturients undergoing elective cesarean delivery under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia were enrolled in this randomized, double-blind, dose-finding study to determine ED50 and ED95. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive prophylactic phenylephrine or control (saline) infusion with injection of 6, 7.5, 9, 10.5, or 12 mg intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine. An effective dose was defined as achieving a T5 sensory level within 10 minutes of intrathecal drug administration without the need for epidural supplementation. Results The ED50 of intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine was 10.0 mg (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.9–11.4 mg) with prophylactic phenylephrine infusion and 7.9 mg (95% CI, 2.3–9.4 mg) in the control group. The ED95 of intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine was 14.1 mg (95% CI, 12.3–37.6 mg) with prophylactic phenylephrine infusion and 11.7 mg (95% CI, 9.9–22.8 mg) in the control group. Conclusions The administration of prophylactic phenylephrine infusion results in higher intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine dosing requirements in parturients undergoing cesarean delivery. Clinical Trial Registration This study was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, identifier ChiCTR-TRC-16008938. Accepted for publication April 14, 2018. Address correspondence to: Xinzhong Chen, MD, Department of Anesthesia, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, No. 1, Xueshi Road, 310006 Hangzhou, China (e-mail: chenxinz@zju.edu.cn). The authors declare no conflict of interest. This study was supported by the funds from National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 81271237 and no. 81471126). Copyright © 2018 by American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine.

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Topical Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block Compared With Epidural Blood Patch for Postdural Puncture Headache Management in Postpartum Patients: A Retrospective Review

Background and Objectives Postdural puncture headache (PDPH) is a severe and debilitating complication of unintentional dural puncture. The criterion-standard treatment for PDPH has been epidural blood patch (EBP), but it is an invasive intervention with the potential for severe complications, such as meningitis and paralysis. We believe this is the first ever 17-year retrospective chart review in which we compare the effectiveness of sphenopalatine ganglion block (SPGB) to EBP for PDPH treatment in postpartum patients. Methods We conducted a chart review of the first authors' obstetric patients who experienced PDPH from an unintentional dural puncture from a 17-gauge Tuohy needle for labor epidural from January 1997 to July 2014. Demographic characteristics, headache severity, and associated symptoms were collected prior to treatment. Forty-two patients who received SPGB and 39 patients who received EBP were identified. Residual headache, recovery from associated symptoms, and new treatment complications were compared between the 2 groups at 30 minutes, 1 hour, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 1 week posttreatment. Results A greater number of patients showed significant relief in their PDPH and associated symptoms at 30 and 60 minutes after treatment with SPGB than after treatment with EBP (P

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Shared decision-making for postoperative analgesia: A semistructured qualitative study

BACKGROUND Shared decision-making (SDM) and decision-support tools have attracted broad support in healthcare as they improve medical decision-making. Experts disagree on how these can help patients evaluate their present situation and possible outcomes of therapy, and how they might reduce decisional conflict. Little is known about their implementation, especially in anaesthesiology. OBJECTIVE To obtain a more fundamental understanding of pre-operative SDM and evaluate the use of a decision-support tool for postoperative analgesia after major thoracic and abdominal surgery. DESIGN A qualitative study with semistructured, in-depth interviews of patients and professionals. SETTING Patient recruitment took place at the Radboud University Medical Centre in Nijmegen and the Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital in Nijmegen, a nonacademic teaching centre. Professionals of the Radboud University Medical Centre were invited to participate in the interviews. PARTICIPANTS Interviews were performed with 10 individual patients and two focus groups both consisting of eight different professionals. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES To gain insight into the provision of pre-operative information, decision-making processes and the clarity and usability of a prototype decision-support tool. RESULTS Professionals seemed to provide their patients with information directed towards the application of epidural analgesia, providing little attention to its negative effects. For many patients, the information was not tailored to their needs. Patients' involvement in decision-making was minimal, but they did not feel a need for more involvement. They were positive about the decision-support tool, although they indicated that it would not have influenced their treatment decision. Professionals expressed their doubt about the capacity of their patients to fully understand the decisions involved and about the clinical usability of the decision-support tool, because patients might misinterpret the information provided. CONCLUSION The results of this study suggest that both patients and professionals did not adhere to some 'self-evident' principles of SDM when postoperative analgesia after major thoracic and abdominal surgery was discussed. Correspondence to Dr Martin J.L. Bucx, MD, PhD, Consultant, Anaesthesiologist and Clinical Epidemiologist, Department of Anaesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Internal Postal Code 717, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands Tel: +31 24 361 45 53; fax: +31 24 354 04 62; e-mail: Martin.Bucx@Radboudumc.nl Supplemental digital content is available for this article. Direct URL citations appear in the printed text and are provided in the HTML and PDF versions of this article on the journal's Website (https://ift.tt/2ylyqmW). © 2018 European Society of Anaesthesiology

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Informed consent for regional anesthesia

Purpose of review This narrative review describes the current framework for informed consent discussions for regional anesthesia practice from an ethical and medicolegal stand point as the cornerstone of the patient–physician relationship and the respect for patient autonomy. Recent guidelines and position statements from anesthesia societies have emphasized the importance of these discussions and their appropriate documentation. Recent findings Recent studies have shown that patients want to know more about both common and benign, as well as rare but serious adverse events, as it relates to their anesthetic care. Several strategies have been recently recommended as a means to facilitate a meaningful consent discussion and proper documentation in the perioperative environment. Summary Defining the material risks of ultrasound-guided regional anesthetic procedures remains challenging, due in part to the difficulty in quantifying incidence rates of relatively rare events. However, well informed discussions are of great importance to support patient autonomy and lay a strong foundation for the patient–anesthesiologist relationship. Correspondence to Anahi Perlas, MD, FRCPC, Staff Anesthesiologist, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Professor, Department of Anesthesia, University of Toronto, 399 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8, USA. Tel: +1 416 603 5118; fax: +1 416 603 6494; e-mail: Anahi.perlas@uhn.ca Copyright © 2018 YEAR Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Brucellosis in renal transplant recipients: a comparative review of 5 cases

Although brucellosis in renal transplant recipients is rare, we studied the clinical characteristics of this infection in this patient population due to the significantly increased number of renal transplantations performed over the past few decades. We report one case from our experience and undertake a review of the previously reported cases retrieved from the PubMed. A total of 5 cases of brucellosis in renal transplant recipients were found to date. The mean time from transplantation to diagnosis of brucellosis was 4.7 years (range, 4 months to 13 years). Blood culture and detection of anti-Brucella antibodies were frequently used diagnostic investigations. Treatment with appropriate antibiotic regimen led to a clinical cure and marked improvement in Brucella titre in all the patients. This review illustrates that clinicians should remain vigilant for this infectious aetiology following renal transplantation. Further studies are required to delineate the magnitude and scope of this association.

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From carcinoma through lymphoma to myeloma: a gastric mass diagnostic rollercoaster ride

We describe a dramatic clinical presentation of extramedullary multiple myeloma (MM) in an elderly patient with known monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS). Gastrointestinal symptoms and a gastric mass on imaging studies suggested an advanced solid gastric malignancy. Pathological workup of gastric biopsies first suspected a lymphoma, a second opinion finally confirmed an extramedullary MM. Treatment with bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone induced rapid relief of symptoms and normalisation of renal function as well as serum MM markers. Our case highlights the diagnostic difficulties when MM presents with signs and symptoms of respective end-organ involvement rather than typical 'CRAB' criteria. It underlines the importance of actively considering MM in a patient with MGUS, regardless of the clinical presentation of a specific medical problem. Our report also impressively illustrates the rapid response of MM and its gastric extramedullary manifestation to guideline-adherent chemotherapy.

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Mycobacterium bovis BCG spinal osteomyelitis in a patient with bladder cancer without a history of BCG instillation

BCG has been used as intravesical immunotherapy for the treatment of bladder carcinoma. However, this treatment is not harmless and may lead to complications, with a reported incidence of systemic BCG infection ranging from 3% to 7%. We report a case of culture-proven Mycobacterium bovis (BCG) vertebral osteomyelitis in a 72-year-old patient with bladder carcinoma who was treated with intravesical mitomycin C but did not receive BCG. Cultures from biopsy recovered isolate resembling Mycobacterium tuberculosis biochemically, but resistant to pyrazinamide (PZA). The patient was originally started on a four-drug antituberculous regimen of isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol and PZA. After genotypic analysis identified the organism as M. bovis (BCG), the regimen was changed to isoniazid and rifampin for 12 months. The patient responded well to this treatment. This case is unique as the patient received only intravesical mitomycin and did not receive BCG, implying the possibility of transmission from contaminated equipment.

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Primary malignant melanoma of urethra mimicking as urethral caruncle

Description 

A 50-year-old woman presented with dysuria and intermittent vaginal bleeding for last 6 months. On local examination, a 1x1 cm mass was seen protruding from anterior wall of urethral meatus. The mass was lobulated, firm, painless and tan coloured (figure 1). The local pelvic examination and general physical examination was normal. Cystourethroscopy revealed no abnormality in the urethra and urinary bladder. The mass was provisionally diagnosed as urethral caruncle and was excised under local anaesthesia. The histopathology came as a surprise to us as it revealed diffuse infilteration of large pleomorphic, epitheloid and spindle-shaped tumour cells with high nucleocytoplasmic ratio, vesicular chromatin, prominent nucleoli and scant amount of cytoplasm (figure 2). Melanin pigment was also seen within the cells. Further analysis with immunohistochemistry revealed positive immunostaining with HMB-45 and confirmed it to be primary malignant melanoma of urethra (figure 3). Further workup...

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Spontaneous pneumomediastinum in limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis and myositis overlap

A 58-year-old man with limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis and myositis overlap complicated by interstitial lung disease presented with several months of progressive dyspnoea and weakness. CT chest revealed extensive pneumomediastinum that was not present on imaging 6 months before this study and appeared to be spontaneous, with no preceding trauma, infection or invasive procedures.

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Acute kidney injury associated with hypercalcaemic crisis in a patient with primary hyperparathyroidism

Parathyroid or hypercalcaemic crisis is a rare presenting manifestation of primary hyperparathyroidism and usually seen in relation to parathyroid carcinoma and multiple myeloma. We present a middle-aged woman with extreme hypercalcaemia due to parathyroid adenoma presenting as acute kidney injury. This case highlights the need to consider primary hyperparathyroidism in differentials of a patient presenting with severe hypercalcaemia and renal dysfunction. Also this is the second reported case in literature of a patient surviving such extreme hypercalcaemia due to parathyroid adenoma.

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Solitary juvenile polyp as a cause of elevated faecal calprotectin in an adult

Faecal calprotectin (FCP) levels are commonly measured in both primary and secondary care as an adjunct to the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Juvenile polyps are a rare form of colonic polyp found in both adults and children. We present a case of an adult patient who presented with a very high FCP level, which subsequently normalised following removal of a solitary colonic juvenile polyp. There was no evidence of IBD. Elevation of FCP levels due to this type of colonic pathology have not previously been described in the literature.

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Multiorgan system structural malformations associated with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser Syndrome (MRKHS) type 2: avoiding pitfalls in diagnosis, counseling and treatment

An 18-year-old virginal woman was referred to the reproductive endocrinology clinic with primary amenorrhoea and secondary sexual development in the absence of pelvic pain. Additionally, she had significant congenital sensorineural hearing loss, autism, bipolar disorder and class III obesity. On physical examination, secondary sexual development was confirmed (Tanner 5 breasts and Tanner 4 pubic hair). She refused further pelvic examination following prior attempts by the referring physicians. Serum leutinizing hormone (LH), follicle sitmulating hormone (FSH). prolactin, estradiol and total testosterone values were within normal limits. Karyotype was 46,XX. MRI demonstrated complete uterine agenesis, short vagina, sacral dysgenesis with complete absence of the coccyx and a horseshoe kidney. Diagnosis of Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser Syndrome type 2 was established based on clinical, laboratory and MRI findings. The patient and family were counselled regarding the disease process, techniques for vaginal elongation, sexual activity and future reproductive options.

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Unusual presentation of acute pulmonary embolus presenting with inferior ST elevation

Description  

A 67-year-old woman presented with a 6-hour history of dull, inspiratory chest pain and shortness of breath  that had subsided on arrival to hospital. She denied any history of coronary artery disease and had no veno-thromboembolic risk factors. Her semirecumbent blood pressure was 94/50 mm Hg, and oxygen saturations were 98% on room air. Chest X-ray was unremarkable. The initial ECG demonstrated sinus tachycardia only. She later developed further chest pain with dynamic 1 mm ST segment elevation in lead III (figure 1A). In addition, there was ECG evidence of S1Q3T3 pattern, and troponin was 3444 ng/mL. An urgent bedside transthoracic echocardiogram supported a diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolus (APE) as opposed to acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (figure 1B–D). It showed a D-shaped left ventricle in both phases of the cardiac cycle reflecting right ventricular volume and pressure overload and a dilated inferior vena cava. The patient was...

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Rehabilitation of simultaneous bilateral epiphysial fracture of proximal tibia in adolescent

Simultaneous and bilateral epiphysial fracture of the proximal tibia is an extremely rare injury, with only 23 cases reported in the literature. In this paper, we present a 15-year-old adolescent with a simultaneous and bilateral epiphysial fracture of the proximal tibia in sport context (trampoline jump). He underwentsurgical repair with bilateral closed reduction and internal fixation, followed by outpatient rehabilitation programme during 4 months. There was a good functional outcome, without limitation in activities of daily living and with resumption of amateur sports activity. Since there are no guidelines described for this pathology, the authors suggest a rehabilitation protocol for bilateral epiphysial fractures of the proximal tibia that underwent surgical treatment previously and in which there were no complications in the acute phase.

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Acute liver failure secondary to ABVD use

Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) is a type of cancer originating in the lymph nodes. The preferred therapy for advanced HL is a combination of chemotherapies including doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine (ABVD). ABVD has been standard therapy for advanced HL. It is generally considered as safe and rarely has been reported to cause acute liver failure. We present a case of 79-year-old woman with HL, who developed acute liver failure secondary to first cycle of ABVD chemotherapy.

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Recurrent invasive group A streptococcal infection with four-limb amputation in an immunocompetent child

We report a previously well paediatric patient with two distinct presentations of invasive group A streptococcus (GAS) infection resulting in significant morbidity. The first episode, following GAS pharyngitis, involved multiorgan dysfunction syndrome. This included cardiorespiratory and acute hepatorenal failure and purpura fulminans that eventually necessitated four-limb amputation. The second episode occurred 12 months later, from undetermined aetiology, and resulted in septic shock. Molecular analysis of the emm gene and PCR for Serum Opacity Factor revealed that the initial isolate was M Type 4 and sof gene positive while the second isolate was M Type 1 and sof gene negative. Immunological investigations, including CH50, quantitative IgA, IgM and IgG, and flow cytometry measuring lymphocyte subsets, and vaccine response to measles, mumps, rubella and pneumococcus were normal. This is the first report of recurrent bacteraemia from different strains of Streptococcus pyogenes infection in an apparently immunocompetent child.

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Primary renal angiosarcoma

An older male patient with a history of tachycardia treated with atenolol presented to an outside hospital on 22 February 2017 with acute right flank pain. He had a CT scan which revealed a large right renal mass with acute haemorrhage. He was initially managed with interventional radiology guided embolism on 25 February 2017 due to the ongoing bleeding and haemodynamic instability. He was then transferred to our institution. He underwent right radical nephrectomy on 13 March 2017. His pathology revealed a 12.5x6x4.5 cm mass consistent with angiosarcoma of the right kidney with negative margins. Final pathology was pT2b with extension of the mass into the renal vein and perirenal adipose tissue. He was discharged soon after surgery. He was recommended to undergo adjuvant chemotherapy.

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Extensive Mongolian spots and normocephaly: an uncommon presentation of infantile Sandhoffs disease

Description 

A 10-month-old male infant was brought to us with developmental stagnation since 5 months of age. He attained age-appropriate developmental milestones until 5 months of age, however over the next 2 months, he did not gain any new milestones followed by subsequent developmental regression in the form of loss of neck holding ability, social smile, mother regard, visual fixation and cooing. He was a first born to non-consanguineous parents, at term by caesarean delivery (due to non-progression of labour). The antenatal and perinatal periods were normal. There was no history of seizures, exaggerated startle response and extrapyramidal symptoms. The family history was unremarkable. On examination, he had normal head size (46.2 cm, 50th centiles), dysmorphic facial features (flat nasal bridge, hypertelorism, thick upper lip and upturned nose), bilateral cherry-red spots, extensive Mongolian spots (figure 1) and hepatomegaly. He also had generalised hypotonia, hyperactive muscle stretch reflexes and bilateral...

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Platypnoea-orthodeoxia syndrome exacerbated by kyphosis progression

This is a case of an 86-year-old woman with gradually progressive dyspnoea and hypoxaemia that occurred after a cardiac surgery. It was underdiagnosed for several years, but diagnosis was triggered by the finding of hypoxaemia even during supplemental oxygen administration when in the upright position, such as when taking a shower, that rapidly improved when the patient returned to the supine position. A thorough workup disclosed platypnoea–orthodeoxia syndrome (POS) associated with right-to-left shunting through a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Percutaneous closure of the PFO was performed. After treatment, the patient's arterial oxygen saturation gradually recovered to 98% on room air while she was in the sitting position and her symptoms disappeared. Reviewing this case retrospectively, we determined that the deviation of the spine with kyphosis progression had apparently proceeded as POS worsened over time. We therefore hypothesised that kyphosis progression had played a major role in the POS progression.

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Liver failure associated with mahogany seed extract consumption

A 45-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with jaundice of 2 weeks' duration. This was associated with mahogany seed extract (Skyfruit supplement) consumption for 6 months prior to admission. Examination was normal apart from scleral icterus and grade 2 encephalopathy. Liver function tests showed a hepatocellular pattern of derangement: alanine transaminase, 1267 U/L (10–36); aspartatetransaminase, 1255 U/L (10–30); alkaline phosphatase, 124 U/L (22–104); bilirubin, 258 µmol/L (3–21) with a prolonged prothrombin time of 16.8 s (9.2–11.0). Viral hepatitis work-up was largely unremarkable and liver biopsy showed moderate inflammatory infiltrates (mostly lymphocytic with scattered eosinophils) in the periportal region and lobule with bridging necrosis, favouring drug-induced liver injury. Withdrawal of the drug resulted in normalisation of liver function.

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Posterior shoulder dislocation: its worth another look

A 40-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with a painful left shoulder following a fall from a mountain bike. A radiograph of the clavicle and shoulder was carried out. A diagnosis of fractured left clavicle was made, which was treated conservatively in a sling. On day 3, she was reviewed in the fracture clinic and was found to still be in pain with reduced movement of the shoulder joint. A repeat radiograph of the shoulder joint showed a posterior dislocation. This required a closed reduction under general anaesthesia.

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Unusual case of bilateral haemotympanum after endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial fine needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA)

We present a case of bilateral haemotympanum (HT) during endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial fine needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). A 64 year-old-man underwent EBUS-TBNA for mediastinal lymph nodes (LN) staging. Medical history included emphysema and angina. Medication included aspirin until the day before procedure. Full blood count and clotting screen were normal. He received sedation (5 mg midazolam, 1000 mcg alfentanil) and topical anaesthesia (16 mL 1% lignocaine) but coughed excessively throughout the procedure. Left hilar LN was the only area sampled. Spontaneous bleeding ensued from both ears towards the end of the procedure. Patient remained haemodynamically stable. The procedure was aborted and otolaryngology consult sought. Otoscopy showed bilateral haematoma from anterior ear canal with normal tympanic membranes and no hearing loss. Nasendoscopy revealed erythematous ostium of both Eustachian tubes. Bleeding stopped spontaneously and patient required no further imaging or treatment. We report this case to increase awareness of this very rare complication resulting from excessive coughing during EBUS-TBNA.

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MYH9-related disorders: a rare cause of neonatal thrombocytopaenia

Myosin heavy chain 9-related disorders (MYH9RD) are a genetic condition characterised by large platelets and thrombocytopaenia. The May-Hegglin anomaly (MHA), an uncommon condition with a potential risk of bleeding complications once thought to be separate, is now known to be part of MYH9RD.

There are very limited data on the clinical course and neonatal/paediatric outcome in children with MHA. We present the case of a newborn with a normal physical examination whose mother had MHA. Peripheral blood examination revealed a platelet count of 16x10⁹/L with giant platelets and neutrophils containing Döhle bodies. Neonatal brain ultrasound examination showed no haemorrhage. The infant received three platelet transfusions during the first 29 days of life, remaining asymptomatic. The genetic molecular test was positive for MYH9RD. It is important to identify at-risk infants with this condition and to initiate therapy to prevent related complications, if needed, in a multidisciplinary team approach.

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Fatal case of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) in a patient with dermatomyositis and cytomegalovirus (CMV) viraemia

We describe a case of an adult with dermatomyositis (DM) who presents with a rash, high fevers, tachycardia and hypotension, initially concerning for an infectious aetiology or a DM flare. She was found to have cytomegalovirus viraemia which improved after starting valganciclovir. After extensive workup and lack of improvement with broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy, intravenous immunoglobulin and steroids, the patient was diagnosed with macrophage activation syndrome after bone marrow biopsy and levels of soluble CD25 (soluble interleukin (IL)-2 receptor) and IL2 were obtained. Unfortunately, despite therapy with dexamethasone, anakinra and etoposide, the patient decompensated and the patient's family opted for comfort care. The patient subsequently expired in the intensive care unit.

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Florid hyperandrogenism due to a benign adrenocortical adenoma

A 26-year-old woman with a history of polycystic ovarian syndrome presented with secondary amenorrhea, worsening hirsutism, acne, deepening of voice and unexplained 10–20 kg weight gain. Her Ferriman-Gallway hirsutism score was 12 with cystic facial acne and increased masculine phenotype. Urine Beta-Human Chorionic Gonadotropins (bHCG) was negative. She had elevated serum testosterone of 551 ng/dL, androstenedione at 7.46 ng/mL and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) at 4243 µg/L. Overnight dexamethasone suppression test showed mildly unsuppressed cortisol (2.89 µg/dL). Urinary free cortisol along with paired serum cortisol and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) tests were normal (55.4 µg/24 hours, 13.44 mcg/dL, 30.4 pg/mL respectively). Her leutinizing hormone (LH) was low(<0.1 mIU/mL), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) low/normal (1.41 mIU/mL) with sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) level 45nmol/L and the rest of the pituitary and adrenal workup was unremarkable. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was 2.15mU/mL. MRI revealed a 3.1 cm, indeterminate but well-defined left adrenal lesion and polycystic ovaries without abdominal lymphadenopathy. Given radiological appearances and despite biochemical concerns for adrenocortical malignancy, a multidisciplinary team meeting decision was made to proceed with laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Histology was consistent with a benign adenoma. Postoperatively, there was clinical and biochemical resolution of the disease.

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Unusual case of a small bowel leiomyoma presenting as an adnexal mass

This case report will discuss an interesting case of a premenopausal woman who presented with an adnexal mass consistent with a leiomyoma on imaging. However, intraoperatively, the mass was thought to be a gastrointestinal stromal tumour but histological diagnosis subsequently confirmed a leiomyoma arising from the small bowel.

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Acute liver failure and hepatic encephalopathy in exertional heat stroke

A 31-year-old man was brought to Accident & Emergency after collapsing during a race. On presentation, the patient had a temperature of 41.7°C (rectal). External cooling was started immediately. The patient was intubated in view of a Glasgow Coma Scale of 7 and was transferred to theintensive therapy unit. Laboratory results revealed an acute kidney injury, rhabdomyolysis, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and acute liver failure. The patient was encephalopathic, jaundiced and difficult to sedate. His liver function continued to deteriorate with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels reaching 9207 U/L. King's Hospital Liver Centre, London was contacted for a possible liver transplant, and they advised an infusion of N-acetylcysteine. The following day liver function tests improved; thus, transplantation was not performed. The patient failed multiple sedation holds and required a tracheostomy. He continued to spike a fever. Despite no source of sepsis being found, the patient remained on broad spectrum antibiotics to cover for any potential infective causes until day 27. After 15 days, the patient's encephalopathy gradually improved. He was weaned off the ventilator and underwent intense physiotherapy. The patient was discharged from hospital one month after admission.

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Spinal myoclonus: a rare presentation of cervical myelopathy

Myoclonus describes a movement disorder characterised by brief, abrupt and involuntary contractions of muscles or groups of muscles, usually associated with intracranial lesions, with limited evidence linking it to spinal pathologies. The pathophysiology of spinal myoclonus is extensive and multifactorial. Infection, intramedullary and extramedullary space-occupying lesions, trauma, vascular abnormalities, degenerative processes and cervical spondylosis have been implicated with the disease, the latter been associated with cervical stenosis with no reported cases linking it to an underlying cervical disc herniation. Although medical therapy with clonazepam, levetiracetam, valproate, tetrabenazine hydrochloride and spinal block injections has been equivocal, spinal myoclonus secondary to disc herniation requires surgical intervention. This report describes a case of segmental spinal myoclonus, secondary to a herniated cervical intervertebral disc. After corpectomy and a cage-augmented fusion technique, the myoclonic symptoms resolved. To our knowledge, this was the first report to describe the successful management of discogenic spinal myoclonus with spinal surgery.

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Blast from the past: a novel complication of bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Description 

A 43-year-old Caucasian woman presented to her primary care physician for a retirement physical exam. She endorsed mild dyspnoea on exertion, but denied chest pain, cough or shortness of breath at rest. On physical exam, lungs were clear bilaterally with good air movement in all fields. Chest radiograph was normal except for a 6 mm nodular density noted in the right lower lobe. A non-contrast CT scan of the chest was performed revealing a 2 mm calcified granuloma. In addition, there were global, mild and uniform paraseptal emphysematous changes throughout the pleural surfaces of the lungs and the fissures (figures 1 and 2). Pulmonary work-up including spirometry, carbon monoxide diffusing capacity and testing for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency was normal. Further investigation revealed a history of premature birth, supported with mechanical ventilation (MV). We attributed her radiographic findings and symptoms to sequelae of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

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Cardiac memory: an under-recognised cause of deep T wave inversion in a patient presenting with chest pain

T wave inversion (TWI) has many differential diagnoses with acute myocardial ischaemia being the highest on the list of potential causes. Cardiac T wave memory is a benign, under-recognised and clinically important phenomenon seen after periods of altered ventricular conduction. After normal ventricular conduction is restored, the T wave 'remembers' and mirrors the direction of the wide QRS complex. Therefore, negative T waves are seen in leads that had negative wide QRS complexes. We describe the case of a 60-year-old truck driver with chest pain, deep TWI and traditional cardiovascular risk factors. After ruling out significant myocardial ischaemia, it was crucial to determine the cause of his T wave changes to provide reassurance and provide commercial license medical clearance. While it is currently a diagnosis of exclusion, it remains an important clinical entity for clinicians to recognise to provide an explanation for certain T wave changes to avoid future unnecessary cardiac testing.

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Primary lymphoedema

Description 

A 32-year-old woman presented with a 20-year history of slowly progressive leg oedema with recurrent cellulitis. She was referred from her primary care physician. Her mother had the same condition. Physical examination revealed non-pitting bilateral leg oedema (figure 1). Stemmer's sign was positive. Lymphoscintigraphy showed non-visualisation of inguinal nodes 30 min postexercise and dermal backflow in the lower limbs (figure 2). Compression garments were used but failed. She underwent bilateral lower limb supermicrosurgical lymphaticovenular anastomosis (two times anastomosis and four times incisions) and her oedema markedly improved. Four years after the operation, she was well without relapse.

Figure 1

Non-pitting bilateral leg oedema.

Figure 2

Preoperative lymphoscintigraphy. Lymphoscintigraphy revealed no migration of radiopharmaceutical agent in the lower limbs.

Primary lymphoedema is due to a congenital and/or inherited condition associated with pathological development...

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Strangulated adnexa due to adhesion band after hysterectomy

Description

A 50-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a 2-day history of cramping pain of the lower abdomen. She also reported an episode of nausea and vomiting prior to admission. The patient had undergone total abdominal hysterectomy for uterine myoma. Her blood pressure was 100/60 mm Hg, pulse rate of 70 beats/min and axillary temperature of 36.5°C. The patient had mild direct tenderness of the lower abdomen, especially at the right lower quadrant, with no rebound tenderness or muscular guarding. Laboratory data showed a white cell count of 10 100/mm³ (normal limit of 4000–10 000/mm³) and a C reactive protein concentration of 17.25 mg/L (normal limit of 0–10 mg/L). A plain chest X-ray revealed no free air under diaphragm. Pelvic ultrasound demonstrated smooth bilocular cystic tumour within the right adnexa that has no colour flow on Doppler.

Contrast-enhanced abdominal CT showed a hypodense area measuring 4x3x3 cm in the region of right adnexa and a...

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Endovascular treatment of an aorto-oesophageal fistula caused by oesophageal cancer

Description 

Aorto-oesophageal fistula (AOF) is commonly the product of aortic aneurysms or iatrogenic injuries during endovascular aortic procedures; despite that, AOF is an uncommon medical condition. In rare cases, it can be the product of an oesophageal carcinoma. It is a fatal condition, and its treatment options are scarce due to its low incidence.1 2 The case presented herein aims to show an endovascular treatment for AOF.

A 50-year-old male patient presented with odynophagia, progressive dysphagia and weight loss for 4 months prior to the consultation. The patient sought the emergency healthcare service due to haematemesis and melena for 6 days. He was submitted to haemodynamic recovery, blood transfusion and to an upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy, which revealed an ulcerative and vegetative tumouration on his oesophagus 25 cm below his upper dental arcade. Biopsy confirmed the hypothesis of a malignant oesophageal carcinoma with moderate cell differentiation. Despite the...

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Pleural coccidioidomycosis presenting as spontaneous pneumothorax

Coccidioides is a fungus endemic to Southwestern USA and Northern Mexico which can be asymptomatic or result in a well-defined clinical syndrome of community-acquired pneumonia. On rare occasion, coccidioidomycosis may have atypical presentations as in our patient, a 25-year-old man admitted with a 2-month history of progressive dyspnoea and cough. He was found to have a large right-sided pneumothorax with exudative pleural effusion which did not resolve following thoracentesis. Decortication was performed which revealed a dense rind of inflammatory tissue covering all lobes of his right lung. Histopathology demonstrated hyphae resembling Aspergillus, but culture and serology confirmed Coccidioides immitis. Following several months of antifungal therapy, he achieved complete clinical recovery with near-complete resolution of radiographic findings.

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Congenital Rhabdomyosarcoma Presenting as a Neck Mass at Birth

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a malignant tumor of the soft tissues which preferentially affects the pediatric population. Neonatal rhabdomyosarcoma is rare, and much of the published literature concerning this entity consists of isolated case reports and small case series. Recent work involving the classification of rhabdomyosarcoma has helped to delineate prognostic information based on gene rearrangements. Here, we present a case of congenital rhabdomyosarcoma seen in utero which manifested as a neck mass at birth and was found to harbor a favorable gene fusion.

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Effect of Intravenous Dexamethasone on the Regression of Isobaric Bupivacaine Spinal Anesthesia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The effect of intravenous dexamethasone on the regression of sensory and motor block after isobaric bupivacaine spinal anesthesia is unknown. We conducted a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial on 60 patients who received intravenously either placebo (group P) or 8-mg dexamethasone (group D) during the intrathecal injection of 12-mg isobaric bupivacaine 0.5%. Primary outcome was the time from bupivacaine injection to regression of 2 dermatomes in relation to the highest dermatome blocked by the spinal local anesthetic. Time to 2-dermatome regression was 85 minutes (74–96 minutes) in group P versus 87 minutes (76–98 minutes) in group D (P = .79). Accepted for publication June 18, 2018. Funding: Internal. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Clinical Trials identifier: NCT03078062. Protocol available at: https://ift.tt/2OsukBR NCT03078062. Reprints will not be available from the authors. Address correspondence to Stephan R. Williams, MD, PhD, Département d'anesthésiologie, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Hôpital Notre-Dame, Montréal, QC H2L 4M1, Canada. Address e-mail to stephan.williams@umontreal.ca. © 2018 International Anesthesia Research Society

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Laryngeal Mask Airway Versus Other Airway Devices for Anesthesia in Children With an Upper Respiratory Tract Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Respiratory Complications

There is an association between upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and an increased incidence of perioperative respiratory adverse events (PRAEs), which is a major risk for morbidity during pediatric anesthesia. The aim of the present study was to compare the risk of PRAEs among different airway devices during anesthesia in children with a URTI. A systematic review according to the Cochrane Handbook and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was conducted. Only randomized clinical trials evaluating anesthesia in children with a URTI and who were submitted to any of the airway devices were included. From 1030 studies identified, 5 randomized clinical trials were included in the final analysis. There were no statistical differences between laryngeal mask airway (LMA®) and endotracheal tube (ETT) regarding breath holding or apnea (risk ratio [RR], 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.41–1.65), laryngospasm (RR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.18–2.95), and arterial oxygen desaturation (RR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.16–1.17). The quality of evidence was low for the first outcome and very low for the 2 other outcomes, respectively. The LMA use produced a significant reduction of cough (RR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.58–0.96, low quality of evidence) compared with ETT. The ideal airway management in children with a URTI remains obscure given that there are few data of perioperative respiratory complications during anesthesia. This systematic review demonstrates that LMA use during anesthesia in children with URTI did not result in decrease of the most feared PRAEs. However, LMA was better than ETT in reducing cough. Further research is needed to define the risks more clearly because cough and laryngospasm have similar triggers, and both bronchospasm and laryngospasm trigger cough. Accepted for publication June 18, 2018. Funding: This research was carried out without funding. A.L.R.C. was granted a scholarship from Coordination of Improvement for Higher Academic Staff (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior [CAPES]). P.T.S.S. received a scholarship from São Paulo Research Foundation (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo [FAPESP]; #2014/16734–6). CAPES and FAPESP are Brazilian governmental agencies dedicated to promoting scientific research. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Supplemental digital content is available for this article. Direct URL citations appear in the printed text and are provided in the HTML and PDF versions of this article on the journal's website (https://ift.tt/KegmMq). Preliminary data for this study were presented as European Society of Anaesthesiology (ESA) Best Abstract Prize Competition at the ESA Euroanaesthesia May 30, 2015 to June 2, 2015, Berlin, Germany. LMA is a registered trademark of Teleflex Incorporated or its affiliates. Reprints will not be available from the authors. Address correspondence to Ana Lygia R. de Carvalho, MD, PhD, Departamento de Anestesiologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Av. Prof. Mário Rubens Guimarães Montenegro, s/n, Bairro: UNESP, Campus de Botucatu, Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Address e-mail to analygiacarvalho@yahoo.com.br. © 2018 International Anesthesia Research Society

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Perioperative Blood Pressure Monitoring in Patients With Obesity

Blood pressure monitoring plays a key part in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care of all patients. In patients with obesity, hypertension indicates increased metabolic and surgical risk and may signal the presence of significant medical comorbidities, including obstructive sleep apnea. Avoidance of hypertension postoperatively is necessary to minimize bleeding risk after surgery. Hypotension in the postoperative period may be the first sign of significant complications that require urgent management. With the problem of being overweight or obese now affecting two-thirds of adults in Western countries, the proportion of patients with obesity in perioperative environments is similarly increasing. Detection of aberrations in blood pressure is contingent on the accuracy of blood pressure measurement methods. Patients with obesity tend to have a large arm circumference and "cone-shaped arms." Standard blood pressure cuffs fit such patients poorly, and this compromises the accuracy of measurements. Alternatives to arm blood pressure cuffs, some made specifically for individuals with obesity, have been evaluated but are not widely available to clinicians. This focused narrative review will discuss the relevance of hypertension management in the care of patients with obesity, highlight the currently available methods for perioperative monitoring of blood pressure, and explore the opportunities that exist to improve the perioperative blood pressure care in patients with obesity undergoing surgical procedures. Accepted for publication June 6, 2018. Funding: None. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Reprints will not be available from the authors. Address correspondence to Victoria A. Eley, PhD, Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Butterfield St, Herston, QLD 2006, Australia. Address e-mail to va_eley@hotmail.com. © 2018 International Anesthesia Research Society

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Postoperative Hypotension and Surgical Site Infections After Colorectal Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Hypotension compromises local tissue perfusion, thereby reducing tissue oxygenation. Hypotension might thus be expected to promote infection. Hypotension on surgical wards, while usually less severe than intraoperative hypotension, is common and often prolonged. In this retrospective cohort study, we tested the hypotheses that there is an association between surgical site infections and low postoperative time-weighted average mean arterial pressure and/or postoperative minimum mean arterial pressure. METHODS: We considered patients who had colorectal surgery lasting ≥1 hour at the Cleveland Clinic between 2009 and 2013. We defined blood pressure exposures as time-weighted average (primary) and minimum mean arterial pressure (secondary) within 72 hours after surgery. We assessed associations between continuous blood pressure exposures with a composite of deep and superficial surgical site infection using separate severity-weighted average relative effect generalized estimating equations models, each using an unstructured correlation structure and adjusting for potentially confounding variables. RESULTS: A total of 5896 patients were eligible for analysis. Time-weighted mean arterial pressure and surgical site infection were not significantly associated, with an estimated odds ratio (95% CI) of 1.03 (0.99–1.08) for a 5-mm Hg decrease (P = .16). However, there was a significant inverse association between minimum postoperative mean arterial pressure and infection, with an estimated odds ratio of 1.08 (1.03–1.12) per 5-mm Hg decrease (P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative time-weighted mean arterial pressure was not associated with surgical site infection, but lowest postoperative mean arterial pressure was. Whether the relationship is causal remains to be determined. Accepted for publication June 12, 2018. Huseyin O. Yilmaz, MD, is currently affiliated with the Department of Critical Care, Turkish Ministry of Health, Health Sciences University, Dr Suat Seren Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. Rovnat Babazade, MD, is currently affiliated with the Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas. Wael Saasouh, MD, is currently affiliated with the Department of Anesthesiology, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan. Funding: Institutional and/or departmental. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Reprints will not be available from the authors. Address correspondence to Alparslan Turan, MD, Department of Outcomes Research, Anesthesiology Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave, P-77, Cleveland, OH 44195. Address e-mail to turana@ccf.org. © 2018 International Anesthesia Research Society

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In Response

No abstract available

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Discharge Hemoglobin Level and 30-Day Readmission Rates After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

BACKGROUND: Restrictive transfusion strategies supported by large randomized trials are resulting in decreased blood utilization in cardiac surgery. What remains to be determined, however, is the impact of lower discharge hemoglobin (Hb) levels on readmission rates. We assessed patients with higher versus lower Hb levels on discharge to compare 30-day readmission rates after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 1552 patients undergoing isolated CABG at our institution from January 2013 to May 2016. We evaluated 2 Hb cohorts: "high" (above) and "low" (below) the mean discharge Hb level of 9.4 g/dL, comparing patient characteristics, blood utilization, and clinical outcomes including 30-day readmission rates. We further evaluated the effects of the lowest (12 g/dL), "mild anemia" (10–11.9 g/dL), "moderate anemia" (8–9.9 g/dL), and "severe anemia" (

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Preventing Adverse Events in Cataract Surgery

No abstract available

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Surveying the Literature: Synopsis of Recent Key Publications

No abstract available

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World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist: Compliance and Associated Surgical Outcomes in Uganda’s Referral Hospitals

BACKGROUND: A pilot study on the World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) showed a reduction in both major complications and mortality of surgical patients. Compliance with this checklist varies around the world. We aimed to determine the extent of compliance with the WHO SSC and its association with surgical outcomes in 5 of Uganda's referral hospitals. METHODS: A multicentre prospective cohort study was conducted in 5 referral hospitals in Uganda. Using a questionnaire based on the WHO SSC, patients undergoing surgical operations were systematically recruited into the study from April 2016 to July 2016. The patients were followed up daily for 30 days or until discharge for the purpose of documentation of complications. Logistic regression and linear regression were used to assess for association between compliance and perioperative surgical outcomes. RESULTS: We recruited 859 patients into the study. Overall compliance with the WHO SSC was 41.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 39.7–43.8) ranging from 11.9% to 89.8% across the different hospitals. Overall compliance with "sign in" was 44.7% (95% CI, 43–45.6), with "time out" was 42.0% (95% CI, 39.4–44.6), and with "sign out" was 33.3% (95% CI, 30.7–35.9). There was no association between compliance and perioperative surgical outcomes: length of hospital stay, adverse events, and mortality. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed low levels of compliance with the WHO SSC. There was a statistically significant association between this level of compliance and the incidence of pain and loss of consciousness postoperatively. Accepted for publication June 18, 2018. Funding: None. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Study registration number: NCT03252860. Registry URL: ClinicalTrials.gov. Reprints will not be available from the authors. Address correspondence to Elizabeth N. Igaga, MBChB, Department of Anaesthesia, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, PO Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda. Address e-mail to lyzaigaga@gmail.com. © 2018 International Anesthesia Research Society

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Gastric Ultrasound for the Regional Anesthesiologist and Pain Specialist

This article in our series on point-of-care ultrasound (US) for the regional anesthesiologist and pain management specialist describes the emerging role of gastric ultrasonography. Although gastric US is a relatively new point-of-care US application in the perioperative setting, its relevance for the regional anesthesiologist and pain specialist is significant as our clinical practice often involves providing deep sedation without a secured airway. Given that pulmonary aspiration is a well-known cause of perioperative morbidity and mortality, the ability to evaluate for NPO (nil per os) status and risk stratify patients scheduled for anesthesia is a powerful skill set. Gastric US can provide valuable insight into the nature and volume of gastric content before performing a block with sedation or inducing anesthesia for an urgent or emergent procedure where NPO status is unknown. Patients with comorbidities that delay gastric emptying, such as diabetic gastroparesis, neuromuscular disorders, morbid obesity, and advanced hepatic or renal disease, may potentially benefit from additional assessment via gastric US before an elective procedure. Although gastric US should not replace strict adherence to current fasting guidelines or be used routinely in situations when clinical risk is clearly high or low, it can be a useful tool to guide clinical decision making when there is uncertainty about gastric contents. In this review, we will cover the relevant scanning technique and the desired views for gastric US. We provide a methodology for interpretation of findings and for guiding medical management for adult patients. We also summarize the current literature on specific patient populations including obstetrics, pediatrics, and severely obese subjects. Accepted for publication April 14, 2018. Address correspondence to: Stephen C. Haskins, MD, Department of Anesthesiology, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 E 70th St, New York, NY 10021 (e-mail: haskinss@hss.edu). The authors declare no conflict of interest. Supplemental digital content is available for this article. Direct URL citations appear in the printed text and are provided in the HTML and PDF versions of this article on the journal's Web site (www.rapm.org). Copyright © 2018 by American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine.

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Anatomical basis for simultaneous block of greater and third occipital nerves, with an ultrasound-guided technique

Abstract

Purpose

In some headache disorders, for which the greater occipital nerve block is partly effective, the third occipital nerve is also suggested to be involved. We aimed to establish a simple technique for simultaneously blocking the greater and third occipital nerves.

Methods

We performed a detailed examination of dorsal neck anatomy in 33 formalin-fixed cadavers, and deduced two candidate target points for blocking both the greater and third occipital nerves. These target points were tested on three Thiel-fixed cadavers. We performed ultrasound-guided dye injections into these points, examined the results by dissection, and selected the most suitable injection point. Finally, this target point was tested in three healthy volunteers. We injected 4 ml of local anesthetic and 1 ml of radiopaque material at the selected point, guided with a standard ultrasound system. Then, the pattern of local anesthetic distribution was imaged with computed tomography.

Results

We deduced that the most suitable injection point was the medial head of the semispinalis capitis muscle at the C1 level of the cervical vertebra. Both nerves entered this muscle, in close proximity, with little individual variation. In healthy volunteers, an anesthetic injected was confined to the muscle and induced anesthesia in the skin areas innervated by both nerves.

Conclusions

The medial head of the semispinalis capitis muscle is a suitable landmark for blocking the greater and third occipital nerves simultaneously, by which occipital nerve involvement in various headache disorders may be rapidly examined and treated.

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The history and progress of local anesthesia: multiple approaches to elongate the action

Abstract

Analgesia and temporary inhibition of motor activity without interfering with central nervous function have been the essential merits of local anesthesia. Local anesthetics originated from cocaine have played a major role in local analgesia. However, the relatively short duration of action of local anesthetics has been a concern in intra- and post-operative analgesia. From the early age of modern local anesthesia, physicians and medical scientists had been struggling to control the active duration of local anesthetics. Such approach includes: development of long-acting local anesthetics, with physical tourniquet techniques, co-administration of other medicines such as vaso-constrictive agents or analgesics, development of mechanical devices to continuously or intermittently administer local anesthetics, and utilization of pharmaceutical drug delivery systems. In this review, the historical sequence of studies that have been performed in an effort to elongate the action of local anesthetics is presented, referring to epoch-making medical and scientific studies.

https://ift.tt/2Lu3E61

Accuracy of identifying the cricothyroid membrane in children using palpation

Abstract

Accurate identification of the cricothyroid membrane (CTM) has paramount importance in the event of a 'cannot intubate, cannot oxygenate' scenario. We sought to determine the ability of anesthesiologists to correctly identify the CTM in obese and non-obese children. Anesthesiologists were asked to mark the entry point of the cricothyroidotomy device with an ultraviolet invisible pen on obese and non-obese (BMI < 95th percentile for age and sex) children aged 7–12 years. A correct estimation was defined as a mark made between the upper and lower borders of the CTM and within the 3-mm midline. Twenty anesthesiologists palpated 30 obese and 50 non-obese children. The CTM was accurately identified with digital palpation in a total 55% of children, and there were no differences inaccurate identification rates of the CTM between obese and non-obese children [57 vs. 54%, respectively; median difference 3%; 95% confidence interval (− 20 to 25%); p = 0.82]. Accuracy was not correlated with any demographic or morphometric features of the children. Percutaneous identification of the CTM in children aged 7–12 years was poor and not significantly different for obese and non-obese children. Pre-procedural ultrasonography may help to identify the landmarks for cricothyroidotomy.

https://ift.tt/2ApFEfh

Opioids, gliosis and central immunomodulation

Abstract

Neuropathic pain is a common health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite being studied extensively, the cellular and molecular events underlying the central immunomodulation and the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain is still controversial. The idea that 'glial cells are merely housekeepers' is incorrect and with respect to initiation and maintenance of neuropathic pain, microglia and astrocytes have important roles to play. Glial cells differentially express opioid receptors and are thought to be functionally modulated by the activation of these receptors. In this review, we discuss evidence for glia-opioid modulation of pain by focusing on the pattern of astrocyte and microglial activation throughout the progress of nerve injury/neuropathic pain. Activation of astrocytes and microglia is a key step in central immunomodulation in terms of releasing pro-inflammatory markers and propagation of a 'central immune response'. Inhibition of astrocytes before and after induction of neuropathic pain has been found to prevent and reverse neuropathic pain, respectively. Moreover, microglial inhibitors have been found to prevent (but not to reverse) neuropathic pain. As they are expressed by glia, opioid receptors are expected to have a role to play in neuropathic pain.

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Editorial Board w/barcode

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Table of Contents

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Incidence of peri-operative paediatric cardiac arrest: Influence of a specialised paediatric anaesthesia team

BACKGROUND Peri-operative critical events are still a major problem in paediatric anaesthesia care. Access to more experienced healthcare teams might reduce the adverse event rate and improve outcomes. OBJECTIVE The current study analysed incidences of peri-operative paediatric cardiac arrest before and after implementation of a specialised paediatric anaesthesia team and training programme. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study with before-and-after analysis. SETTING Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Germany. PATIENTS A total of 36 243 paediatric anaesthetics (0 to 18 years) were administered between 2008 and 2016. INTERVENTION Implementation of a specialised paediatric anaesthesia team and training programme occurred in 2014 This included hands-on supervised training in all fields of paediatric anaesthesia, double staffing for critical paediatric cases and a 24/7 emergency team. A logistic regression analysis with risk factors (age, ASA physical status, emergency) was used to evaluate the impact of implementation of the specialised paediatric anaesthesia team. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Incidences of peri-operative paediatric cardiac arrest and anaesthesia-attributable cardiac arrest before and after the intervention. RESULTS Twelve of 25 paediatric cardiac arrests were classified as anaesthesia-attributable. The incidence of overall peri-operative paediatric cardiac arrest was 8.1/10 000 (95% CI 5.2 to 12.7) in the period 2008 to 2013 and decreased to 4.6/10 000 (95% CI 2.1 to 10.2) in 2014 to 2016. Likewise, the incidence of anaesthesia-attributable cardiac arrest was lower after 2013 [1.6/10 000 (95% CI 0.3 to 5.7) vs. 4.3/10 000 (95% CI 2.3 to 7.9)]. Using logistic regression, children anaesthetised after 2013 had nearly a 70% lower probability of anaesthesia-attributable cardiac arrest (odds ratio 0.306, 95% CI 0.067 to 1.397; P = 0.1263). For anaesthesia-attributable cardiac arrest, young age was the most contributory risk factor, whereas in overall paediatric cardiac arrest, ASA physical statuses 3 to 5 played a more important role. CONCLUSION In this study on incidences of peri-operative paediatric cardiac arrest from a European tertiary care university hospital, implementation of a specialised paediatric anaesthesia team and training programme was associated with lower incidences of peri-operative paediatric cardiac arrest and a reduced probability of anaesthesia-attributable cardiac arrest. Correspondence to Dr Andreas Hohn, MHBA, DESA, EDIC, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany Tel: +49 221 478 82058; fax: +49 221 478 85574; e-mail: andreas.hohn@uk-koeln.de Supplemental digital content is available for this article. Direct URL citations appear in the printed text and are provided in the HTML and PDF versions of this article on the journal's Website (https://ift.tt/2ylyqmW). © 2018 European Society of Anaesthesiology

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Clinical management of quadriplegia in low and middle-income countries: a patients road to physiotherapy, prostheses and rehabilitation

Here we discuss the follow-up case of a 27-year-old male patient from rural Philippines, who was neglected by local health services after losing all four of his limbs as a result of a high-voltage electrical accident. The case follows the patient's road to accessing prostheses, rehabilitation health services and physiotherapy. Significant disparities were found between the government health services and the private sector with respect to quality, accessibility and affordability. Access to affordable healthcare is a basic human right that must be a priority for low-income and middle-income countries.

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Successful management of persistent distressing neuropsychiatric symptoms by clozapine in a patient suffering from dementia with Lewy bodies

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is the second most common neurodegenerative dementia associated with poor prognosis and high carers' burden. Neuropsychiatric symptoms worsen this prognosis and are a high source of distress for service users and their carers. However, there is currently insufficient evidence to support the pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of these symptoms. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are the first-line pharmacological option, but challenging risky behaviours may persist despite their use. Antipsychotic medications are indicated in such clinical scenarios, but there is very limited evidence to support the efficacy and safety of these medications for managing neuropsychiatric symptoms in DLB. Hence, we report an individual with DLB with severe distressing persistent visual hallucinations and agitation. After multiple treatment options had failed, clozapine was successfully initiated with substantial improvement in both clinical and functional outcomes. Further studies are warranted for evaluating the efficacy of clozapine in managing neuropsychiatric symptoms in DLB.

https://ift.tt/2mNvgny

Linezolid-induced pancytopenia

Linezolid is a bacteriostatic antibiotic of the Oxazolidinone class; it works by inhibiting the initiation of protein synthesis on bacterial ribosomes. Due to its excellent bioavailability after oral dosing, it has become an important tool in combating multi-drug-resistant bacteria including glycopeptide-resistant enterococci and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Side effects are multiple and potentially serious. We report the case of an 87-year-old man who developed pancytopenia secondary to a 6-week course of linezolid. Withdrawal of the antibiotic was decided as the treatment and resolution of the pancytopenia was evident within 2 weeks. Clinicians should be aware of this side effect of linezolid therapy and that weekly full blood count monitoring is paramount.

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Calvarial osteomyelitis and intracranial extension post-Mohs micrographic surgery

Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is a specialised micrographic technique used for the treatment of locally invasive skin cancers. Despite being a relatively low risk surgery, the overall complication rates range between 1.6% and 3%. Common complications include postoperative haemorrhage, haematoma formation, wound infection, wound dehiscence and flap/graft necrosis. Osteomyelitis after dermatological cancer surgery is exceedingly rare. There have only been two cases of osteomyelitis in association with Mohs surgery reported in the literature to date. Here, we describe an epidemiologically atypical patient who initially presented with fever and altered mental status and later found to have calvarial osteomyelitis, intracranial abscess (empyema) and meningoencephalitis as a result of Mohs surgery. Although rare, it is a predictable side effect postsurgery, and prevention of such complications are critical to decrease morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing MMS.

https://ift.tt/2OiA2pL

Neurogenic pulmonary oedema complicating a lateral medullary infarct

Neurogenic pulmonary oedema (NPO) is a rare clinical syndrome of pulmonary oedema occurring secondary to an insult of the central nervous system (CNS). The exact aetiology of this disorder is unknown. NPO can be fatal and poor awareness and identification of this entity, particularly in terms of misdiagnosis as primary pulmonary or cardiac disease, can result in suboptimal management and outcomes. We describe the presentation and management of a 68-year-old woman with an acute left lateral medullary stroke complicated by pulmonary oedema. The likely aetiology is discussed, and important learning points are highlighted.

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Symptomatic pulmonary restriction secondary to diaphragmatic eventration and megacolon in adult

Description 

A 70-year-old woman with a medical history significant for toxic megacolon secondary to Clostridium difficile infection treated 40 years prior with partial colectomy and known diaphragmatic eventration presents with a 3-day history of progressive shortness of breath and dyspnoea on exertion. The patient had never previously been symptomatic nor suffered blunt trauma and had a strong personal conviction to avoid surgery. CT imaging revealed a massive left diaphragmatic displacement containing spleen, stomach and colon with mediastinal shift, compression of the left lung and a pericardial effusion (figure 1). Due to persistent tachycardia and presence of pericardial effusion on CT, a transthoracic echocardiogram was obtained, which demonstrated a large pericardial effusion concerning for tamponade physiology. The patient developed supraventricular tachycardia for which cardiology was consulted and two doses of adenosine were administered with resolution. The patient was upgraded to surgical intensive care and taken to the operating...

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Vessel wall enhancement by gadolinium-enhanced MRI in a patient with delayed stenosis after mechanical thrombectomy

Description 

Delayed stenosis of targeted vessels is a reported complication of stent retriever-based mechanical thrombectomy.1 We report a case of delayed stenosis with MRI findings that may be related to the underlying stenotic mechanism.

A 46-year-old woman was brought to our hospital with sudden left hemiparesis and unilateral spatial neglect. MRI revealed occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) and acute cerebral infarction (figure 1A,B). Emergent mechanical thrombectomy was performed with one stent retriever pass following two aspiration catheter passes, and a red thrombus was retrieved (figure 1C,D). We thought that an embolism had caused the vessel occlusion as no abnormalities were visualised at the occluded site on day 2 (figure 1E). Despite detailed examinations, we could not determine the embolic source during the patient's hospitalisation, so we administered low-dose aspirin. She was discharged on day 46.

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Indapamide-induced bilateral choroidal effusion in pseudophakic patient.

We describe a case of indapamide-induced bilateral choroidal effusion, first time reported in pseudophakic patient, associated with no change in visual acuity and stable refraction.

A 70-year-old man was referred for ophthalmic assessment, with binasal visual field defect for 2 days. He had been started on treatment with indapamide 3 weeks earlier. His ophthalmic history included bilateral cataract surgery and intraocular lens implant. Fundal examination revealed bilateral choroidal effusions; B-scan ultrasonography was used to measure the extent of the choroidal detachment and the anterior chamber depth. Discontinuation of indapamide resulted in spontaneous resolution of choroidal effusion after 3 days. Our case is the first in the literature that describes bilateral choroidal effusion induced by indapamide in a pseudophakic patient. The lack of myopic shift likely resulted in a later presentation, enhancing the theory that lens thickening and/or accommodative spasm may play a crucial role in pathophysiology.

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Spontaneous disenclavation of phakic intraocular iris claw lens

Description 

A 35-year-old male patient came to the outpatient department with sudden onset painless diminution of vision and diplopia in RE since last 3 days. The vision was 20/200 in the RE and 20/20 in the LE. The patient was a known case of myopia with history of phakic eye iris claw intraocular lens (IOL) of both eyes done 12 years back. There was no history of trauma. His best-corrected visual acuity in the right eye was 20/20 with –3DS, –0.50DC x 90 in the OD. The intraocular pressure in the OD was 13 mm Hg and 15 mm Hg in the OS. On slit lamp examination nasal disenclavation of the iris claw lens was noted, the edge of which was bisecting the non-dilated pupillary plane. The IOL was hanging inferiorly with the optic touching the corneal endothelium inferiorly and with the other end fixed at the 9 o'clock position (figure 1). The cornea...

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POEMS syndrome: diagnostic delay and successful treatment with lenalidomide, cyclophosphamide and prednisone followed by autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation

Polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy and skin changes (POEMS) syndrome is a rare systemic disease, often unrecognised in the primary care setting. POEMS syndrome is associated with plasma cell dyscrasias and upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor leading to systemic oedema, papilloedema and pulmonary hypertension. A wide constellation of presenting symptoms often leads to late diagnosis. Unrecognised and untreated disease rapidly leads to death from neuropathic exhaustion or cardiopulmonary failure. Treatment is extrapolated from other plasma cell dyscrasias such as multiple myeloma. Autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) is often an important component of treatment. There is no established standard of care for POEMS syndrome. Therapies include lenalidomide, bortezomib and targeted monoclonal antibodies. We present a patient with POEMS syndrome who achieved rapid complete response to triple therapy consisting of lenalidomide, cyclophosphamide and prednisone, followed by high-dose chemotherapy and PBSCT.

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An Ultrasound-Guided Lateral Approach for Proximal Sciatic Nerve Block: A Randomized Comparison With the Anterior Approach and a Cadaveric Evaluation

Background and Objectives The lateral and anterior approaches for proximal sciatic nerve (SN) block can be used in patients lying supine. We assume that the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve (PFCN) is simultaneously blocked more often via the lateral approach than via the anterior approach, given the proximity of these 2 nerves at the injection level. However, locating the SN is difficult when using the original landmark-based lateral approach. We have introduced ultrasound guidance to alleviate the technical difficulty of the lateral approach and tested the hypothesis that an ultrasound-guided lateral approach would achieve PFCN block more often than the ultrasound-guided anterior approach for SN block. Methods Forty consecutive patients undergoing knee surgery were randomly allocated to receive an SN block using an ultrasound-guided lateral or anterior approach. The primary outcome was the frequency of PFCN block 30 minutes after SN block. Secondary outcomes included the frequency of SN block, nerve depth, needle depth, and time taken to perform the block. We also assessed the spread of injectate by the lateral approach in 4 cadaveric legs. Results The frequency of PFCN block 30 minutes after SN block was higher with the lateral approach than with the anterior approach (60% vs 15%, P = 0.008). The frequency of SN block was comparable between the groups. Dye reached the PFCN in all cadaveric specimens. Conclusions The ultrasound-guided lateral approach for proximal SN block can be performed as successfully as the anterior approach and provides PFCN block more often than the anterior approach. Clinical Trial Registration: This study was registered at UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, identifier UMIN000026748. Accepted for publication March 25, 2018. Address correspondence to: Takayuki Yoshida, MD, PhD, Department of Anesthesiology, Kansai Medical University Hospital, 2-3-1 Shin-machi, Hirakata-city, Osaka 573-1191, Japan (e-mail: ytaka@mac.com). The authors declare no conflict of interest. Copyright © 2018 by American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine.

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Dexamethasone concentration affecting rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade and sugammadex reversal in a rat phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm model: An ex vivo study

BACKGROUND The concentration range of dexamethasone that inhibits neuromuscular blockade (NMB) and sugammadex reversal remains unclear. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of dexamethasone on rocuronium-induced NMB and sugammadex reversal. DESIGN Ex vivo study. SETTING Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Korea, from July 2015 to November 2015. ANIMALS One hundred sixty male Sprague–Dawley rats. INTERVENTIONS We assessed the effect of four concentrations of dexamethasone [0, 0.5, 5 (clinical concentrations) and 50 μg ml−1 (experimental concentration)] on partial NMB on 40 phrenic nerve–hemidiaphragm preparations (n=10 per concentration). Once the first twitch of train-of-four (TOF) had been depressed by 50% with rocuronium, dexamethasone was administered. To assess the effect of dexamethasone on sugammadex reversal, 120 phrenic nerve–hemidiaphragm preparations were used in three subexperiments (n=40 per experiment), using three administration regimens of rocuronium–equimolar sugammadex: a single dose, a split-dose (split 1/2 and 1/2) and a reduced split-dose (split 1/2 and 1/4). After complete NMB was achieved, dexamethasone and sugammadex were administered. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The change in the first twitch height, the recovery time to a TOF ratio at least 0.9, and the TOF ratio at 30 min were evaluated. RESULTS There were no significant differences in the first twitch height among groups (P = 0.532). With a single dose of sugammadex, dexamethasone did not affect the recovery time to a TOF ratio at least 0.9 (P = 0.070). After using a split-dose of sugammadex, the recovery time to a TOF ratio at least 0.9 was delayed only at a concentration of 50 μg ml−1 of dexamethasone. With a reduced split-dose of sugammadex, the TOF ratio at 30 min was lowered only by a concentration of 50 μg ml−1 of dexamethasone (P 

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Femoral neuropathy following a psoas hitch vesicopexy

A 68-year-old man classified as III on the American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification system, with a high-grade papillary urothelial cell carcinoma of the left distal ureter, underwent open retroperitoneal distal ureterectomy followed by a ureteroneocystostomy with a vesico-psoas hitch. Postoperatively, the patient complained of left proximal lower limb weakness, severe pain and hypaesthesia of the ventral left thigh suggestive of femoral neuropathy. After excluding common causes for postsurgical pain, a surgical re-exploration was eventually performed during which the sutures used in the vesicopexy were removed, resulting in almost complete resolution of the symptoms. Electromyographic analysis 4 weeks after discharge confirmed the diagnosis of femoral neuropathy, most likely caused by the sutures used in the vesicopexy. This is a rare complication with major consequences for postoperative recovery.

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Avoiding diagnostic delay for mucopolysaccharidosis IIIB: do not overlook common clues such as wheezing and otitis media

Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIB (MPS IIIB) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder. In comparison to Hurler syndrome (MPS I) and Hunter syndrome (MPS II), characteristic facial and physical features tend to be milder and progression of neurological symptoms may initially be slower. Obvious neurological and behavioural symptoms may not appear until age 2–6 years, but once they begin, progression is relentless, leading to death by the early 20s. Although there is currently no known cure for MPS IIIB, enzyme replacement clinical trials are showing hope for delay in the progression of symptoms. Early diagnosis is therefore necessary before neurological symptoms have progressed. In our case, MPS IIIB was diagnosed at an early age because recurrent wheezing and otitis media in conjunction with hepatomegaly were recognised as more than trivial findings. A thorough examination and a definitive proactive decision to perform a liver biopsy resulted in early diagnosis of a rare disease.

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Frey syndrome following herpes zoster in an otherwise healthy girl

A 12-year-old girl presented with red spots appearing on the left side of her face. The girl was usually healthy and fully vaccinated, including varicella vaccination.

Six years prior to her presentation, she had suffered an episode of blister rash on the left side of her face, including lesions in the ear canal and buccal mucous membrane. A diagnosis of herpes zoster was made, and she was treated with acyclovir with complete skin recovery. A hearing examination demonstrated mild-to-moderate left neurosensory hearing loss.

Since then, she is having short episodes of redness on her face without pain or sweating at the exact distribution of the zoster blisters 6 years ago. The appearance of spots is related to sour foods, such as sour flavoured candies, yoghourt and green apples. The diagnosis of postherpetic Frey syndrome was made, and observational approach was adopted due to the benign character of symptoms.

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Hepatitis C virus infection: 'beyond the liver

There are rare reports of association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and dermatomyositis although cause and effect remains to be proven. We present a clinical case with a probable cause and effect association between these two entities. A 71-year-old woman developed an erythematous exanthem with pruritic and scaly lesions located at the torso and upper limbs associated with heliotrope and Gottron's papules. At the same time, she notice a significant loss of muscular strength. Skin and muscular biopsies made the diagnosis of dermatomyositis and the patient started with prednisolone (60 mg/day) with poor symptoms control. Paraneoplastic syndrome, HIV, hepatitis B virus and syphilis infections were excluded. HCV serology was positive, with a viral load of 58 159 IU/mL (genotype 1a). Therefore, the patient underwent a 12-week treatment with grazoprevir 100 mg and elbasvir 50 mg achieving a sustained virological response with regression of skin lesions and complete recovery of muscular strength (photodocumented before/after treatment). Additionally it was possible to reduce prednisolone dosage to 5 mg/day.

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Stroke-induced resolution of primary blepharospasm: evidence for the lenticular nucleus as a control candidate

Primary blepharospasm is an adult-onset focal dystonia characterised by involuntary contractions of the orbicularis oculi, leading to bilateral spasmodic closure of the eyelids. While spasms of this muscle constitute the hallmark of disease, other motor manifestations include increased spontaneous blinking and apraxia of eyelid opening. Originally misdiagnosed as a psychiatric condition, blepharospasm is now well established as being of neurological origin although questions remain as to its pathophysiological mechanisms.

We report a 66-year-old woman who had a 14-year history of primary blepharospasm which completely resolved following a left medial cerebral artery thromboembolic infarct of the lenticular nucleus. This report provides supporting evidence of the lenticular nucleus as a key structure mediating the disease which can lead to functional blindness.

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Erratum: Different transseptal puncture for different procedures: Optimization of left atrial catheterization guided by transesophageal echocardiography

Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia 2018 21(3):346-346



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A curious case of raised gradient across mitral bioprosthetic valve

Monish S Raut, Vijay Mohan Hanjoora, Murtaza A Chishti, Akhil Govil, Rakesh Pandey, Aman Jyoti, Ravi Kumar Mahavar, Shweta Suri Kandpal, Dileep Kumar Singh Rathor

Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia 2018 21(3):321-322

High Doppler valve gradient is generally suggestive of valve thrombosis. However, it should be corroborated with the finding of restricted leaflet movement to confirm the diagnosis. In the present case, abnormally high gradient was not associated with limited leaflet movements or any valve thrombus.

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Neurogenic stress cardiomyopathy: What do we need to know

Ramachandran Gopinath, Syama Sundar Ayya

Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia 2018 21(3):228-234

The interaction between the heart and brain is complex and integral to the maintenance of normal cardiovascular function. Even in the absence of coronary disease, acute neuronal injury can induce a variety of cardiac changes. Recent neuroimaging data revealed a network including the insular cortex, anterior cingulate gyrus, and amygdala playing a crucial role in the regulation of central autonomic nervous system. Damage in these areas has been associated with arrhythmia, myocardial injury, higher plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide, catecholamines, and glucose. Some patients after brain injury may die due to occult cardiac damage and functional impairment in the acute phase. Heart failure adversely influences acute stroke mortality. Troponin and NT-proBNP are elevated in acute brain injury patients, in response to the activated renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system and other neurohumoral changes, as a protective mechanism for sympathoinhibitory activity. Such patients have been shown to be associated with higher short- and long-term mortality. While thrombolysis, neuroprotection, and other measures, alone or in combination, may limit the cerebral damage, attention should also be directed toward the myocardial protection. Early administration of cardioprotective medication aimed at reducing increased sympathetic tone may have a role in myocardial protection in stroke patients. For a full understanding of the brain–heart control, the consequences of disruption of this control, the true incidence of cardiac effects of stroke, and the evidence-based treatment options further research are needed.

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Refractory hypokalemia while weaning off bypass

Rashmi Soori, Aanchal Dixit, Prabhat Tewari

Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia 2018 21(3):311-312

Hypokalemia is defined as serum potassium level less than 3.5 mEq/L. When the serum level of potassium is less than 3 mEq/L, intravenous potassium supplementation is warranted. A 23 yr old adult female with complaints of dyspnoea (NYHA II) since 6 yrs, dyspnoea (NYHA III) and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea on and off since 2 months, diagnosed with severe mitral stenosis, was posted for mitral valve replacement. After the release of ACC, ECG revealed sine wave pattern, Transesophageal echocardiographic examination revealed global hypokinesia and ABG showed potassium of 2.3 mEq/L. Hypokalemia in cardiac patients can occur due to the effect of poor oral intake, increased renal loss by the secondary hyperaldosteronism in congestive heart failure, loss due to use of digoxin and diuretics like thiazide diuretics, loop diuretics etc. Hypokalemia should be avoided while weaning off cardiopulmonary support as it can lead to atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Potassium ion is very important for the normal contractility of the heart. Hypokalemia if refractory to intravenous potassium supplementation, concomitant magnesium deficiency should be suspected and treated.

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Sedation effects by dexmedetomidine versus propofol in decreasing duration of mechanical ventilation after open heart surgery

Ahmed Said Elgebaly, Mohab Sabry

Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia 2018 21(3):235-242

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the suitability (efficacy and safety) of dexmedetomidine versus propofol for patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after the cardiovascular surgery for the postoperative sedation before weaning from mechanical ventilation. Background: Sedation is prescribed in patients admitted to the ICU after cardiovascular surgery to reduce the patient discomfort, ventilator asynchrony, to make mechanical ventilation tolerable, prevent accidental device removal, and to reduce metabolic demands during respiratory and hemodynamic instability. Careful drug selection for sedation by the ICU team, postcardiovascular surgery should be done so that patients can be easily weaned from mechanical ventilation after sedation is stopped to achieve a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation and decreased the length of stay in ICU. Methods: A total of 50 patients admitted to the ICU after cardiovascular surgery, aged from 18 to 55 years and requiring mechanical ventilation on arrival to the ICU were enrolled in a prospective and comparative study. They were randomly divided into two groups as follows: Group D patients (n = 25) received dexmedetomidine in a maintenance infusion dose of 0.8 μg/kg/h and Group P patients (n = 25) received propofol in a maintenance infusion dose of 1.5 mg/kg/h. The patients were assessed for 12 h postoperatively, and dosing of the study drug was adjusted based on sedation assessment performed with the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS). The patients were required to be within the RASS target range of −2 to +1 at the time of study drug initiation. At every 4 h, the following information was recorded from each patient such as heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), arterial blood gases (ABG), tidal volume (TV), exhaled TV, maximum inspiratory pressure, respiratory rate and the rapid shallow breathing index, duration of mechanical ventilation, midazolam and fentanyl dose requirements, and financial costs. Results: The study results showed no statistically significant difference between both groups with regard to age and body mass index. Group P patients were more associated with lower MAP and HR than Group D patients. There was no statistically significant difference between groups with regard to ABG findings, oxygenation, ventilation, and respiratory parameters. There was significant difference between both the groups in midazolam and fentanyl dose requirement and financial costs with a value of P < 0.05. Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine is safer and equally effective agent for the sedation of mechanically ventilated patients admitted to the ICU after cardiovascular surgery compared to the patients receiving propofol, with good hemodynamic stability, and equally rapid extubation time.

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Transesophageal echocardiography guidance for expedited pulmonary artery catheter insertion and accurate estimation of cardiac output

Monish S Raut, Vijay Mohan Hanjoora, Murtaza A Chisti

Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia 2018 21(3):339-340



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Quest for the holy grail: Assessment of echo-derived dynamic parameters as predictors of fluid responsiveness in patients with acute aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

Ajay Prasad Hrishi, Manikandan Sethuraman, Girish Menon

Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia 2018 21(3):243-248

Background: Acute aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a potentially devastating event often presenting with a plethora of hemodynamic fluctuations requiring meticulous fluid management. The aim of this study was to assess the utility of newer dynamic predictors of fluid responsiveness such as Delta down (DD), superior vena cava collapsibility index (SVCCI), and aortic velocity time integral variability (VTIAoV) in patients with SAH undergoing neurosurgery. Materials and Methods: Fifteen individuals with SAH undergoing surgery for intracranial aneurysmal clipping were enrolled in this prospective study. Postinduction, vitals, anesthetic parameters, and the study variables were recorded as the baseline. Following this, patients received a fluid bolus of 10 ml/kg of colloid over 20 min, and measurements were repeated postfluid loading. Continuous variables were expressed as mean ± standard deviation and compared using Student's t-test, with a P < 0.05 considered statistically significant. The predictive ability of variables for fluid responsiveness was determined using Pearson's coefficient analysis (r). Results: There were 12 volume responders and 3 nonresponders (NR). DD >5 mm Hg was efficient in differentiating the responders from NR (P < 0.05) with a sensitivity and specificity of 90% and 85%, respectively, with a good predictive ability to identify fluid responders and NR; r = 0.716. SVCCI of >38% was 100% sensitive and 95% specific in detecting the volume status and in differentiating the responders from NR (P < 0.05) and is an excellent predictor of fluid responsive status; r = 0.906. VTIAoV >20% too proved to be a good predictor of fluid responsiveness, with a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 90%, respectively, with a predictive power; r = 0.732. Conclusion: Our study showed that 80% of patients presenting with aSAH for intracranial aneurysm clipping were fluid responders with normal hemodynamic parameters such as heart rate and blood pressure. Among the variables, SVCCI >38% appears to be an excellent predictor followed by VTIAoV >20% and DD >5 mmHg in assessing the fluid status in this population.

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Concomitant diaphragmatic hernia repair with coronary artery bypass grafting surgery

Gokulakrishnan Mohan, Srinivas Kalyanaraman, Sivakumar Ramakrishnan, Sanjay Theodore

Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia 2018 21(3):304-306

Congenital Bochdalek diaphragmatic hernia (DH) is often diagnosed incidentally in adulthood. It is recommended that all cases of DH be repaired immediately at diagnosis since acute presentation after the complications have already developed has higher morbidity and mortality. A 47-year-old male presented with Grade III angina and dyspnea. A routine chest radiograph revealed bowel shadows in the right thorax, and subsequent computerized tomography (CT) scan confirmed the same. Coronary angiogram revealed coronary artery disease which needed surgery. Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting followed by DH repair under one-lung ventilation.

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Barriers for the referral to outpatient cardiac rehabilitation: A predictive model including actual and perceived risk factors and perceived control

Ali Soroush, Behzad Heydarpour, Saeid Komasi, Mozhgan Saeidi, Parvin Ezzati

Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia 2018 21(3):249-254

Objective: To assess the roles of demographic factors, actual and perceived risk factors, and perceived control in the referral to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data related to 312 CABG patients in a hospital of the Western part of Iran, gathered through demographics and actual risk factors' checklist, open single item of perceived heart risk factors, life stressful events scale, and perceived control questionnaire. Data analyzed by binary logistic regression. Results: The results showed that only 8.3% of CABG patients refer to CR. The facilitators of this referral included official employment (P < 0.05), coronary history (P = 0.016), and hyperlipidemia (P = 0.030) but more distance to the CR center (P = 0.042) and perceived physiological risk factor (P = 0.025) are concerned as the barriers for the referral to CR. Conclusion: Providing appropriate awareness about the benefits of CR for patients with regard to their job status, coronary history, and perception about the illness risk factors can be effective in referral to CR. In addition, the presence of CR centers in towns and facilitated achievement to these centers can play a significant role in patients' participation.

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Abnormal mitral valve apparatus in a case of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy: Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography

Neelam Aggarwal, Jasbir Singh Khanuja, Sameer Saurabh Arora, Rahul Maria

Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia 2018 21(3):315-318

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy is a relatively common disorder that signifies asymmetric hypertrophy of interventricular septum causing obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT). However, more recent studies have shown that during ventricular systole, flow against an abnormal mitral valve apparatus results in drag forces on the part of the leaflets. The mitral leaflet is pushed into the LVOT to obstruct it. We present a case where intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography played a crucial role in defining the etiology of LVOT obstruction that subsequently helped in deciding the surgical plan.

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Prospective, randomized clinical trial comparing use of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography to standard care during radical cystectomy

Richa Dhawan, Sajid Shahul, Joseph Devin Roberts, Norm D Smith, Gary D Steinberg, Mark A Chaney

Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia 2018 21(3):255-261

Purpose: Our prospective, randomized clinical study aims to evaluate the utility of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in patients undergoing radical cystectomy. Materials and Methods: Eighty patients were randomized to a standard of care group or the intervention group that received continuous intraoperative TEE. Data are presented as means ± standard deviations, median (25th percentile, 75th percentile), or numbers and percentages. Characteristics were compared between groups using independent sample t-tests, Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney tests or Chi-square tests, as appropriate. All tests were two-sided and P < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. Results: Both groups had similar preoperative demographic characteristics. There was a significant difference between central line insertion with all insertions in the control group (15%, 6 vs. 0%, 0; P < 0.003). Of all the perioperative complications, 80% occurred in the control group versus 20% in the TEE group, with 21% of controls experiencing a cardiac or pulmonary complication compared to 5% in the TEE group (8 vs. 2, P < 0.04). The control group patients were more likely to have adverse cardiac complications than the TEE group (15%, 6 vs. 3%, 1; P < 0.040). Postoperative cardiac arrhythmia was observed only in the control group (13%, 5 vs. 0%, 0; P <.007). Prolonged intubation was only observed in the control group (10%, 4 vs. 0%, 0; P < 0.017). Conclusion: TEE can be a useful monitoring tool in patients undergoing radical cystectomy, limiting the use of central line insertion and potentially translating into earlier extubation and decreased postoperative cardiac morbidities.

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