Contribution of prophylactic administration of flurbiprofen for mesenteric traction syndrome to postoperative leakage or bleeding in gastrointestinal surgery: a retrospective observational study.

PURPOSE: Mesenteric traction syndrome (MTS) sometimes occurs during abdominal surgery. Prophylactic administration of flurbiprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, prevents the development of MTS. However, administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for postoperative pain increases the incidence of postoperative bleeding. Our aim was to examine the effect of prophylactic flurbiprofen administration on postoperative leakage or bleeding after gastrointestinal surgery. METHODS: A retrospective observational study on patients who underwent open or laparoscopic abdominal surgery was conducted. Perioperative, anesthesia and medical records were reviewed. Patients who did (Flurbio-Group) or did not receive (Control-Group) prophylactic flurbiprofen administration were compared. Then, the Flurbio-Group and Control-Group were each divided into two groups according to whether the patients did or did not develop MTS (Flurbio-MTS-Group and Flurbio-no-MTS-Group, respectively, Control-MTS-Group and Control-no-MTS-Group, respectively). RESULTS: This study included 188 patients (Flurbio-MTS-Group, 1 patient; Flurbio-no-MTS-Group, 31 patients; Control-MTS-Group, 59 patients; Control-no-MTS-Group, 97 patients). Seventeen patients developed postoperative leakage or bleeding. Eleven Flurbio-MTS-Group patients (18.6%), 4 Flurbio-no-MTS-Group patients (12.9%, 4/31), and only 2 Control-no-MTS-Group patients (2%, 2/97) developed postoperative leakage or bleeding. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that there was a qualitative interaction effect between prophylactic administration of flurbiprofen and the development of MTS on postoperative leakage or bleeding. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic flurbiprofen administration increased the risk of postoperative leakage or bleeding among patients who did not develop MTS.

The Effects of the Use of Diluted Bupivacaine in Sequential Combined Spinal and Epidural Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery on Maternal Hypotension and Motor Block after Surgery: A Retrospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal hypotension is a common hemodynamic consequence of spinal anesthesia during cesarean delivery, but low-dose spinal anesthesia (<9 mg bupivacaine) ensures stable hemodynamics and reduces motor block. The purpose of this retrospective observational study was to examine the effects of baricity of intrathecal administration of diluted bupivacaine in combined spinal-epidural anesthesia (CSEA) for cesarean delivery on maternal hypotension and motor block after surgery. METHODS: The anesthesia and nursing records of 35 patients who had given birth by cesarean delivery under CSEA with intrathecal administration of plain or hyperbaric bupivacaine diluted in cerebrospinal fluid were reviewed. All patients were assigned to who received hyperbaric bupivacaine (hyperbaric group) or plain bupivacaine (plain group). Definition of feasibility of cesarean delivery by diluted low dose bupivacaine was set as no requirement of epidural administration of levobupivacaine during surgery. The incidences of hypotension (nadir blood pressure less than 80% of preanesthetic value) and motor block were reviewed. RESULTS: In 24 of the patients (68%), no additional epidural anesthesia was needed during surgery. One patient (3%) required additional epidural anesthesia before delivery. Feasibility of cesarean delivery was not different between hyperbaric group and plain group (p>0.99). Eighteen of the patients (51%) did not require vasopressors, while 17 (49%) developed hypotension. There was no difference in incidence of maternal hypotension between hyperbaric and plain group. Only 6 patients (17%) required more than 3 times of administration of vasopressors among all patients. Modified Bromage scale scores were recorded in 28 of the patients (80%); scores of 0 (no motor block) were recorded in seven of them, and 1 in eight of them. CONCLUSION: Low-dose either plain or hyperbaric bupivacaine diluted in cerebrospinal fluid to approximately twice the volume may provide sufficient analgesia, fast motor recovery. Incidence of maternal hypotension was similar in hyperbaric and plain group.

Anaesthetic management of an abdominal aortic aneurysmorrhaphy in Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome (KTWS) is a rare congenital malformation. Although there have been few reports on anaesthetic management of patients with KTWS, there is a lack of data on anaesthetic management for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surgeries in these patients. CASE PRESENTATION: A 74-year-old man (height, 160 cm and body weight, 51.5 kg) with KTWS was scheduled for AAA replacement. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed prominent tortuosity below the abdominal aorta with an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm, right common iliac artery aneurysm, and right external iliac artery aneurysm. Moreover, a remarkably noted arteriovenous fistula had developed between the aneurysm and peripheral artery. General anaesthesia was induced. Furthermore, a central venous catheter and an 8.5 French sheath in the left internal jugular vein were inserted. During the operation, bleeding from a collateral vessel in the cross-clamped aorta led the surgeon to decide to perform aneurysmorrhaphy. Intraoperatively, blood loss was 1500 ml, and 20 units of red blood cell concentrate were used. CONCLUSIONS: Regarding AAA procedures in patients with KTWS, aortic cross-clamping may not sufficiently intercept blood flow due to collateral vessels. In these patients, the anaesthesiologist must be prepared to transfuse blood more rapidly and frequently than during normal AAA procedures.

Anatomical and physiological variables influencing measurement of regional cerebral oxygen saturation by near infrared spectroscopy using the Sensmart Model X-100TM.

The Sensmart Model X-100 (Nonin Medical Inc, Plymouth, MN, USA) is a relatively new device that possesses two sets of emitters and detectors and uses near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to measure regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2). The value of rSO2 obtained by other NIRS devices is affected by physiological and anatomical variables such as hemoglobin concentration, area of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) layer and skull thickness. The effects of these variables have not yet been determined in measurement of rSO2 by Sensmart Model X-100. We examined the effects of area of CSF, hemoglobin concentration, and skull thickness on the values of rSO2 measured by Sensmart Model X-100 and tissue oxygen index (TOI) measured by NIRO-200NX (Hamamatsu Photonix, Hamamatsu, Japan). Forty neurosurgical, cardiac and vascular surgical patients who underwent preoperative computed tomographic (CT) scan of the brain were enrolled in this study. Regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) at the forehead was measured sequentially by NIRO-200NX and by Sensmart Model X-100. Simultaneously, mean arterial pressure, hemoglobin concentration, and partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood (PaCO2) were measured. To evaluate the effects of anatomical factors on rSO2, we measured skull thickness and area of CSF layer using CT images of the brain. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between the rSO2 values and anatomical and physiological factors. The area of the CSF layer and hemoglobin concentration had significant associations with rSO2 measured by the Sensmart Model X-100, whereas none of the studied variables was significantly associated with TOI. The measurement of rSO2 by Sensmart Model X-100 is not affected by the skull thickness of patients. Area of the CSF layer and hemoglobin concentration may be the main biases in measurement of rSO2 by Sensmart Model X-100.

Skin Testing to Identify Safe Drugs for Patients with Rocuronium-Induced Anaphylaxis.

Among patients who develop anaphylaxis during anesthesia, anaphylaxis caused by a neuromuscular blocking agent has the highest incidence. In patients who developed IgE-mediated anaphylaxis, and cross-reactivity among NMBAs is a concern in subsequent anesthetic procedures. We present a patient who developed rocuronium-induced anaphylaxis in whom the skin prick test (SPT) and intradermal test (IDT) could identify a safe drug to use in the subsequent anesthetic procedure. A 32-year-old female developed anaphylactic shock at the induction of general anesthesia. She recovered by administration of hydrocortisone and epinephrine. Skin tests including the SPT followed by the IDT revealed rocuronium as the drug that caused anaphylaxis and vecuronium as a safe drug to use for the subsequent general anesthesia. She safely underwent surgery with general anesthesia using vecuronium one month after the skin testing. There are not many reports on the effectiveness of the SPT followed by IDT in identifying the causative drug as well as a safe drug to use in the subsequent anesthetic procedure following anaphylaxis during anesthesia. The usefulness of the SPT should be re-evaluated.

Subdural hematoma after cesarean delivery without symptoms: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Subdural hematoma (SDH) after accidental dural puncture (ADP) is rare but may be lethal. We experienced a patient who developed SDH after combined spinal and epidural anesthesia without a headache. CASE PRESENTATION: A 41-year-old parturient female with an unruptured cerebral aneurysm, was scheduled to undergo elective cesarean delivery. Cerebrospinal fluid leakage was identified during puncture of the epidural space, and a catheter was placed after re-puncture. The postoperative course was normal except for incisional pain. The patient complained of slight neck stiffness on the second postoperative day. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed to ensure that there was no intracranial problem on the fourth postoperative day and showed a bilateral subdural hematoma. Increase in size of hematoma was shown on computed tomography (CT) on the ninth postoperative day. Epidural blood patch was performed. A decrease in the size of the hematoma was confirmed on the CT images on the 11th postoperative day, and the patient was discharged. The patient has not developed any additional symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: We experienced a patient who developed a SDH without a remarkable headache. It may be better to perform brain imaging studies, even if the patient does not complain of headache.

A case report of intracranial hemorrhage after spinal anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) after spinal anesthesia is a rare complication. We experienced a patient who developed CSDH after postdural puncture headache (PDPH) following combined spinal and epidural anesthesia (CSE). CASE PRESENTATION: A 38-week-gestation parturient with a history of previous cesarean delivery underwent elective cesarean section under CSE. She had been receiving aspirin therapy for Kawasaki disease for many years. She developed a symptom of PDPH 1 day after the surgery. Fluid administration and analgesics were started. Although the headache was relatively severe and persistent, it suddenly disappeared on the third postoperative day. Aspirin administration was restarted on the third postoperative day, and the patient was discharged 1 week after the surgery. 2 weeks after being discharged, she was readmitted to our hospital for severe headache and was diagnosed as having CSDH. An epidural blood patch was performed, resulting in resolution of the hematoma. CONCLUSIONS: We experienced a case of CSDH after PDPH in a patient who was receiving aspirin therapy. Aspirin therapy should be restarted after confirmation of the absence of headache. We should consider the possibility of unexpected disappearance of PDPH in the postoperative period may be due to the development of CSDH.

Remifentanil-induced alterations in neutrophil numbers after surgery.

BACKGROUND: Neutrophils are the first line of defense against invasive microorganisms during and after surgery. There is a possibility that different opioid analgesics used during surgery have different effects on the leucocyte count. We retrospectively analyzed the numbers of leucocytes, neutrophils, and lymphocytes just after surgery in patients who received remifentanil-based anesthesia and those who received fentanyl-based anesthesia.In female patients who underwent modified mastectomy or simple mastectomy with resection of a lymph node(s) or with biopsy of a sentinel lymph node(s) between January 2010 and December 2013 (n = 83), propensity score pairwise matching was performed according to the patient's age and procedure, and forty patients (Remifentanil group and Fentanyl group; n = 20 each) were analyzed. FINDINGS: Postoperative numbers of leucocytes and neutrophils were significantly lower in patients who received remifentanil-based anesthesia than in those who received fentanyl-based anesthesia (p = 0.03, p = 0.014; leucocytes and neutrophils, respectively). The increases in the numbers of leucocytes and neutrophils were significantly lower in the patients in the remifentanil group (p = 0.009, p = 0.0046; increase in leucocytes and neutrophils, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, remifentanil-based anesthesia attenuates postoperative leucocyte and neutrophil counts. It is unknown whether this phenomenon indicates the possibility of immunosuppression. Further studies are required.

Negative pressure pulmonary edema after reversing rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade by sugammadex.

Negative pressure pulmonary edema (NPPE) is a rare complication that accompanies general anesthesia, especially after extubation. We experienced a case of negative pressure pulmonary edema after tracheal extubation following reversal of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade by sugammadex. In this case, the contribution of residual muscular block on the upper airway muscle as well as large inspiratory forces created by the respiratory muscle which has a low response to muscle relaxants, is suspected as the cause.

Perioperative very low-dose ketamine infusion actually increases the incidence of postoperative remifentanil-induced shivering-double-blind randomized trial.

INTRODUCTION: Low-dose ketamine infusion (blood concentration around 100 ng/mL) during surgery reduces the incidence of postoperative shivering after remifentanil-based anesthesia. We hypothesized that perioperative infusion of very low-dose ketamine (blood concentration around 40 ng/mL) during remifentanil-based anesthesia may also prevent the development of remifentanil-induced shivering during the 2-hour period after the end of anesthesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty female patients scheduled to undergo laparoscopic cystectomy or oophorectomy were assigned to one of two groups: (1) ketamine group, in which the patients received ketamine infusion (0.1 mg/kg/hour) from induction of anesthesia to emergence from anesthesia; and (2) control group, in which the patients received saline infusion from induction up till emergence from anesthesia. Anesthesia was induced and maintained by target-controlled infusion of propofol (estimated blood concentration: 2-4 µg/mL) and infusion of remifentanil, at 0.2-0.3 µg/kg/minute. Patients were observed for shivering from the end of anesthesia to 120 minutes after anesthesia. The time point at which the patient began to shiver was recorded and assigned to one of four time periods: at emergence, from emergence to 30 minutes after anesthesia, from 30 minutes to 60 minutes after anesthesia, and >60 minutes after anesthesia. RESULTS: During the 120-minute observation period, the number of patients who shivered was higher in the ketamine group than the in control group (18 vs. 8, ketamine group vs. control group, p = 0.01). The time period during which patients began to shiver was different between the two groups (1 patient, 4 patients, and 13 patients vs. 3 patients, 2 patients, and 3 patients at emergence, from emergence to 30 minutes, and from 30 minutes to 60 minutes after anesthesia, respectively; ketamine group vs. control group, p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Intraoperative infusion of very low-dose ketamine during remifentanil-based anesthesia may increase the incidence of postoperative shivering.

Effect of administration of pre-warmed intravenous fluids on the frequency of hypothermia following spinal anesthesia for Cesarean delivery.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine whether administration of pre-warmed colloid followed by pre-warmed crystalloid solution prevents the development of hypothermia in patients undergoing Cesarean delivery. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. PATIENTS: 30 parturients scheduled to undergo elective Cesarean delivery during spinal anesthesia. INTERVENTIONS: Patients assigned to the warmed fluid group (n=15) received pre-warmed colloid with average molecular weight of 70,000 daltons and substitution ratio of 0.55, followed by pre-warmed crystalloid (kept in warmed storage maintained at 41 degrees C) during surgery. Patients assigned to the unwarmed fluid group (n=15) received non-warmed infusion. All patients received 400 mL before spinal anesthesia followed by another 300 mL before delivery of the newborn. After completion of a 1,000 mL infusion of colloid fluid, acetate Ringer's solution was infused. MEASUREMENTS: Core temperature measured at the tympanic membrane, and forearm and fingertip skin temperatures were recorded just after arrival at the operating room (baseline), after administration of spinal anesthesia (spinal ), at incision (incision), at delivery of the newborn (delivery), and at 15, 30, and 45 minutes after delivery. Rectal temperature of the baby, Apgar scores at one and 5 minutes after delivery, and umbilical artery pH were evaluated. MAIN RESULTS: Core temperature was significantly higher in the warmed fluid group from the time of delivery to 45 minutes after delivery. Apgar scores at one minute after delivery and umbilical arterial pH were significantly higher in the warmed fluid group. CONCLUSION: Administration of pre-warmed intravenous colloid followed by crystalloids maintained core temperature during Cesarean delivery and induced higher Apgar scores and umbilical arterial pH.

Combination of thoracic epidural anesthesia does not always induce hypothermia during general anesthesia.

The combination of general anesthesia and epidural anesthesia has been considered to worsen the degree of hypothermia. However, epidural anesthesia reduces cardiac output, which may prevent redistribution hypothermia. Twenty-four patients undergoing gynecologic surgery were randomly assigned to one of two groups: recipients of epidural injection of 1% ropivacaine and general anesthesia (epidural and general group, n=12) and recipients of epidural injection of saline and general anesthesia (general group, n=12). Fifteen minutes after epidural injection of 12 mL of 1% ropivacaine (epidural and general group) or saline (general group), general anesthesia was induced with propofol, and tracheal intubation was facilitated with vecuronium. Anesthesia was maintained with 35% oxygen and 0.4% to 2% isoflurane with a nitrous oxide mixture. Tympanic (core), forearm, and fingertip temperatures were recorded before the epidural injection, just before induction of general anesthesia, just after tracheal intubation, and every 15 minutes up to 90 minutes after tracheal intubation. The core temperature was significantly higher in the epidural and general group than in the general group from 30 to 90 minutes after tracheal intubation. Epidural anesthesia with 1% ropivacaine may prevent redistribution hypothermia during general anesthesia for gynecologic surgery.