The Use of a Fabricated Endotracheal Tube During an Acute Massive Pulmonary Hemorrhage: A Case Report.

A massive pulmonary hemorrhage is an emergency that can lead to airway compromise and cardiovascular collapse. The goals of airway management are to isolate and protect the nonbleeding lung while providing a route for interventions to diagnose and control the bleeding site. We present a case of an adult male with a lung mass who underwent a bronchoscopy and cryobiopsy that was complicated by a massive pulmonary hemorrhage. We report the successful use of an elongated fabricated end-to-end endotracheal tube to manage his airway during this time-critical situation.

Unusual Cause of Intraoperative Asystole During Thoracotomy: A Case Report.

Thoracotomies are classified as moderate to high-risk surgeries due to the preponderance of complex anatomic structures, cardiac dysrhythmias, and respiratory insufficiency. The right vagus nerve innervates the sinoatrial node and controls the heart rate. The parasympathetic activation of the sinoatrial node can lead to bradyarrhythmias. The anatomic aortopulmonary window contains lymph nodes and the left vagus nerve. The occurrence of sudden asystole due to left vagus nerve stimulation is extremely rare. We report an unusual case of intraoperative asystole related to electrosurgical stimulation of the left vagus nerve that required cardiopulmonary resuscitation and cardiac massage.

Postoperative Facial Nerve Palsy in a Pediatric Patient.

Peripheral nerve injury is a well-recognized complication of surgery and anesthesia. However, overall incidence is less than 1% [1,2]. Most commonly affected nerves include the ulnar nerve, brachial plexus, and lumbosacral nerve root [2]. Postoperative facial nerve palsy as a complication of surgery and anesthesia has been documented in the literature, but it is a rare event [3]. The occurrence of any type of nerve injury as a postoperative complication is even less common in the pediatric population [2,3]. In this report, we describe a case of postoperative facial nerve palsy in a pediatric patient after a thoracotomy..

Anesthetic management of a patient with Stiff-Person Syndrome and endometrial cancer for robotic surgery: A case report.

Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a rare disorder of the nervous system, characterized by muscle stiffness, rigidity, and painful spasms involving truncal and limb musculature that may severely limit mobility. Our case documents a 53-year-old patient with SPS and endometrial cancer who was positive for anti-GAD and paraneoplastic antibodies, who presented to our institution for robotic surgery. These patients are at high risk for prolonged hypotonia and mechanical ventilation. Our patient underwent general anesthesia without complications despite multiple comorbidities.

Challenges of Going Green in the Operating Room.

The environmental debate continues to expand in the realm of healthcare, resulting in increased scrutiny of the impact of material waste and gas emissions in the operating room (OR). In a single day, ORs can contribute up to 2000 tons of medical waste, mostly in the form of disposable medical supplies. We review the major challenges associated with "going green" in the OR.

COVID-19 in the Cancer Patient.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first reported in China in December 2019. Since then, it has spread across the world to become one of the most serious life-threatening pandemics since the influenza pandemic of 1918. This review article will focus on the specific risks and nuanced considerations of COVID-19 in the cancer patient. Important perioperative management recommendations during this outbreak are emphasized, in addition to discussion of current treatment techniques and strategies available in the battle against COVID-19.

Simple Green Changes for Anesthesia Practices to Make a Difference.

The environmental debate on going green in the operating room (OR) has been a controversial topic for many years. Challengers of greening efforts cite various obstacles and arguments against these initiatives. However, ORs in the United States continue to generate a staggering amount of waste daily. In this article, we review major barriers to going green and highlight simple, yet effective greening strategies that anesthesia practices could adopt to reduce our carbon footprint.