[Anesthetic management of a pneumothorax patient with complete situs inversus].

We experienced a case of pneumothorax in a patient with complete situs inversus. A 30-year-old man was scheduled for partial resection of the left lung under video assisted thoracic surgery. He had asymptomatic complete situs inversus. We advanced a bronchial blocker easily into the left (anatomically right) main bronchus under fiberoptic guidance. One lung ventilation during the operation was performed successfully. The chest X-ray after the surgery showed an atelectasis of the left upper lobe. After endotracheal suction, we extubated him and noticed improvement of atelectasis. There are several ways of one lung ventilation in patients with situs inversus. To use a bronchial blocker is one of the effective choices. However, in some cases, it is necessary to consider using a double-lumen tube depending on the case considering the anatomical structure and the characteristics of the procedure.

[Anesthesia induction for patients with cervical spinal disease].

BACKGROUND: In the cases in which the flexibility of the patient's neck is limited, it is often difficult to achieve intubation. Fiberoptic intubation has been chosen for patients with arthroses. However, as it requires techniques, it has been difficult for inexperienced anesthesiologists. METHODS: Awake induction using AirWay Scope was performed for 8 patients with cervical spinal diseases. Midazolam, propofol or dexmedetomidine is selected as a sedative drug. RESULTS: Intubation was performed easily and safely without any complications in all cases. No patients had memories of intubation. CONCLUSIONS: Awake intubation using AirWay Scope for patients with cervical spinal diseases is a safe and useful anesthesia method. As dexmedetomidine causes no respiratory depression and can expect cooperation from patients, it may give safe and efficient sedation in awake intubation cases.

The degree of newly emerging mitral regurgitation during off-pump coronary artery bypass is predicted by preoperative left ventricular function.

PURPOSE: During off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB), the displacement of the heart causes mitral regurgitation. We hypothesized that patients with impaired left ventricle (LV) function would be more prone to develop mitral regurgitation, due to further LV end-diastolic pressure elevation and mitral annulus distortion. Therefore, in this study, we examined the relationship between LV function and the severity of mitral regurgitation. METHODS: We studied 41 patients undergoing elective OPCAB. LV function was evaluated by LV ejection fraction (LVEF), serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels, the Tei index (myocardial performance index) and mitral inflow propagation velocity (Vp). RESULTS: Among all of the anastomoses performed mitral regurgitation was most severe during anastomosis of the left circumflex artery (LCX) territory (P < 0.001). Twenty-five patients (61%) had no to mild mitral regurgitation during anastomosis of the LCX territory (M-MR group) and 16 patients (39%) had moderate to severe mitral regurgitation during anastomosis of the LCX territory (S-MR group). There were significant differences between these groups in preoperative serum BNP levels (median, 26 pg.ml(-1) interquartile range [IQR, 14 to 75 pg.ml(-1)] versus median, 173 pg.ml(-1) [IQR, 91 to 296 pg.ml(-1)]; P < 0.001), Tei index values (median, 0.35; [IQR, 0.27 to 0.41] versus median, 0.53 [IQR, 0.47 to 0.57]; P < 0.001), and Vp (median, 63 cm.s(-1); [IQR, 57 to 72 cm.s(-1)] versus median, 47 cm.s(-1); [IQR, 40 to 57 cm.c(-1)]; P = 0.008), while there was no significant difference in LVEF between the patients in the M-MR group and those in the S-MR group. CONCLUSION: Preoperative LV dysfunction is a predictor of severe mitral regurgitation during OPCAB. When poor LV function is suggested, it is necessary to be prepared for further hemodynamic deterioration caused by mitral regurgitation.

[Anesthetic management of an infant girl with cloverleaf syndrome].

We experienced anesthetic management of an infant girl with Cloverleaf syndrome complicated with prenatal diagnosis of craniosynostosis. She received posterior-cranioplasty and foramen magnum decompression at the age of 44 days, ventricuro-peritoneal shunting at 80 days and cranioplasty at 149 days all under general anesthesia without serious complications. In all three occasions, we induced general anesthesia with oxygen, sevoflurane, nitrous oxide and thiopental with a facemask. After we made sure it was not impossible to maintain the airway and ventilation, we performed orotracheal intubation with vecuronium. We maintained anesthesia paying particular attention to intracranial pressure and possible massive hemorrhage particularly during cranioplasty. Postoperative course was uneventful. Anesthesiologists should keep in mind that this syndrome is characterized by severe skull deformity, facial bone abnormalities, hydrocephalus and increased intracranial pressure.