The use of amplitude-integrated electroencephalography combined with continuous conventional electroencephalography during therapeutic hypothermia for an infant with postnatal cardiac arrest.

INTRODUCTION: Amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) has been employed in therapeutic hypothermia (TH) trials of neonates after perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). We present a case report involving the use of aEEG during TH with continuous conventional electroencephalography (cEEG) for an infant who experienced postnatal intraoperative cardiac arrest. CASE DESCRIPTION: A five-month-old infant developed cardiac arrest during operation. Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved after one hour of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Therapeutic hypothermia was applied with neuromuscular blockades. During the TH, the brain function and seizures were monitored with aEEG, which can also display continuous cEEG. Intermittent and discrete seizures were detected on aEEG and confirmed with raw cEEG during the TH and rewarming periods. Several kinds of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) were administered to manage seizures according to the findings of aEEG with cEEG. Seizures were controlled by the treatments, and she showed no clinical seizures after TH and AED discontinuation. DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION CONCLUSIONS: This case indicated the possibility that the use of aEEG with continuous cEEG for a postnatal infant after cardiac arrest was feasible to detect and assess seizures and the effects of antiepileptic therapy while undergoing TH.

[Anesthetic management of a patient with Trousseau's syndrome and ovarian cancer who underwent gynecological surgery].

Trousseau's syndrome, a complex paraneoplastic disease, is characterized by the occurrence of thromboembolic disorders such as brain infarctions in patients with malignant neoplasms. We report the case of a 46-year-old woman with ovarian cancer who had suffered cerebral infarctions and presented with left hemiplegia, aphasia, and atypical genital bleeding. She suffered multiple right brain infarctions, a pulmonary embolism, a right renal infarction with bilateral hydronephrosis and deep venous thromboses and exhibited increased D-dimer and fibrinogen levels and so was administered heparin (10,000 U x day(-1)). She had no other underlying diseases such as coagulopathy, cardiovascular disease, collagen disease, or angiitis. Therefore, we were able to diagnose her with Trousseau's syndrome. She was scheduled to undergo total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy, pelvic lymphadenectomies, and omentectomy. Preoperatively, an inferior vena cava filter was temporarily installed to prevent the development of further pulmonary thromboses. General anesthesia was uneventfully maintained by inhalation of oxygen, air, and sevoflurane and the continuous infusion of remifentanil whilst regional cerebral oxygen saturation and transesophageal echocardiography monitoring were performed. Postoperatively, she received heparin-based anticoagulant therapy (10,000 U x day(-1)) and did not exhibit bleeding diathesis or thrombosis. It is of great importance that anesthesiologists are aware of the thromboembolic status of patients with malignant neoplasms, especially those with gynecological tumors.

A case of serious laryngeal edema unpredictably detected during laryngoscopy for orotracheal intubation following induction of anesthesia.

We report a case of unpredictable and serious laryngeal edema probably caused by preoperative esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). A 54-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus was scheduled to undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Two days before surgery, EGD was performed to explore the cause of occult bleeding, resulting in a slightly sore throat and an increased white blood cell count (18,300/µl). Without premedication, general anesthesia was uneventfully induced with intravenous midazolam (10 mg) and fentanyl (50 µg), followed by inhalation of sevoflurane (3%) and intravenous rocuronium (50 mg). Thereafter, manual ventilation was easily performed with a bag and mask. However, on laryngoscopy for orotracheal intubation, serious swelling with rubor and light pus in the epiglottis extending to the arytenoid cartilage was detected, leading to the cancellation of surgery. Immediately following intravenous drip of hydrocortisone (300 mg) and bolus of sugammadex (200 mg), the patient recovered smoothly from anesthesia without complications such as dyspnea, but his sore throat persisted. He was diagnosed with acute epiglottitis. Treatment consisted of intravenous cefazolin (2 g/day) and hydrocortisone (300 mg/day tapered to 100 mg/day) for 9 consecutive days. Consequently, the patient recovered gradually from the inflammation and underwent CABG as scheduled 28 days later. Anesthesiologists should be aware that EGD performed just before anesthesia could unpredictably cause acute epiglottitis, especially in immunocompromised patients, such as those with diabetes.