[Hypoxia after cesarean section in a patient with myotonic dystrophy].

A 28-year-old woman, 35 week-pregnant, underwent emergency cesarean section. Although she had no apparent symptoms before the operation, myotonic dystrophy was suspected from physical examination and laboratory data. The anesthesiologist in charge recognized only high creatine kinase. Combined spinal-epidural anesthesia was performed. During the operation and on the 1st postoperative day, Spo2 remained 99% with 3 l x min(-1) oxygen administration. However, on the 2nd postoperative day Spo2 decreased. The low Spo2 persisted for 4 days. Hypoventilation and difficulty in expectoration as a result of respiratory muscle weakness might have been the cause of the prolonged hypoxemia.

[Cardiac asystole in the postanesthetic care unit: a case report].

We report a patient without apparent heart disease who developed asystole postoperatively. A 24-year-old woman was scheduled for acetabulectomy under lumbar epidural anesthesia with intravenous propofol infusion. There was no profound hypotension or arrhythmia during anesthesia and surgery. She complained of nausea 50 minutes after the operation. The ECG showed an abrupt decrease in the heart rate followed by cardiac asystole 30 seconds after the onset of nausea. Prompt cardiac massage resumed the heart beats in eight seconds. There was no neurological deficit.

[Reversal of rocuronium induced neuromuscular block with sugammadex in a patient with myasthenia gravis].

We report a patient with myasthenia gravis whose rocuronium induced neuromuscular block was reversed with sugammadex. A 26-year-old man, 175 cm and 76 kg, with myasthenia gravis, was scheduled for extended thymectomy under general anesthesia. An epidural catheter was inserted at the T5-6 interspace before induction of general anesthesia. Anesthesia was induced with propofol and remifentanil. Rocuronium was given in divided doses to obtain > 95% neuromuscular block to intubate the trachea. The ED50 and ED95 of rocuronium for this patient were 0.18 mg x kg(-1) and 0.39 mg x kg(-1), respectively. The values were similar to the ED50 and ED95 of rocuronium for normal patients. General anesthesia was maintained with propofol and remifentanil. Additional doses of rocuronium were given intermittently. Sugammadex, 2 mg x kg(-1), was given at the end of the surgery. The train-of-four ratio reached 93% 105 sec later. His postoperative course was uneventful.

[Anesthetic management of a patient with diaphragmatic relaxation and megacolon].

We managed an 87-year-old man with diaphragmatic relaxation under general anesthesia. He had dyspnea and severe constipation. The chest X-ray revealed that two thirds of the left chest cavity were compressed by the megacolon gas. The Spo2 before the operation was 93%. The colon gas was deflated before and after the induction of anesthesia. There was no significant improvement in the tidal volume and the arterial oxygen tension. The postoperative chest X-ray showed that the shift of the left diaphragm was improved. He was able to walk 100 meters and the severe constipation disappeared after the operation.

[Unilateral temporary meralgia paresthetica after caesarean section: report of a case].

We report a patient who developed unilateral temporary meralgia paresthetica after caesarean section. A 28-year-old morbidly obese woman underwent caesarean section under combined spinal and epidural anesthesia. Intraoperative position was 5-degree head down lithotomy position. She noted pain and hypesthesia along the anterolateral aspect of the right thigh on the second postoperative day, when postoperative continuous epidural analgesia was stopped. The pain and sensory impairment resolved 8 days after surgery without medications.

[Atelectasis after induction of general anesthesia in an infant with cleft palate].

We report an infant with cleft palate who developed atelectasis as a result of aspiration of food residue after induction of general anesthesia. A 12-month-old girl with cleft palate was scheduled for palatoplasty. The trachea was intubated after 6.5-hour fasting. Breath sounds were not audible on the left. Chest X-ray demonstrated complete atelectasis of the left lung. Bronchoscopy revealed that the left primary bronchus was blocked by a white stick. Pathological examination showed that the white stick consisted of milk residue with abundant candida species. It was speculated that the milk residue accumulated in the cleft palate had been aspirated during induction of general anesthesia.

[Rhabdomyolysis after prolonged surgery in lateral decubitus position].

We report an obese patient who developed rhabdomyolysis after prolonged surgery in lateral decubitus position. A 55-year-old woman, with a body mass index of 29.3 kg x m(-2), underwent removal of an acoustic neurinoma in lateral decubitus position which lasted 20 hours. There was no intraoperative muscle rigidity, redness of the urine or rapid elevation of PET(CO2) and body temperature. The patient developed skin ulcer in the left flank after the surgery. There were elevated levels of serum creatinine phosphokinase, AST, ALT, and myoglobin in the urine. CT of the abdomen taken two days after the surgery suggested the presence of rhabdomyolysis of the transverse abdominal muscles.

[Management of drugs used by anesthesiologists in the operating room].

We report the results of reviews by pharmacists of clerical errors in drugs used in the operating room by anesthesiologists from August 2005 to March 2007 at Fukuoka University Hospital. During the period, 9907 surgical patients were managed by anesthesiologists. There were 4868 clerical errors by anesthesiologists. Failed description of used drugs was the most frequent error (n=3,777). One medication error was detected by the review. The review of used drugs in the operating room by pharmacists can prevent financial loss and improve patients' safety.

[Propofol-induced generalized tonic-clonic seizure: a case report].

A 23-year-old man with no history of convulsion underwent removal of the nails in his upper arm. He received propofol infusion after axillary brachial plexus block. Ten minutes after propofol infusion (15 minutes after axillary block), generalized tonic-clonic seizure occurred. The rate of propofol infusion was increased, and midazolam was given intravenously ; however, the seizure continued. Propofol infusion was withheld, and anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane. The seizure gradually decreased in 15 minutes after termination of propofol infusion, and it finally stopped 30 minutes after termination of propofol infusion.

[Spontaneous spinal subdural and epidural haematoma in a pregnant patient].

We report a pregnant woman who developed non-traumatic spinal subdural and epidural hematoma. A 31-year-old woman at 28 weeks of gestation developed progressive ascending paralysis. MRI suggested the presence of spinal subdural hematoma at T4-6 and spinal epidural hematoma at T4-9. An emergency cesarean section followed by spinal decompression was performed 60 hours after the onset. The patient's neulogical function recovered completely after the surgey.

[Postoperative contralateral brachial plexus palsy after prolonged operation in lateral decubitus position].

We report a patient who developed postoperative contralateral brachial plexus palsy after prolonged surgery in lateral decubitus position. A 58-year-old man underwent hepatectomy because of metastatic liver tumor in left decubitus position. The surgical table was rotated anteriorly at 15 degrees. The surgery lasted for 7 hours and 50 minutes. After the surgery, he complained of limited arm elevation, hypesthesia of the arm, impaired flexion and extension of the elbow, on the right. These sensory and motor impairements resolved after rehabilitation for 7 days.

[Landmark method and ultrasound-guided method of internal jugular vein puncture: comparison of residents with staffs].

BACKGROUND: We compared landmark with ultrasound-guided methods of internal jugular vein puncture in residents and staffs. METHODS: Seven residents and five staffs practiced internal jugular vein puncture with landmark and ultrasound-guided methods on a manikin for internal jugular vein cannulation. Thereafter, they performed internal jugular vein cannulation on 42 patients. RESULTS: Number of attempts of internal jugular vein cannulation by the residents was significantly lower with ultrasound-guided method than with landmark method. Three internal jugular veins could not be cannulated by residents with landmark method. The common carotid artery was punctured in one case with either method by residents. CONCLUSIONS: Residents need more practice of internal jugular vein puncture on a manikin before clinical practice.

[Intraoperative ventricular or supraventricular tachycardia? A case report].

A 68-year-old man with a history of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia developed wide QRS complex tachycardia one minute after induction of general anesthesia. As the wide QRS complex tachycardia appeared to be ventricular and pulsation of the radial artery could not be felt, intravenous antiarrhythmic drugs were given. Surgery was postponed. Postoperative electrophysiological study revealed ectopic atrial tachycardia. Catheter abration was performed. Regular P waves were noticed by precise review of the intraoperative electrocardiogram. The intraoperative tachycardia was thought to be supraventricular in origin.

[Complications of internal jugular vein cannulation under ultrasound guidance: report of three].

Internal jugular cannulation with ultrasound guidance has been advocated to decrease its complications. However, there can be serious complications by in-experienced physicians in even ultrasound-guided internal jugular vein cannulation. We report three cases of complications associated with ultrasound-guided internal jugular vein cannulation: puncture of the common carotid artery in two patients and pneumothorax in one.

[Anesthetic management of a patient with spinal muscular atrophy type III].

We report a 38-year-old man with Kugelberg-Welander disease who underwent triple arthrodesis for talipes equinovarus under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia supplemented with continuous intravenous infusion of propofol. There was no ventilatory disturbance, muscle weakness, or neurologic untoward event during perioperative period.

[Drug errors during anesthesia].

We report drug errors during anesthesia. The data were retrieved from the incident reports in a period of June 2000 to June 2003 at the Department of Anesthesiology, Fukuoka University Hospital. Drug errors occurred in 18 (0.12%) of 15,271 patients who were managed by anesthesiologists during the period. Among the 18 events, most frequent errors were 12 events of administration of wrong drugs. Errors in dosage were five, and wrong route of administration in one. There were no serious sequelae in the 18 patients.

[Postoperative profound hypoglycemia after resection of adrenaline-predominant pheochromocytoma].

A 54-year-old woman was scheduled for resection of pheochromocytoma. Anesthesia was maintained with general anesthesia combined with thoracic epidural anesthesia. The blood glucose decreased to 30 mg x dl(-1) about four hours after the tumor resection, despite intravenous administration of glucose at a rate of 15 g x hr(-1) with intermittent boluses of 5 g of glucose. The blood glucose levels increased over 100 mg x dl(-1) with intravenous administration of 15 g x hr(-1) glucose, 6 hours after tumor resection.

[Anesthetic management of an infant with Cornelia de Lange syndrome].

We report anesthetic management of an infant with Cornelia de Lange syndrome. A 12-month-old girl with Cornelia de Lange syndrome was scheduled for ureterocystoneostomy because of vesicoureteral reflux. Preoperative physical examination suggested difficult tracheal intubation. After induction of anesthesia with sevoflurane (5%) in nitrous oxide (70%) and oxygen, a laryngeal mask airway (# 1.5) was inserted. A guide wire was inserted in the trachea through a laryngeal mask airway under direct vision of a fiberoptic bronchoscope. A tube-exchanger stylet was inserted around the guide wire after the laryngeal mask airway and fiberoptic bronchoscope had been removed. An endotracheal tube (ID 4.0 mm) was easily intubated around the tube-exchanger stylet. During the surgery, anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane (2-3%) in nitrous oxide (50%) and oxygen. There was no perioperative pulmonary complication.

[Anesthetic management for nephrectomy in a 2-year-old girl with abdominal aortic aneurysm].

We report anesthetic management for nephrectomy in an infant with aortic aneurysm. A 2-year-old girl with renovascular hypertension and abdominal aortic aneurysm, who had shown repeated episodes of heart failure, was scheduled for nephrectomy. Anesthesia was induced with sevoflurane in nitrous oxide (70%) and oxygen. During the surgery, anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane (1.5%) in nitrous oxide (50%) and oxygen, supplemented with intermittent epidural block. The blood pressure did not show marked changes during the surgery. There was no perioperative cardiovascular complication.

[Pneumothorax revealed by postoperative computed tomography].

We report a case of pneumothorax revealed by postoperative computed tomography. A 39-year-old obese woman (height 153 cm, weight 70 kg) with fractures of the radius, ulna, clavicle, and femur in a traffic accident, was scheduled for osteosynthesis. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental and maintained with 50% nitrous oxide in oxygen and sevoflurane. The Spo2 decreased from 99% to 94% during the surgery. Bilateral chest sounds were symmetrical. The Spo2 increased to 100% after discontinuation of nitrous oxide. Pneumothorax was not evident on a postoperative chest X-ray, but computed tomography of the chest demonstrated right-sided pneumothorax. An ECG electrode had overlapped the fractured rib on the preoperative chest X-ray.