[Anesthetic management of a patient with thrombocytopenia induced by methotrexate undergoing emergent clipping surgery].

A 70-year-old woman underwent emergent clipping surgery for subarachnoid hemorrhage under general anesthesia. Her laboratory data showed thrombocytopenia (4.0 x 10(4) microl(-1)). She had taken prednisolone (3 mg x day(-1)) and methotrexate (MTX) (10 mg x week(-1)) for rheumatoid arthritis for the last 10 years. Anesthesia was induced with remifentanil as well as propofol, maintained with remifentanil and sevoflurane in oxygen. The operation was performed uneventfully without platelet transfusion. Since the cause of thrombocytopenia was suspected to be MTX, we started rescue therapy by calcium folinate postoperatively. Platelet count was normalized two days later (11.6 x 10(4) microl(-1)). One month after the operation, she was discharged uneventfully.

[Preoperative intravenous administration of droperidol (1.25 mg) reduced postoperative nausea and vomiting after intrathecal morphine administration].

BACKGROUND: Intrathecal morphine (ITM) is an excellent postoperative analgesic, but may often cause postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). We designed this prospective, randomized and controlled study to evaluate the antiemetic efficacy of low-dose droperidol for the treatment of PONV caused by ITM. METHODS: Two hundred female patients undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty were enrolled. They received spinal anesthesia with isobaric bupivacaine and 0.08 mg ITM, and 100 patients were randomly administered with 1.25 mg droperidol intravenously before operation. We observed the incidence of PONY and pain score until 24 hr after operation, and investigated the doses of anti-hypotensive drugs (ephedrine and phenylephrine) and fluid administered intraoperatively. RESULTS: The incidence of PONV was lower in the droperidol group within 6 hr after operation (control group 47%, droperidol group 15%), and especially lower within 2 hr (43% vs. 3%), but was not different 6 hr after operation. The pain score was very low throughout the observation period in both groups and especially within 12 hr. The respective doses of the anti-hypotensive drugs and fluid administered intraoperatively during the operation were higher in the droperidol group. Severe arrhythmia was not observed in any patient throughout the observation period. CONCLUSIONS: Single intravenous administration of 1.25 mg droperidol before operation showed prophylactic efficacy in early PONV caused by ITM. The duration of droperidol action was shorter than that of ITM. Hence we recommend that droperidol should be administered more frequently or continuously in the postoperative period.

[Examination of the optimal midazolam dose required for loss of puncture memory at the time of spinal anesthesia].

BACKGROUND: We examined midazolam ED50 according to age that was necessary for loss of puncture memory at the time of spinal anesthesia and determined whether we could estimate the presence of puncture memory from the degree of sedation after midazolam administration. METHODS: We enrolled patients with ASA PS 1 or 2 and patients from 50 to 80 years of age who had been planned for surgery with spinal anesthesia. We divided the patients into groups according to their age--50s, 60s, and 70s as L, M, and H groups, respectively. We evaluated the degree of sedation with six phases of scores after intravenous administration of midazolam and spinal anesthesia was performed. The midazolam dose was based on the ups and downs method. RESULTS: The midazolam ED50s required for the loss of puncture memory in groups L, M, and H were 0.043, 0.035, and 0.026 mg x kg(-1), respectively. We estimated the association between the sedation degree score after midazolam administration and the puncture memory from ROC curve, but AUC was 0.56 for all cases. CONCLUSIONS: The midazolam ED50 required for the loss of puncture memory decreased with age but it was difficult to estimate puncture memory from the degree of sedation.

[Anesthetic management of a hemodialysis-dependent patient implanted with a CRT-D device undergoing an operation for perforated peritonitis].

A 53-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for hematochezia, and an emergency operation was scheduled for his perforated sigmoid colon. He had received a CRT-D (cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator) device for dilated cardiomyopathy two years before and had been receiving hemodialysis for the past year. Anesthesia was induced with midazolam and remifentanil and maintained with remifentanil and sevoflurane in oxygen. Before surgery, we disabled the defibrillation function of the CRT-D device and changed its pacing mode from VVI to VOO, and electrodes of an external defibrillator were attached to the chest wall. Dopamine and norepinephrine were administered via a central venous catheter, and systolic blood pressure was maintained between 70 and 80 mmHg and CVP between 8 and 13 mmHg. Sigmoidectomy was performed and he was transferred to the ICU intubated. Although intensive care procedures, such as mechanical ventilation, continuous hemodiafiltration, and direct hemoperfusion with polymyxin B-immobilized fibers were performed, he died of multiple organ failure on postoperative day 48. CRT-D has become mainstream cardiac resynchronization therapy and will require attention for anesthetic management of patients implanted with the CRT-D device.

[Uncrossmatched type O red blood cell transfusion and cell saver autologous blood transfusion effective for intraoperative massive bleeding].

We experienced rapid and massive bleeding in a 57-year-old woman undergoing resection of ovarian tumor metastasis. One hour after the start of operation, blood loss increased due to adhesion of the tumor. The blood hemoglobin level decreased from 11.7 to 4.6 g x dl(-1). Since available matched homologous blood had been consumed, we transfused type O uncrossmatched red blood cells followed by cell saver autologous blood. For the treatment of uncontrollable hyperkalemia and metabolic acidosis, continuous hemodiafiltration was started. A total of 66 U of red blood cells, 48 U of FFP, and 40 U of platelets were transfused intraoperatively. No neurological deficit, pulmonary edema, renal failure, or hemolysis was found postoperatively.

[Conscious sedation and amnesic effect of intravenous low-dose midazolam prior to spinal anesthesia].

BACKGROUND: The pain associated with spinal puncture is severe, and the memory of this uncomfortable procedure often deters patients from undergoing the procedure again. Therefore, it is important to make the patient as comfortable as possible when this procedure is performed. METHODS: We administrated a low-dose (1-2.5 mg) of midazolam intravenously several minutes before conducting a spinal-tap in 200 patients undergoing elective surgery of the lower limb. The dose of midazolam used was based on the patient's age and weight, and we investigated remaining of a memory concerning the spinal-tap procedure and side effects of midazolam at the end of surgery. RESULTS: Memory of the spinal-tap procedure remained in 14.0%, 1.9%, and 32.7% of the patients who had received benzodiazepine preoperatively and in 25.0%, 40.0%, and 60.9% of the patients who hadn't received benzodiazepine preoperatively in the age group <60, 60-70, and > or =70 years, respectively. No patient experienced severe respiratory depression, but an excessive sedation or restlessness was experienced in 1.6%, 4.8%, and 5.2% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: In the patients aged <70 years, intravenous administration of 0.023-0.044 mg x kg(-1) of midazolam was very effective in preventing a bad memory concerning the spinal-tap procedure; however, it is important to note that the number of side effects associated with this procedure increases in patients aged > or =60 years.