Suspected Accidental Infiltration of Rocuronium During General Anesthesia Induction: A Case Report.

There are few reports on rocuronium infiltration under general anesthesia. We report a case of suspected accidental rocuronium infiltration during anesthesia induction. A 25-year-old woman with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and epilepsy was scheduled for the extraction of 4 impacted third molars under general anesthesia. After induction with sevoflurane, an intravenous (IV) line was established in the left cephalic vein. Rocuronium was administered; however, subcutaneous swelling at the IV site was observed immediately. Spontaneous ventilations were maintained until additional rocuronium was administered via a new IV line. After heat pack application, the swelling disappeared 60 minutes after infiltration, and no tissue damage was observed. A strategy was developed to continue neuromuscular monitoring until recovery occurred. Acceleromyography was used, and the train-of-4 ratios at 99, 130, and 140 minutes after infiltration were 0.79, 0.91, and 1.0, respectively. Sugammadex was administered to prevent neuromuscular blockade recurrence. The patient was extubated once adequate return of muscle function and consciousness were observed. No neuromuscular block prolongation or recurrence were observed postoperatively. When rocuronium infiltration is suspected, it is important to eliminate swelling at the infiltration site and determine a management strategy based on neuromuscular monitoring.

General anesthesia with a transcutaneous pacemaker for a Noonan syndrome patient with advanced atrioventricular block discovered in the remote period after open-heart surgery: a case report.

We provided general anesthesia management to a patient with advanced atrioventricular block, which was discovered in the remote period after open-heart surgery. A 21-year-old man with Noonan syndrome was scheduled to undergo excision of a median intramandibular tumor. At 2 months of age, the patient underwent endocardial repair for congenital heart disease. During our preoperative examination, an atrioventricular block was detected, which had not been previously noted. Emergency drugs were administered, and a transcutaneous pacemaker was placed. During anesthesia induction, mask ventilation was easy, and intubation was performed smoothly using a video laryngoscope. The transcutaneous pacemaker was activated in demand mode at a pacing rate of 50 cycles/min approximately throughout the anesthesia time, and the hemodynamic status remained stable. The effect of intraoperatively administered atropine was brief, lasting only a few seconds. Although body movements due to thoracoabdominal muscle spasm were observed during pacemaker activation, they did not interfere with surgery. In postoperative patients with congenital heart disease, an atrioventricular block may be identified in the remote period, and preoperative evaluation should be based on this possibility. In addition, during anesthesia management, it is important to prepare multiple measures to maintain hemodynamic status.

Risk factors for postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients of orthognathic surgery according to the initial onset time: a cross-sectional study.

Background: A high incidence (40-73%) of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) has been reported following orthognathic surgery, and various risk factors have been associated with it. Identifying PONV risk factors based on initial onset time will help establish preventive measures. This study aimed to identify factors that are significantly related to PONV based on the initial onset time after orthognathic surgery. Methods: This study included 590 patients who underwent orthognathic surgery. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors that are significantly related to PONV. The objective variables were classified into three categories: no PONV, early PONV (initial onset time: 0-2 h after anesthesia), and late PONV (initial onset time: 2-24 h after anesthesia). The explanatory variables included relevant risk factors for PONV, as considered in previous studies. Results: Total intravenous anesthesia with propofol was a significant depressant factor for early PONV (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.340, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.209-0.555) and late PONV (aOR = 0.535, 95% CI = 0.352-0.814). The administration of a combination of intraoperative antiemetics (vs. no administration) significantly reduced the risk of early PONV (aOR = 0.464, 95% CI = 0.230-0.961). Female sex and young age were significant risk factors for late PONV (aOR = 1.492, 95% CI = 1.170-1.925 and unit aOR = 1.033, 95% CI = 1.010-1.057, respectively). Conclusion: We identified factors that are significantly related to PONV based on the initial onset time after orthognathic surgery. Total intravenous anesthesia with propofol significantly reduced the risk of PONV not only in the early period (0-2 h after anesthesia) but also in the late period (2-24 h after anesthesia).

Predictors of hypotension during anesthesia induction in patients with hypertension on medication: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Hypotension during anesthesia induction is a common event, and occurs more frequently in patients with hypertension than in healthy individuals. Intraoperative hypotension in non-cardiac surgery is reportedly associated with various postoperative complications. However, the predictors of hypotension during anesthesia induction in patients with hypertension have not yet been ascertained. Therefore, we aimed to determine the predictors of hypotension during anesthesia induction in patients with hypertension on medication focusing on the half-life of the medication used. METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, we enrolled patients with hypertension on medication who underwent general anesthesia for oral and maxillofacial surgery between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2019. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to test for associations between clinical factors and hypotension during anesthesia induction in patients with hypertension on medication. RESULTS: A total of 395 patients were included in this study. The risk factors for hypotension during anesthesia induction in patients with hypertension on medication were pre-induction mean arterial blood pressure (adjusted unit odds ratio, 0.96 [95% confidence interval, 0.94 to 0.98]), female sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.63 [1.03 to 2.57]), regular use of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)/angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is) with a long half-life (vs. no regular use of ARBs/ACE-Is aOR, 4.02 [1.77 to 9.12]; vs. regular use of ARBs/ACE-Is with a short-to-middle half-life aOR, 3.17 [1.46 to 6.85]), and regular use of beta blockers (aOR, 2.45 [1.19 to 5.04]). Regular use of calcium channel blockers (aOR, 0.44 [0.25 to 0.77]) was a suppressive factor for hypotension during anesthesia induction in patients with hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with hypertension on medication, regular use of ARBs/ACE-Is with a long half-life, regular use of beta blockers, low pre-induction mean arterial blood pressure, and female sex were risk factors for hypotension during anesthesia induction. Notably, regular use of ARBs/ACE-Is with a long half-life was a high-risk factor for hypotension during anesthesia induction in patients with hypertension on medication even after a 24-h preoperative withdrawal period.

Prolongation of the effect of a single dose of rocuronium in a patient with postpolio syndrome under desflurane anesthesia: a case report.

Postpolio syndrome (PPS) is widely known to manifest as muscle weakness in patients affected by poliomyelitis in early childhood. This is caused by the long-term overwork of motor nerves regenerated from surviving nerve cells. We report a characteristic delay in recovery from muscle relaxation after administering rocuronium to a patient with PPS under general anesthesia with desflurane. A 59-year-old woman was scheduled to undergo surgical debridement for jaw osteonecrosis. She had a history of poliomyelitis at the age of 2 years, and was diagnosed with PPS at the age of 51 years. General anesthesia was induced with 80 mg propofol, 50 µg fentanyl, and 30 mg (0.69 mg/kg) rocuronium, and maintained with desflurane and remifentanil. The durations of train-of-four (TOF) count 0 and 1 were 96 and 37 min, respectively. Five minutes after discontinuing desflurane, the TOF count was 4. Three minutes after administering 200 mg sugammadex, the TOF ratio was 0.83, and the tracheal tube was subsequently removed. In summary, the effect of a single dose of rocuronium on twitch in TOF monitoring was significantly prolonged in a patient with PPS, which may have been exacerbated by desflurane.

The Effect of Music on Preoperative Anxiety in an Operating Room: a Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the effect of music as an intervention on relieving preoperative anxiety in patients with dental fear in an outpatient operating room (OR) before intravenous sedation (IVS). METHODS: Sixty adult patients with dental fear undergoing dental surgery under IVS were divided into 2 groups (music and nonmusic). The music group listened to music in the waiting room until immediately before the initiation of IVS whereas the nonmusic group did not. Patient anxiety was objectively measured using heart rate variability (HRV) analysis to assess the low-frequency/high-frequency ratio as an indication of sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous system activity. Subjective preoperative anxiety was evaluated with a visual analog scale (VAS). RESULTS: Heart rate variability analysis failed to demonstrate any significant difference between the 2 groups from baseline to start of IVS. There were also no significant differences between the 2 groups regarding changes in VAS scores. CONCLUSION: Music intervention was not found to reduce preoperative anxiety in patients with dental fear before IVS in the dental outpatient OR as determined by HRV analysis or VAS scores.

Cross-sectional Study of PONV Risk Factors for Oral Surgery After Intubated General Anesthesia With Total Intravenous Anesthesia.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after general anesthesia with total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) was reported to be significantly lower than with volatile inhalational agents (13.3% vs 25%). However, no investigation of PONV risk factors associated with TIVA has ever been reported. This cross-sectional retrospective study aimed to investigate whether known risk factors influenced PONV in intubated general anesthetics utilizing TIVA for dental or oral and maxillofacial surgery. METHODS: Subjects were 761 patients who underwent dental or oral and maxillofacial surgery under TIVA with propofol, fentanyl, and remifentanil. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed using PONV (within 24 hours) as the dependent variable and previously reported risk factors as independent variables. RESULTS: Age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.020 per year decrease; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0002-1.0418; P = .047) and female sex (OR: 2.73; 95% CI: 1.60-4.84; P < .001) were positively associated with PONV. Sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) (OR: 2.28; 95% CI: 1.21-4.33; P = .011) and bimaxillary osteotomy (OR: 5.69; 95% CI: 2.09-15.99; P < .001) were more likely to be associated with PONV than operations that were neither bimaxillary osteotomy nor SSRO. Late PONV (2-24 hours) had an ∼2.7 times higher incidence than early PONV (0-2 hours). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest further PONV countermeasures, aside from TIVA with propofol and prophylactic antiemetics for orthognathic surgeries especially bimaxillary osteotomy, are needed.

A Cohen syndrome patient whose muscle-relaxant effect may have been prolonged during general anesthesia: a case report.

Cohen syndrome is a rare genetic disorder associated with mutations in the VPS13B gene. Individuals with this disorder present with diverse clinical manifestations, including muscle hypotonia, intellectual disabilities, and typical facial characteristics, such as prominent upper central incisors and micrognathia. General anesthesia was administered to a 23-year-old man with Cohen syndrome. Although we observed prominent upper central incisors, an overjet of 10 mm, micrognathia, and thyromental distance of 4 cm, hypotonia was not observed in the patient. Intubation was rendered difficult when performing a direct laryngoscopy. However, smooth intubation was achieved using a video laryngoscope. The patient's train of four (TOF) count remained zero close to 60 min after rocuronium administration, suggesting that the drug's muscle-relaxant effect may have been prolonged. A TOF ratio of 0.79 was confirmed 130 min after rocuronium administration, and a TOF ratio of 1.0 was confirmed after administration of 150 mg of sugammadex. The patient's respiration remained stable after extubation, and no recurarization of muscle relaxation was observed. As demonstrated in this case report, it is important to closely monitor recovery from muscle relaxation and prepare multiple techniques for airway management in general anesthesia management of patients with Cohen syndrome.

Utility of a Structured Teaching Approach, Rehearsal, and Training for Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder to Avoid Physical Restraint During Induction of Anesthesia.

PURPOSE: We aimed to determine whether the use of a structured teaching approach, rehearsing, and training (SRT) for anesthesia induction in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) could reduce the need for physical restraint. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 63 patients (4 to 40 y old) with ASD who underwent general anesthesia for dental treatment. Patients were divided into SRT (n = 22) and non-SRT (n = 41) groups. In the SRT group, patients were presented with a visual guide based on a structured teaching approach at the pre-anesthetic consultation. The guide comprised photographs of the places, tools, and processes that the patient would experience prior to anesthesia induction. Patients then practiced these processes (rehearsal). Patients in the non-SRT group were administered anesthesia in a conventional manner without SRT. FINDINGS: The percentage of patients needing physical restraint was significantly lower in the SRT (3/22, 13%) than in the non-SRT group (21/41, 51%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The SRT method reduces the need for physical restraint in patients with ASD during anesthesia induction.

Prolonged Washout Period for Avoiding Azilsartan-Induced Refractory Hypotension During General Anesthesia for a Patient With Renal Impairment.

Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are widely used to treat hypertension, but severe refractory hypotension during general anesthesia is a well-known complication associated with the continuation of ARBs during the perioperative period. It has therefore been recommended that ARBs be withheld for 24 hours before induction of general anesthesia. However, impaired renal function affects the pharmacokinetics of each ARB differently. The half-life of azilsartan is prolonged in accordance with the degree of renal impairment. Herein, we describe a patient with chronic kidney disease grade 3B who experienced severe refractory hypotension after induction of general anesthesia requiring administration of dopamine following inadequate responses to ephedrine and phenylephrine despite a 24-hour azilsartan washout period. When the same patient underwent general anesthesia for a subsequent surgery, azilsartan was withheld for 48 hours before induction, resulting in mild intraoperative hypotension that responded adequately to phenylephrine. Severe refractory hypotension during general anesthesia cannot always be avoided by holding azilsartan for 24 hours in patients with significant renal impairment. Therefore, a longer washout period may be preferable for patients regularly taking azilsartan who also have concurrent substantial renal impairment.

Anesthetic Management of a Patient With Citrullinemia Type I During Dental Treatment.

We report a case involving intravenous sedation for third molar extractions in a 32-year-old man with citrullinemia type I (CTLN1), a genetic disorder that affects the urea cycle. The patient was diagnosed with CTLN1 after he exhibited seizures soon after birth and was intellectually disabled because of persistent hyperammonemia, although his recent serum ammonia levels were fairly well controlled. We planned to minimize his preoperative fasting, continue his routine oral medications, and monitor his serum ammonia levels at least twice. Sedation with midazolam and a propofol infusion was planned to suppress his gag reflex and reduce protein hypercatabolism due to stress. Epinephrine-containing local anesthetics, which enhance protein catabolism, were avoided, replaced by plain lidocaine for blocks and prilocaine with felypressin for infiltration anesthesia. No significant elevation in ammonia levels was observed. In patients with CTLN1, sedation can be useful for preventing hyperammonemia. Patients who develop symptomatic hyperammonemia may require urgent/emergent treatment involving other medical specialists. Therefore, preoperative endocrinology consultation, perioperative monitoring of serum ammonia levels, and preemptively coordinating for appropriate care in the event hyperammonemia occurs should all be considered.

Methemoglobinemia caused by a low dose of prilocaine during general anesthesia.

Methemoglobinemia is a blood disorder in which an abnormal amount of methemoglobin is produced, and prilocaine is one of the drugs that can cause this disorder. The maximum recommended dose of prilocaine is 8 mg/kg. We report a case of methemoglobinemia caused by the administration of 4.2 mg/kg of prilocaine without other methemoglobinemia-inducing drugs during general anesthesia. A 17-year-old girl with hyperthyroidism and anemia was scheduled to undergo maxillary sinus floor elevation and tooth extraction. The patient's peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) decreased from 100% at arrival to 95% after receiving prilocaine with felypressin following induction of general anesthesia. However, the fraction of inspired oxygen was 0.6. Blood gas analysis showed that the methemoglobin level was 3.8% (normal level, 1%-2%), fractional oxygen saturation was 93.9%, partial pressure of oxygen was 327 mmHg, and arterial oxygen saturation was 97.6%. After administration of 1 mg/kg of methylene blue, her SpO2 improved gradually to 99%, and the methemoglobin value decreased to 1.2%. When using prilocaine as a local anesthetic, it is important to be aware that methemoglobinemia may occur even at doses much lower than the maximum recommended dose.

Cardiovascular Considerations in Anesthetic Management for a Patient With Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Decreased Cardiac Function: A Case Study.

This case report describes the prolonged general anesthetic management of a 41-year-old woman with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), systemic lupus erythematosus, and previously undiagnosed decreased cardiac function who underwent planned partial resection of the left tongue, tracheostomy, neck dissection, and pedicled flap reconstruction. This was immediately followed by emergent surgery to salvage the flap, and 1 month later, revision of the soft tissue flap was performed. A preoperative echocardiogram was performed because of her various risk factors, which identified lateral wall hypokinesis and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction of 40%, despite no known cardiovascular disease. However, cardiology consult determined no additional treatment was needed before the surgery. Multiple antithrombotic strategies were used, including elastic stockings, intermittent pneumatic compression devises, and heparin bridging. During the general anesthetic, stroke volume variation (SVV) was used to assess cardiac function and guide fluid management. There were no signs of systemic thrombosis, although the free flap reconstruction was abandoned because of a thrombus in the vascular anastomosis. Cardiac function can deteriorate in APS patients because of coronary and/or microvascular thrombosis. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate cardiac function, regardless of a known history of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, additional monitoring (ie, SVV) may be useful during prolonged general anesthetics for patients with APS and cardiac dysfunction.

A Case of Methemoglobinemia Thought to Have Been Caused by the Combined Use of Propitocaine and Nitroglycerin During General Anesthesia.

This is a case report of methemoglobinemia presumably caused by the combined use of prilocaine (propitocaine) and nitroglycerin under general anesthesia. Methemoglobinemia is reportedly caused by the administration of prilocaine at a dose of ≥8 mg/kg. Moreover, ≥3 µg/kg/min of nitroglycerin can also trigger methemoglobinemia. In this patient, methemoglobinemia occurred despite neither drug having been administered at the aforementioned doses. Even if individual doses of drugs predisposed to causing methemoglobinemia are low, combined use may increase the risk of methemoglobinemia.

Refractory Hypotension During General Anesthesia Despite Withholding Telmisartan.

Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are commonly used to treat hypertension. However, similar to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, ARBs can also cause refractory hypotension during general anesthesia. Therefore, it has been recommended that ARBs be withheld for 24 hours prior to the induction of anesthesia. This is a case report of refractory hypotension requiring the administration of potent vasopressors after the induction of general anesthesia despite withholding telmisartan for 24 hours. In the same patient undergoing a subsequent general anesthetic, telmisartan was withheld for 5 days before induction, leading to mild intraoperative hypotension that responded adequately to phenylephrine. The primary cause of refractory hypotension during the first general anesthetic was suspected to be an insufficient telmisartan washout period. Telmisartan's half-life of 24 hours is notably the longest of all ARBs in current use. This case report demonstrates that refractory hypotension during general anesthesia cannot always be avoided by withholding telmisartan for 24 hours before the induction of anesthesia. Therefore, a washout period greater than 24 hours is preferable for patients taking telmisartan.

Recovery of dynamic balance after general anesthesia with sevoflurane in short-duration oral surgery.

PURPOSE: Recovery of dynamic balance, involving adjustment of the center of gravity, is essential for safe discharge on foot after ambulatory anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to assess the recovery of dynamic balance after general anesthesia with sevoflurane, using two computerized dynamic posturographies. METHODS: Nine hospitalized patients undergoing oral surgery of less than 2 h duration under general anesthesia (air-oxygensevoflurane) were studied. A dynamic balance test, assessing the ability of postural control against unpredictable perturbation stimuli (Stability System; Biodex Medical), a walking analysis test using sheets with foot pressure sensors (Walk Way-MG1000; Anima), and two simple psychomotor function tests were performed before anesthesia (baseline), and 150 and 210 min after the emergence from anesthesia. RESULTS: Only the double-stance phase in the walking analysis test showed a significant difference between baseline and results at 150 min. None of the other variables showed any differences among results at baseline and at 150 and 210 min. CONCLUSION: The recovery times for dynamic balance and psychomotor function seem to be within 150 min after emergence from general anesthesia with sevoflurane in patients undergoing oral surgery of less than 2-h duration.

Fitting complete dentures after multiple tooth extraction in a patient with severe dementia.

Complete dentures were constructed after tooth extraction for a 71-year-old uncommunicative patient with Alzheimer's disease. Although she had never previously used them, her husband requested the fitting of complete maxillary and mandibular dentures. Thirteen teeth were extracted under local anesthesia and intravenous sedation (IVS), followed by impression-making under IVS. Denture fabrication and adjustment were carried out under mild physical restraint. A tissue conditioner was applied to the fitting surface of the denture base followed by regular denture adjustments. The time required for the patient to eat a meal decreased from 90 minutes without dentures to 30 minutes with dentures due to an improvement in swallowing. Important factors in the successful fitting and use of dentures in this patient were the use of IVS to control behavior during treatment, the treatment plan focused on painless denture use, and oral care by the patient's husband.

Clinical study of anesthetic management during dental treatment of 25 patients with cardiomyopathy.

This retrospective study analyzed the management of 25 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), or dilated phase of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (dHCM) treated in the outpatient clinic of the Department of Dental Anesthesiology at Hokkaido University. A total of 87 dental treatment sessions were completed. Intravenous sedation was used significantly more often for patients with HCM than those who had DCM. This seemed to be because dental anesthesiologists expected sedative drugs to suppress hyperdynamic circulatory changes caused by mental stress. Intraoperative complications occurred during 19 treatments. The incidence of circulatory complications increased when participants with DCM also reported dental fear. For participants with HCM who reported dental fear, circulatory complications occurred only when sedation was not used. It is not clear whether complications were related to cardiac function or dental treatment. Therefore, it is important to continually monitor patients with these conditions and to be prepared to handle complications that may arise during dental treatment.