Factors associated with transient bradycardia during local anesthesia administration to the oral cavity under intravenous sedation: A retrospective cohort study.

Background/purpose: The possibility of triggering the trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) during oral surgery is considerably lower than that during other surgeries. A reduced heart rate (HR) of ≥20% from baseline is usually considered a diagnostical criterion for the TCR. Our automated anesthesia charting system often revealed cases of slight transient HR decrease during sedation. We aimed to explore its incidence and associated factors during local anesthesia administration under intravenous sedation. Materials and methods: This study analyzed the data of 2636 cases that received infiltration anesthesia under intravenous sedation from 2008 to 2010 and had vital signs recorded using an automated anesthesia charting system. Especially, data concerning the average HR before anesthesia and the minimum HR between the initiation and end of anesthesia from anesthetic records were extracted. Moreover, data regarding patients' medical history and unusual reactions during dental treatment were collected. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with transient bradycardia (TB). Results: TB occurred in 472 patients (17.9%); no patient developed hypotension or any associated symptoms, suggesting that intravenous sedation was effective in stabilizing vital signs. The factors associated with TB were younger age, gag reflex, and allergy to local anesthetics. There were no differences in sex, patient history, or dose of sedatives between patients with TB and those without TB. Conclusion: The incidence of TB during infiltration anesthesia under sedation was found to be higher than that previously reported. Additionally, young age and gag reflex were identified as factors associated with bradycardia development.

Oral management of a patient with down syndrome and agammaglobulinemia: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Down syndrome is characterized by a variety of dysmorphic features and congenital malformations, such as congenital heart disease, gastrointestinal disease, and other conditions like leukemia and autoimmune disorders. Patients with Down syndrome are highly prone to respiratory tract infections, which might be fatal to them. However, there are only few available data on patients diagnosed with Down syndrome and agammaglobulinemia. In this report, we describe a case of successful prevention of post-dental treatment complications (e.g., pneumonia and other bacterial infections) in a patient with Down syndrome and agammaglobulinemia. CASE PRESENTATION: A 43-year-old man with Down syndrome, untreated agammaglobulinemia, and a history of recurrent pneumonia, was referred to our clinic for tooth mobility. To reduce the risk of post-operative infections, gammaglobulin treatment and prophylactic administration of antibiotics was scheduled before the dental procedure. Furthermore, the dental treatment, which included a filling and extractions, was conducted under general anesthesia and with the supervision of a hematologist. The dental procedures were successfully performed without any post-operative infection, and the patient is undergoing follow-up care. CONCLUSIONS: The purpose of this case report was to recommend a close liaison between physicians and dentists who may encounter a similar case, and to emphasize the importance of improving oral health of immunodeficient patients to prevent infections caused by oral microbial flora.

Combined Use of a Gum Elastic Bougie and Video Laryngoscopy for Intubating a Patient With an Unexpected Laryngeal Papilloma.

This is a case report of a 75-year-old man scheduled for apical resection and cystectomy of odontogenic cysts involving both maxillary central incisors who presented with a previously unknown laryngeal mass that was discovered prior to intubation. Following induction and easy mask ventilation, direct laryngoscopy revealed a large mass on the right side of the glottis that impeded passage of a standard oral endotracheal tube. Successful atraumatic intubation was performed with the combination of a video laryngoscope (King Vision, Ambu Inc, Ballerup, Denmark) and a gum elastic bougie (GEB). Although a GEB may not be used routinely for tracheal intubation, it facilitated smooth advancement of the endotracheal tube without damaging the laryngeal mass when used in combination with video laryngoscopy.

Bupropion increases activation in nucleus accumbens during anticipation of monetary reward.

RATIONALE: Bupropion is used for major depressive disorder, smoking cessation aid, and obesity. It blocks reuptake of dopamine and noradrenaline and antagonizes nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Animal studies showed that bupropion enhanced rewarding effects. In addition, bupropion has the potential to treat patients with reward processing dysfunction. However, neural substrates underlying the bupropion effects on reward function in human subjects are not fully understood. OBJECTIVES: We investigated single-dose administration of bupropion on neural response of reward anticipation in healthy subjects using a monetary incentive delay (MID) task by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), especially focusing on nucleus accumbens (NAc) activity to non-drug reward stimuli under bupropion treatment. METHODS: We used a randomized placebo-controlled within-subject crossover design. Fifteen healthy adults participated in two series of an fMRI study, taking either placebo or bupropion. The participants performed the MID task during the fMRI scanning. The effects of bupropion on behavioral performance and blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal in NAc during anticipation of monetary gain were analyzed. RESULTS: We found that bupropion significantly increased BOLD responses in NAc during monetary reward anticipation. The increased BOLD responses in NAc were observed with both low and high reward incentive cues. There was no significant difference between placebo and bupropion in behavioral performance. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide support for the notion that bupropion enhances non-drug rewarding effects, suggesting a possible mechanism underlying therapeutic effects for patients with motivational deficit.

Treatment of oral cancers during pregnancy: a case-based discussion.

BACKGROUND: Malignancies occur in approximately 1:1000 pregnancies; the most common being breast (46%) and hematological (18%) malignancies. Oral cancers account for only 2% of all cancers in pregnant women, and there are no standard guidelines for the treatment of oral cancer during pregnancy. METHODS: Between 2007 and 2014, our department managed 1109 patients with oral cancers; four (0.4%) had tongue carcinomas during pregnancy. These cases were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The four women were aged 29-39 (median 32.5) years. Two underwent partial glossectomy at 39 and 40 weeks' gestation, respectively, one received radiotherapy at 17 weeks' gestation, and one underwent supraomohyoid neck dissection and hemi-glossectomy with a forearm flap reconstruction. CONCLUSION: In addition to tumor factors, the wishes of the patient and her family, gestational age, and fetal and maternal conditions are important factors in deciding on a treatment protocol. Moreover, treatment decisions require multidisciplinary approach.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery in patients undergoing dialysis for advanced renal disease: report of five cases.

BACKGROUND: Perioperativemanagement of hemodialysis patients involves many difficulties. High mortality rate and circulatory or respiratory complications in these patients were reported. However, in such reports, there is no concrete information of perioperative management in hemodialysis patients to prevent surgical complications and successful outcomes. CASE PRESENTATION: We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 5 hemodialysis patients who underwent oral surgery under general anesthesia between January 2005 and December 2017. Primary disease was oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in 4 patients and mandibular ameloblastoma in 1 patient. Partial resection was performed in 2 cases, neck dissection in 1 case. Two cases underwent surgery including vascularized reconstruction. The patients were dialyzed the day before and after surgery for the control of fluid and electrolyte status. Patients received intraoperative and postoperative intravenous infusion of potassium-free solution at 20-40 mL/h. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) were used on the day of hemodialysis during hospitalization. Nafamostat mesilate as an anticoagulant during hemodialysis were used from postoperative day (POD)1 to 7. From POD 1 to 10, cephalosporin as prophylactic antibiotics is adjusted to quarter from half the initial dose. The resuming time of oral intake was similar to that of other oral surgery patients without kidney disease. The daily intake limits of protein, salt and liquid were managed during hospitalization and no cases suffered from malnutrition. No cardiorespiratory complications occurred during the perioperative period. In a case of vascularized osteocutaneous scapular flap reconstruction, grafted scapular bone survived and scapular cutaneous flap necrotized. Necrotic tissue was debrided and split thickness skin was successfully used to cover the grafted scapular bone. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative better result could be achieved if adequate perioperative management specific to hemodialysis patients is carried out. Vascularized flap reconstruction at oral and maxillofacial region in hemodialysis patients is beneficial treatment. Even if the first flap has wound complication secondary flap reconstruction is success and aesthetically better results could be achieved by the strict wound management and debridement.

Alternating Current Iontophoresis for Control of Postoperative Pain.

Control of early postoperative pain entails the use of various medications including acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, tramadol, and opioids. However, these medications should be carefully administered in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease because some medications may trigger adverse reactions after maxillofacial surgeries. The goal of postoperative pain control in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease is to eliminate pain without complications. Local anesthesia is an efficient tool for the control of postoperative pain after maxillofacial surgeries. We utilized a transdermal drug delivery system, iontophoresis by alternating current, in order to develop an alternative technique for administering local anesthetic to control postoperative pain in 2 patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease. A visual analogue scale was used to objectively measure the severity of pain. A 55-year-old woman who underwent mandibular wisdom tooth extraction and an 18-year-old woman who underwent sagittal split ramus osteotomy of the mandible both complained of pain multiple times. After application of iontophoresis, the visual analogue scale score was reduced to zero and postoperative pain could be controlled. There were no adverse events such as bronchospasm or skin irritation after the application of iontophoresis by alternating current.

Difficult Nasal Intubation Using Airway Scope® for a Child With Large Tumor.

We report a case of difficult nasal intubation utilizing a Pentax-Airway scope® AWS-100. A 4-month-old female with a rapidly growing melanotic neuroectodermal tumor was scheduled for resection under general anesthesia. The tumor was a large rubbery mass located in the middle of the mandible. For nasal intubation using the AWS, guidance of the tube toward the glottis was attempted using pediatric Magill forceps. Although we could hold the tube with the Magill forceps, it was difficult to insert the tube into the trachea due to the limited space in her hypopharynx. We then used a standard laryngoscope with a Miller straight blade for direct visual laryngoscopy and successfully intubated the patient with the aid of the pediatric Magill forceps. We often experience difficulty navigating a nasal endotracheal tube toward the glottis even when a clear glottic view is obtained with video laryngoscopes, especially in children with a small oropharyngeal space. However, some reports have been shown that video laryngoscopes are useful for intubation of the difficult airway and causes less stress to the upper airway than direct visual laryngoscopy. Video laryngoscopy can be an excellent way to provide nasal intubation in some but not all children.

Hypoesthesia associated with mandibular movement after sagittal split ramus osteotomy.

PURPOSE: This retrospective study investigated the relationship between the degree of neurosensory disturbance (NSD) and mandibular movement distance after sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) and assessed sensory recovery. METHODS: Lower lip hypoesthesia was evaluated at 1 week, 1 month, and 2 months after SSRO in 38 patients categorized according to the distance of mandibular movement: S group (0-7 mm; n = 17, 4 males and 13 females) and L group (7-14 mm; n = 21, 7 males, 14 females). Symptoms were evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS), tactile-threshold (SW) test, static 2-point discrimination (s-2PD) test, and current perception threshold (CPT) test. RESULTS: The two groups did not differ significantly in gender and age. The Aß fiber results of the CPT test differed significantly between the groups at 1 week and 1 month postsurgery (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the groups throughout the period in terms of VAS, SW, s-2PD, Aδ fiber, and C fiber of CPT. CONCLUSIONS: Post-SSRO, the incidence of NSD in terms of tactile sensation may be greater in the L group early postoperatively. This may assist surgeons in explaining postoperative hypoesthesia to patients preoperatively.

An analysis of green discoloration of urine caused by propofol infusion.

BACKGROUND: Propofol is a short-acting, intravenous sedative-hypnotic agent that is widely used for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia and sedation. An uncommon adverse effect of propofol is green discoloration of the urine, which has been reported not only under general anesthesia but also with sedation. Although it is assumed that the phenolic derivatives of propofol can cause green discoloration of the urine, the actual origin remains unknown. The aim of this report was to identify the origin of the green discoloration of the urine using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). CLINICAL FEATURES: The patient, a 51-year-old man, was scheduled for his oral surgery under general anesthesia using propofol. Postoperatively, the color of his urine was observed to be green. We compared and analyzed both the green urine and the normal urine using LC-MS. CONCLUSION: We experienced a case of a patient with green discoloration of the urine after general anesthesia using propofol. Although LC-MS analysis showed 2 unique peaks in the green urine at 490 and 590 nm, obvious causes were not revealed.

Trigeminal neuralgia: differences in magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of neurovascular compression between symptomatic and asymptomatic nerves.

OBJECTIVES: Neurovascular compression (NVC) of the trigeminal nerve is the primary cause of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) but is known to occur in both symptomatic and asymptomatic nerves. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the relationship between the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings regarding the site of NVC and the manifestation of TN symptoms. METHODS: In 147 patients with unilateral TN, the presence or absence of NVC was evaluated on MRI in both symptomatic and asymptomatic nerves. In cases with NVC, the shortest distance from the trigeminal nerve root to the responsible vessel was measured. RESULTS: The mean distance from the trigeminal nerve root to the site of NVC in asymptomatic nerves (3.85 ± 2.69 mm) was significantly greater than that in symptomatic nerves (0.94 ± 1.27 mm). When the distance was 3 mm or less, the rate of the manifestation of TN symptoms was 83.1% (103/124). On the other hand, it was only 19.6% (9/46) in cases with a distance of greater than 3 mm. CONCLUSIONS: Whether or not NVC of the trigeminal nerve was symptomatic was closely related to the distance from the trigeminal nerve root to the responsible blood vessel.

A comparison of dexmedetomidine sedation with and without midazolam for dental implant surgery.

Dexmedetomidine (DEX) has a minimal respiratory depressive effect, which is beneficial for dentistry; however, it has the disadvantage of permitting an intraoperative arousal response such that the patient appears to be suddenly no longer sedated, and it has a variable amnestic effect. Since midazolam (MDZ) in an appropriate dose has a profound amnesic effect, we investigated whether additional MDZ compensates for the disadvantage of DEX and enables a better quality of sedation. Forty-three subjects were randomly divided into 4 groups. In group 1, MDZ (0.02 mg/kg) was administered intravenously, followed by a dose of 0.01 mg/kg every 45 minutes. After the first dose of MDZ, preloading with DEX (2 µg/kg/h for 10 minutes) was started and maintained with a dosage of 0.5 µg/kg/h. In group 2, MDZ was infused in the same manner as in group 1, followed by preloading with DEX (1 µg/kg/h for 10 minutes) and maintenance (0.3 µg/kg/h). In group 3, MDZ was infused 0.03 mg/kg, and a dose of 0.01 mg/kg was given every 30 minutes; DEX was administered at the same as in group 2. In group 4, DEX was infused using the same method as in group 1 without MDZ. The sedation levels, amnesia, and patient satisfaction were also investigated. Group 2 had a lower sedation level and a poor evaluation during the first half of the operation. Group 4 did not exhibit an amnesic effect at the beginning of the operation. An evaluation of the degree of patient satisfaction did not reveal any differences among the groups. Optimal sedation was achieved through the combined use of MDZ (0.02 mg/kg with the addition of 0.01 mg/kg every 45 minutes) and DEX (2 µg/kg/h for 10 minutes followed by 0.5 µg/kg/h).

General anesthesia for a patient with deletion 6q syndrome in addition to laryngomalacia undergoing dental treatment.

Chromosome 6 deletions are very rare (1,2), and deletion 6q syndrome is clinically characterized by mental and/or neuromotor retardation and microcephaly (3). Other alterations frequently observed are decreased biparietal diameter, hypertelorism, hypotelorism, absent eyebrows, prominent eyes with ptosis, receding chin, dysmorphic ears, large extremities, prominent nasal bridge, long philtrum, epicthus, strabismus, and micrognathia (3-5). Laryngomalacia is the most common congenital laryngeal anomaly and the most frequent cause of stridor in infants (6-11). We report the case of a 14-year-old male patient with both deletion 6q syndrome and laryngomalacia, who we treated for multiple dental caries. He had a medical history of tracheotomy at age 11 years for laryngomalacia, and has suffered from epileptic attacks and aspiration pneumonia over the last 2 and 6 years, respectively. Since he was mentally retarded and in a poor respiratory state, dental treatment under general anesthesia was scheduled in our hospital. General anesthesia was induced and maintained using 30% nitrous oxide and 1-3% sevoflurane in oxygen through the tracheotomy tube. Pre- and intraoperative endotracheal suction improved the condition of both lungs markedly and the procedures were uneventful and completed in 2 h and 58 min.

Differences in the degree of infiltration of local anesthesia according to the site of injection in rats.

This study was conducted for morphological and quantitative evaluation of the diffusional pattern of infiltration anesthesia according to the site of injection. The maxillary first molar of rats was anesthetized by local infiltration of 100 microL of 2% lidocaine containing trypan blue at a distance of 2 mm from the palatal mucogingival junction or mucobuccal fold over the root apex of the maxillary first molar. The frozen sections were prepared in order to measure the volume of the anesthetics using volume-calculating software. On the palatal side, the anesthetic infiltrated the submucosal layer at an infiltration volume of 0.51 +/- 0.78 mm(3). On the buccal side, the solution entered the space formed by the masseter muscles, the arcus zygomaticus, and the lacrimal gland, at an infiltration volume of 23.80 +/- 13.16 mm(3). The results indicate the infiltration volume depends on the injection site and that insufficient anesthesia or unnecessary numbness is expected.

Postoperative hyperthermia of unknown origin treated with dantrolene sodium.

An 11-year-old girl was scheduled for alveolar cleft bone grafting with an iliac bone under general anesthesia. Anesthesia was performed with 70% nitrous oxide, 30% oxygen, and propofol. On the first and second postoperative day, persistent hyperthermia was observed. Because the administration of diclofenac sodium had not been effective for the hyperthermia, dantrolene sodium was given. Her body temperature gradually dropped and returned to normal level on the fifth postoperative day. The hyperthermia in the present case might have been caused by a rapidly elevated muscle metabolism in response to pain and stress after the propofol anesthesia. The oral administration of dantrolene sodium successfully lowered the patient's high body temperature.

Comparison of topical anesthesia of 20% benzocaine and 60% lidocaine gel.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacies of 2 topical anesthetics commonly used in dentistry. STUDY DESIGN: The alveolar mucosa of the upper incisor apices of 20 healthy male volunteers was applied for 20 minutes with either 20% benzocaine gel or nothing as a control. The second part of experiment was done with 60% lidocaine gel and vehicle as control. Three methods of stimulation were given, and the pain rating score and visual analog scale were measured after each stimulation. RESULTS: Twenty percent benzocaine did not significantly alter pain perception as measured by the pain rating score and visual analog scale with these 3 methods of stimulation. In contrast, 60% lidocaine significantly reduced pain perception according to these measurements. We conclude that 60% lidocaine gel is effective for topical anesthesia before infiltration anesthesia.