Reversibility of Rocuronium-Induced Deep Neuromuscular Block with Sugammadex in Infants and Children-A Randomized Study.

Sugammadex 4 mg·kg-1 is recommended for reversal from rocuronium-induced deep neuromuscular block. However, there is limited data regarding the dose-response of sugammadex required for reversal from deep neuromuscular block in pediatric patients. The aim of this study was to determine the reversibility of rocuronium-induced deep neuromuscular block with sugammadex in infants and children. Seventy-five children (48 infants and 27 children, mean standard deviation (S.D.), age: 11.6 (6.7) months) were enrolled in this study. After induction of anesthesia and administration of 0.6 mg·kg-1 rocuronium, neuromuscular block was acceleromyographically evaluated by observing contractions of the adductor pollicis muscle to ulnar nerve train-of-four (TOF) stimulation. Subsequently, the intensity of rocuronium-induced block was determined every 6 min using post-tetanic count (PTC) stimulation during sevoflurane and remifentanil anesthesia. When the first response to the PTC stimulus was detected, either 1, 2 or 4 mg·kg-1 sugammadex was administered and the time required for facilitated recovery to a TOF ratio of 0.9 following each dose was compared. The time [mean (S.D.)] from the administration of 1 mg·kg-1 sugammadex until recovery to a TOF ratio of 0.9 was significantly longer [129.1 (83.5) s, p < 0.001] than that with 2 and 4 mg·kg-1 sugammadex [70.3 (26.7) s and 68.2 (34.5) s, respectively]. Incomplete reversal was seen in 3 patients in the 1 mg·kg-1 group. The results suggested that a 4 mg·kg-1 sugammadex dose is recommended for reversal from rocuronium-induced deep neuromuscular block even in infants and children.

[Two Cases of Emergency Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support in Children Suffering from Tracheo-innominate Artery Fistula].

Tracheoinnominate artery fistula (TIF) is a relatively rare life-threating complication of long-term tracheostomy. Two patients with TIF were successfully resuscitated by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support along with advanced cardiovascular life support. The first patient was a 16-year-old boy undergoing long-term tracheostomy because of cerebral palsy, and the other patient was a previously healthy 11-year-old girl who had undergone primary tracheal tumor resection. In both cases, the onset of TIF was sudden, and the patients were immediately transferred to the operating room for emergency thoracotomy under ongoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Innominate artery division was performed under ECMO support. Adequate fluid replacement and hemorrhage control are primary treatment options for resuscitating a patient with TIF. However, hemorrhagic shock in patients with TIF is different from that in other patients, because bleeding into the trachea causes severe respiratory failure and poor oxygenation, which may worsen the resuscitation rate. Thus, ECMO can be used as an option for maintaining oxygenation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in TIF. Anesthesiologists should pay attention to the increased risk of bleeding due to anticoagulation during ECMO initiation. In conclusion, the results of these cases demonstrate the effectiveness of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in TIF patients.

[Anesthesia Management for Primary Cleft Lip Closure in an Infant with Congenital Total Length Complete Tracheal Rings].

Complete tracheal ring causes congenital tracheal stenosis in neonates and infants. We have to prevent further tracheal stenosis in perioperative period. This is a case report of an infant with congenital tracheal stenosis due to complete tracheal ring who underwent primary cleft lip closure under general anesthesia. An 8 month-old boy was scheduled for bilateral cleft lip closure. His first operation at two months was canceled because of unsuccessful intubation in previous hospital. He came to our hospital to seek a second opinion. His CT scan showed long segment stenosis of the trachea below glottis. The tracheobronchial endoscopy showed complete tracheal rings 1.5 cm below glottis to the bifurcation. Considering his aspiration episode, we decided to do the cleft lip closure promptly after examinations. We chose an ID 3.0 mm RAE tracheal tube, which is commercially narrowest We intubated 2 cm below glottis, and confirmed that the tip did not touch narrowed trachea with endoscope. This tube was fixed in the center of the mandible and packed with gauze. He was discharged on 8 POD without complication. CT scan and its integrated 3 D image of the trachea were useful to understand the approximate structure. However endoscopic examination allowed more detailed structure-measurement below glottis.

[Management of Pulmonary Blood Flow for a Patient with Congenital Pulmonary Vein Stenosis Undergoing Pulmonary Venous Obstruction Release and Pulmonary Artery Banding].

Congenital pulmonary vein stenosis (CPVS) is a rare fetal congenital heart disease with a prevalence of 1.7 per 100,000 children younger than two years of age. Because of the difficulty of maintaining the pulmonary blood flow, CPVS is associated with a 50% survival rate within five years of diagnosis. We describe a successful management of pulmonary blood flow for a 4-month-old-girl with CPVS, combined with atrial septal defect and ventricular septal defect, undergoing pulmonary vein obstruction release (PVOR). In this case, CPVS was the only cause for pulmonary hypertension because there was no significant pressure gradient between each pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and the paired pulmonary vein pressure, indicating the normal pulmonary vascular structure prior to pulmonary vein stenosis. As pulmonary blood flow was estimated to be high after PVOR, pulmonary artery banding was also performed. Management of pulmonary blood flow is the most important issue for anesthesia of this surgery, especially in postcardiopulmonary bypass period, when the pulmonary vasoconstriction is induced by endothelial dysfuncion.

[Anesthetic management of a patient with severe subcutaneous and mediastinal emphysema due to pertussis infection].

A 20-month-old girl, with respiratory failure due to severe subcutaneous and mediastinal emphysema, was scheduled to undergo percutaneous drainage of emphysema and induction of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Paroxysm, a symptom of the infection of Bordetella pertussis, was the cause of emphysema. In patients with severe neck subcutaneous emphysema, management of difficult airway is the most important safety issue in the practice of anesthesia. Following the American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) guidelines for management of difficult airway, we prepared various types of equipment to facilitate intubation and surgeons were beside the patient during induction of anesthesia for emergency invasive airway access. To prevent the progression of emphysema, preservation of spontaneous breathing during the perioperative period was also important. Combined with propofol and midazolam, pethidine was an effective agent for safe anesthetic induction because it produces less respiratory depression compared to other opiate analgesics. In conclusion, this case demonstrates the importance of prediction of and preparation for difficult airway. Furthermore, anesthesiologists should consider the optimization of anesthesia to avoid progression of emphysema.

Effects of a hot-water extract of porcini (Boletus aestivalis) mushrooms on the blood pressure and heart rate of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The repeated once-daily oral administration of a hot-water extract of porcini, Boletus aestivalis, mushrooms (WEP) to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) for 18 weeks decreased the systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate. The WEP administration also decreased blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cre), and triglyceride (TG), and increased high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) in the blood, suggesting that WEP improved the status of hypertension, as well as the high heart rate and metabolic abnormalities involved in hypertension.

Luminal alkalinization attenuates proteinuria-induced oxidative damage in proximal tubular cells.

A highly acidic environment surrounds proximal tubular cells as a result of their reabsorption of HCO(3)(-). It is unclear whether this luminal acidity affects proteinuria-induced progression of tubular cell damage. Here, we investigated the contribution of luminal acidity to superoxide (O(2)(·-)) production induced by oleic acid-bound albumin (OA-Alb) in proximal tubular cells. Acidic media significantly enhanced OA-Alb-induced O(2)(·-) production in the HK-2 proximal tubular cell line. Simultaneous treatment with both OA-Alb and acidic media led to phosphorylation of the intracellular pH sensor Pyk2. Highly phosphorylated Pyk2 associated with activation of Rac1, an essential subcomponent of NAD(P)H oxidase. Furthermore, knockdown of Pyk2 with siRNA attenuated the O(2)(·-) production induced by cotreatment with OA-Alb and acid. To assess whether luminal alkalinization abrogates proteinuria-induced tubular damage, we studied a mouse model of protein-overload nephropathy. NaHCO(3) feeding selectively alkalinized the urine and dramatically attenuated the accumulation of O(2)(·-)-induced DNA damage and proximal tubular injury. Overall, these observations suggest that luminal acidity aggravates proteinuria-induced tubular damage and that modulation of this acidic environment may hold potential as a therapeutic target for proteinuric kidney disease.

Anesthetic Management of a Juvenile Hyaline Fibromatosis Patient With Trismus and Cervical Movement Limitation.

Juvenile hyaline fibromatosis (JHF) is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by the presence of tissue nodules, joint contractures, and gingival hyperplasia. With a 1-year-9-month-old female patient scheduled for a gingivectomy and excision of a lower lip mass under general anesthesia, it was anticipated that airway management would be difficult because of trismus and limited cervical movement. Intubation with video-laryngoscopic assistance could not be achieved because gingival hyperplasia and trismus prevented blade insertion and manipulation. Therefore, 2 endotracheal tubes were used: 1 used as a nasopharyngeal airway for assisted ventilation, and 1 used for intubation along with a flexible fiberoptic scope. This case demonstrated a useful method for managing ventilation and intubation in patients with JHF, particularly when the use of oral airway devices is difficult.

A Case of General Anesthesia for a Young Infant in Whom Intubation Was Suspected to Be Difficult Because of a Thyrolingual Cyst.

This is a case report of an infant who underwent thyrolingual cystectomy under general anesthesia. Two tracheal tubes were used: 1 for nasopharyngeal airway and the other for fiberoptic intubation. With this method, nasal intubation was successfully performed without hypoxia and hypercapnia even in a 3-month-old infant. We concluded this is a useful intubation method for infants who are predicted to be a difficult intubation.

Improvement of Diet-induced Obesity by Ingestion of Mushroom Chitosan Prepared from Flammulina velutipes.

The anti-obesity effects of mushroom chitosan prepared from Flammulina velutipes were investigated using an animal model with diet-induced obesity. In this study, 5-week-old imprinting control region (ICR) mice were divided into six groups of 10 mice each and fed different diets based on the MF powdered diet (standard diet) for 6 weeks: standard diet control group, high-fat diet control group (induced dietary obesity) consisting of the standard diet and 20% lard, and mushroom chitosan groups consisting of the high-fat diet with mushroom chitosan added at 100, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg body weight. On the final day of the experiment, mean body weight was 39.1 g in the high-fat control group and 36.3 g in the 2,000 mg/kg mushroom chitosan group, compared to 35.8 g in the standard diet control group. In the mushroom chitosan groups, a dose-dependent suppression of weight gain and marked improvements in serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol were found. The mushroom chitosan groups showed fewer and smaller fat deposits in liver cells than the high-fat diet control group, and liver weight was significantly reduced. Glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvic transaminase (GPT), which are indices of the hepatic function, all showed dose-dependent improvement with mushroom chitosan administration. These results suggested that mushroom chitosan acts to suppress enlargement of the liver from fat deposition resulting from a high-fat diet and to restore hepatic function. The lipid content of feces showed a marked increase correlated with the mushroom chitosan dose. These findings suggest the potential use of mushroom chitosan as a functional food ingredient that contributes to the prevention or improvement of dietary obesity by inhibiting digestion and absorption of fats in the digestive tract and simultaneously promotes lipolysis in adipocytes.

Anesthetic Management in Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy: A Case Report.

We report on a morbidly obese 16-year-old boy (weight, 116 kg; height, 176 cm; body mass index, 35.5 kg/m2) with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy and a history of cerebral infarction, epilepsy, and severe mental retardation. The patient was scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia for multiple dental caries and entropion of the left eye. Preoperative examination results, including an electrocardiogram, were normal. No obvious cardiac function abnormalities were observed on echocardiography. Midazolam (10 mg) was administered orally as premedication 30 minutes before transfer to the operating room; however, the patient was uncooperative, and his body movements were difficult to control upon entering the operating room. This complicated our attempts to establish a peripheral intravenous line and necessitated volatile inhalational induction, followed by maintenance using total intravenous anesthesia. General anesthesia was used to minimize metabolic system stress. We did not use an infusion solution containing sodium lactate. The operation and subsequent clinical course until discharge were uneventful. Because aerobic metabolism is already compromised in patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, anesthetic management should be designed to avoid placing additional stress on the metabolic system.

Methylglyoxal augments intracellular oxidative stress in human aortic endothelial cells.

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is a non-enzymatic metabolite in the glycolytic pathway and its concentration in blood and tissues is elevated in diabetes and renal failure. MGO induces tissue injuries via ROS; however, the mechanism remains to be clarified. The present study examined the harmful actions of MGO. Human aortic endothelial cells were assessed under real-time fluorescent microscopy with continuous superfusion. Increases in intracellular ROS were measured with fluorescent indicator, 5-(and-6)-chloromethyl-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate acetyl ester (DCFH-DA). The addition of MGO rapidly increased the ROS in a dose-dependent manner. The increment of DCF was entirely abolished by pre-treatment with superoxide anion scavenger and membrane-permeable catalase, indicating that MGO induces superoxide production. The increment was completely inhibited by 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone or carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone and partially inhibited by N-methyl-L-arginine. These data suggest that MGO stimulates superoxide production from mitochondria and partially stimulates nitric oxide synthase in human endothelial cells.

Antihypertensive effect of Pleurotus nebrodensis in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

In this study, we examined the effects of Pleurotus nebrodensis on systolic blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats. Single-dose and continuous-dose tests with sample diets made from the fruit body of the mushroom, P. nebrodensis were carried out on SHR and control rats. Sample diets included 6% dry powder of fruit body (6% dry powder), hot water extract, polysaccharide fraction, protein fraction, dialyzable fraction and non-dialyzable fraction. Polysaccharide and protein fractions were obtained by hot water extraction. The protein fraction was separated to the dialyzable fraction and non-dialyzable fraction by dialysis. In the single-dose test, protein fraction, hot water extract and polysaccharide fraction decreased systolic blood pressure. Blood pressure was lowered after administration for 2 h, and it returned to the pre-administration blood pressure after 48 h. In the continuous-dose test, spontaneously hypertensive rats were fed each of the diets for 16 weeks. The 6% dry powder group showed significantly inhibited elevation of blood pressure compared with the control group and there was no influence on total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The non-dialyzable fraction showed suppression of increase in blood pressure from the start of the continuous oral administration. Effects on the rennin angiotensin system and renal function were also indicated. The antihypertensive action effect of P. nebrodensis can be expected to not only prevent but also to improve hypertension.