Emergency cesarean section of a patient with refractory status epilepticus: A case report of challenges during anesthesia.

INTRODUCTION: Maternal epilepsy is a critical condition that can significantly affect mothers and fetuses. Notably, the admission of a laboring mother with uncontrolled refractory status epilepticus (RSE) to the operating room presents a challenging scenario for anesthesiologists. THE MAIN SYMPTOMS OF THE PATIENT AND THE IMPORTANT CLINICAL FINDINGS: A 30-year-old primigravida was transferred to the operating room for an emergency cesarean section. Cesarean section was performed after a provisional diagnosis of preeclampsia was made. THE MAIN DIAGNOSES, THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS, AND OUTCOMES: Cesarean section was performed under general anesthesia. During the postoperative period, the patient exhibited no seizure activity in the brain; however, she experienced mild cognitive dysfunction for up to 6 months postdelivery. The neonate were discharged without any complications. CONCLUSION: Inducing anesthesia in pregnant women with ongoing seizure activity are challenging; however, anesthesiologists provide judgment based on the balance between the safety of the mother and fetus and the balance between patient monitoring and the progression of anesthesia. This challenge can be addressed through multidisciplinary collaboration.

Coronary Artery Occlusion with Sharp Blood Pressure Drop during General Anesthesia Induction: A Case Report.

Most anesthetics reduce cardiac functions and lower blood pressure (BP), potentially causing excessive BP reduction in dehydrated patients or those with heart conditions, such as coronary artery disease (CAD). Considering the increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease with age, anesthesiologists must be cautious about BP reduction during general anesthesia in older adults. In the present case, a 76-year-old male patient with undiagnosed CAD in a hypovolemic state experienced a significant drop in systolic BP to the fifties during propofol and sevoflurane anesthesia. Despite the use of vasopressors, excessive hypotension persisted, leading to anesthesia suspension. Subsequent cardiac examinations, including computed tomography heart angio and calcium score, and coronary angiogram, revealed a near total occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery (pLAD) and the formation of collateral circulation. After 5 days of hydration and anticoagulation medications and confirmation of normovolemic state, general anesthesia was attempted again and successfully induced; a normal BP was maintained throughout the surgery. Thus, it is important to conduct a thorough cardiac evaluation and maintain normovolemia for general anesthesia in older adults.

Causes and Treatment of Hypoxia during Total Hip Arthroplasty in Elderly Patients: A Case Report.

Intraoperative hypoxia occurs in approximately 6.8% of surgeries and requires appropriate management to avoid poor outcomes, such as increased mortality or extended hospitalization. Hypoxia can be caused by a variety of factors, including laryngospasm, inhalational anesthetics, and surgery for abdominal pathology or hip fractures. In particular, elderly patients are more vulnerable to hypoxia due to their existing lung diseases or respiratory muscle weakness. This study presents the cases of two elderly patients who developed hypoxia during total hip arthroplasty under general anesthesia. Positive end expiratory pressure, the recruitment maneuver, and increased fraction of inspired oxygen improved hypoxia only temporarily, and patients' oxygen saturation level again dropped to 79-80%. We suspected that hypoxia was caused by atelectasis and, therefore, resumed spontaneous respiration. Thereafter, both the patients showed an improvement in hypoxia. Intraoperative hypoxia that is suspected to be caused by atelectasis can be improved by securing sufficient lung volume for respiration through increased muscle tone with spontaneous respiration.