Can pediatric Gamma Knife radiosurgery be managed under monitored anesthesia care? A case presentation and proposal from anesthesiologists.

Gamma Knife radiosurgery is generally performed under procedural sedation and analgesia. However, there are some risks regarding the patient's respiratory function and the specifics of its management, since the presence of a stereotactic frame may impede access to the patient's airway and interfere with direct visual observation by medical personnel. Monitored anesthesia care, which is a specific anesthesia service for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures that involve various levels of sedation, analgesia and anxiolysis, is recognized as producing less physiologic disturbance while allowing a more rapid recovery than general anesthesia. The selection of suitable candidates and medications, as well as the early detection of respiratory deterioration are considered to be essential for patient safety.

The effect of single low-dose dexamethasone on vomiting during awake craniotomy.

PURPOSE: Intraoperative vomiting leads to serious respiratory complications that could influence the surgical decision-making process for awake craniotomy. However, the use of antiemetics is still limited in Japan. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of prophylactically administered single low-dose dexamethasone on the incidence of vomiting during awake craniotomy. The frequency of hyperglycemia was also examined. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective case review of awake craniotomy for glioma resection between 2012 and 2015. RESULTS: Of the 124 patients, 91 were included in the analysis. Dexamethasone was not used in 43 patients and the 48 remaining patients received an intravenous bolus of 4.95 mg dexamethasone at anesthetic induction. Because of stable operating conditions, no one required conscious sedation throughout functional mapping and tumor resection. Although dexamethasone pretreatment reduced the incidence of intraoperative vomiting (P = 0.027), the number of patients who complained of nausea was comparable (P = 0.969). No adverse events related to vomiting occurred intraoperatively. Baseline blood glucose concentration did not differ between each group (P = 0.143), but the samples withdrawn before emergence (P = 0.018), during the awake period (P < 0.0001) and at the end of surgery (P < 0.0001) showed significantly higher glucose levels in the dexamethasone group. Impaired wound healing was not observed in either group. CONCLUSION: A single low-dose of dexamethasone prevents intraoperative vomiting for awake craniotomy cases. However, as even a small dose of dexamethasone increases the risk for hyperglycemia, antiemetic prophylaxis with dexamethasone should be administered after careful consideration. Monitoring of perioperative blood glucose concentration is also necessary.

[Perioperative management of an obese patient complicated with sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) undergoing awake craniotomy].

Both obesity (BMI over 30) and SAS are risks for Supper airway maintenance. We report an obese patient (BMI 33.5) with SAS who underwent awake craniotomy. Weight reduction was instructed 1 month before the operation, and the patient lost enough weight to use intraoperative MRI. Under general anesthesia, surgical pads containing 2% lidocaine with adrenaline were inserted into the nasal cavities. The patient's airway S was secured by i-gel® until dura was opened. A nasal airway was then inserted to confirm the upper airway patency and anesthetics were terminated The patient regained consciousness and started respiration. The i-gel® was removed. The nasal airway was changed to an RAE tracheal tube ; the tube was fixed above the vocal cords under bronchofiberscopic observation. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) via RAE tube was started. Neither coughing nor epistaxis was observed.The RAE tube prevented glossoptosis and did not disturb speech mapping. Emergent endotracheal intubation was easily managed because the tube was close to the glottis. The RAE tube was removed and nasal CP AP was applied overnight Carefully prepared CP AP support via nasal RAE tube was practical in keeping upper airway patency for an obese patient complicated with SAS undergoing awake craniotomy.