Acute and subacute neurovascular impact of cryptogenic air emboli.

Background: Cerebral air embolism is a rare cause of acute ischemic stroke that is becoming increasingly well-described in the literature. However, the mechanism and severity of this type of injury can vary, with ischemia typically emerging early in the course of care. To the best of our knowledge, delayed ischemia in this setting has not yet been described. Case Description: A stroke code was called for an unresponsive, hospitalized, 75-year-old man. A computerized tomography (CT) scan of the head revealed air within the right greater than left hemispheric cortical veins with loss of sulcation, concerning for developing ischemia, and CT angiography revealed absent opacification of the distal cortical vessels in the right anterior cerebral artery and middle cerebral artery territories. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain was obtained 5.75 h after the patient's last known well-showed small areas of subtle cortical diffusion restriction. Follow-up CT head within 24 h showed near-complete resolution of the air emboli after treatment with 100% fraction of inspired oxygen on mechanical ventilation. Subsequent MRI, performed 4 days after the initial event, showed extensive cortical diffusion restriction and cerebral edema crossing vascular territories. Conclusion: This case highlights that cerebral air emboli can cause delayed ischemia that may not be appreciated on initial imaging. As such, affected patients may require intensive neurocritical care management, close neurologic monitoring, and repeat imaging irrespective of initial radiographic findings.

Percutaneous irreversible electroporation with systemic treatment for locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The prognosis for unresectable locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma (LAPC) remains poor. There is increasing interest in modern ablative techniques to improve outcomes. We report on the potential value of integrating percutaneous irreversible electroporation (IRE) in patients undergoing systemic chemotherapy. METHODS: Seventy-five patients with unresectable pancreatic carcinoma underwent percutaneous IRE after chemotherapy using computerised tomography guidance under general anaesthesia. Postoperative immediate and 30-day morbidity and mortality, progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. RESULTS: Post-procedural immediate and 30-day mortality rates were both zero. All-grade adverse events were 25%. Median in-patient stay was 1 day (range, 1-5 days). Median OS and PFS post-IRE for LAPC were 27 and 15 months respectively. Four patients with LAPC down-staged post-IRE ablation to be surgically resectable, with R0 resections in 3 cases. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that percutaneous IRE ablation of unresectable LAPC is safe to integrate with standard-of-care chemotherapy and may improve survival, which provides a template for further evaluation in prospective randomized clinical trials.

LIPAEMIC report: results of clinical use of intravenous lipid emulsion in drug toxicity reported to an online lipid registry.

The use of intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) as an antidote has prompted significant academic and clinical interest. Between August 2009 and August 2012, data from cases of ILE use in intoxicated patients in different hospitals on different continents were voluntarily entered into a registry based on the world wide web (www.lipidregistry.org). Here, we report data from this project. Participating centers were given access to the registry following institutional subscription. Specifically sought were details of the individual patients' presenting condition, indications for ILE use, ILE administration regimen, potential complications, and of clinical outcome. Forty-eight uses of ILE were reported from 61 participating centers. Ten cases of local anesthetic systemic toxicity were reported; all (10/10) survived. Thirty-eight cases of intoxication by other agents were reported [30 decreased conscious state, 8 cardiovascular collapse (3 deaths)]. There was an elevation in GCS (p < 0.0001) and increased systolic blood pressure (p = 0.012) from immediately prior to ILE administration to 30 min after use. One serious and two minor adverse effects of ILE use were recorded in 48 reported cases (one case of bronchospastic reaction, one case of hyperamylasemia and one case of interference with laboratory testing). In this series of cases reported to the registry, improvements were seen for GCS in patients with central nervous system toxicity and in systolic blood pressure in shocked patients over a short time frame after the injection of ILE. Few adverse effects were recorded. Clinical trials and the reporting of drug concentrations after ILE use are necessary to further elucidate the role of ILE in clinical toxicology.

Irreversible electroporation for focal ablation at the porta hepatis.

Patients with chemotherapy-refractory liver metastases who are not candidates for surgery may be treated with focal ablation techniques with established survival benefits. Irreversible electroporation is the newest of these and has the putative advantages of a nonthermal action, preventing damage to adjacent biliary structures and bowel. This report describes the use of irreversible electroporation in a 61-year-old man with a solitary chemoresistant liver metastasis unsuitable for radiofrequency ablation as a result of its proximity to the porta hepatis. At 3 months, tumor size was decreased on computed tomography from 28 × 19 to 20 × 17 mm, representing stable disease according to the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors. This corresponded to a decrease in tumor volume size from 5.25 to 3.16 cm(3). There were no early or late complications. Chemoresistant liver metastases in the proximity of the porta hepatis that are considered to be too high a risk for conventional surgery or thermal ablation may be considered for treatment by the novel ablation technique of irreversible electroporation.

Mouth opening: a new angle.

BACKGROUND: The authors hypothesized that craniocervical extension occurs during normal mouth opening. METHODS: Twenty volunteers were studied. Interdental distance was measured at four different degrees of craniocervical extension. RESULTS: Interdental distance increased from 28 mm (95% confidence interval, 25-30) in slight flexion to 46 mm (95% confidence interval, 42-49) at full extension. Nearly maximal mouth opening was obtained with 26 degrees (95% confidence interval, 22-30) of craniocervical extension from neutral. CONCLUSION: Craniocervical extension is an integral part of complete mouth opening in conscious subjects. Fixation of the craniocervical junction by disease, an internal or external fixation device, or technique may restrict mouth opening, with consequences for airway management.