The safety and efficacy of propofol as a replacement for amobarbital in intracarotid Wada testing of presurgical patients with epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: The intracarotid sodium amytal procedure (the "Wada test") has for many years been the gold standard for language and memory lateralization and remains an important part of presurgical analysis for patients with medically intractable seizures. Due to shortages in the key sedative (amobarbital), neuropsychologists have turned to alternatives such as propofol. Our aim was to investigate the safety and efficacy of propofol relative to amobarbital in the Wada test. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of the 97 Wada procedures performed at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics from 2007 through mid-2015. RESULTS: Propofol produced similar lateralization rates as amobarbital for both language and memory. Similar rates of patients in each group went on to have the resection surgery. With regard to safety, there were no differences found in average rate or severity of adverse effects. None of the demographic characteristics reviewed were predictive of increased risk for either drug. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings support previous studies indicating that propofol is as safe and efficacious as amobarbital, and can continue to be used in Wada procedures with confidence.

[Attempted suicide with barbiturates purchased online]. / Tentamen suicidii met barbituraten van internet.

BACKGROUND: Barbiturate intoxication is potentially lethal. With the availability of the newer anticonvulsants the use of barbiturates in treating epilepsy has decreased significantly, with a concurrent decrease in the incidence of overdose with these medications. There have, however, been recent alarm signals from governmental sources concerning the increase in the Internet purchase of illegal medications, including barbiturates, for use in attempted suicide. CASE DESCRIPTION: Here we describe two patient cases involving barbiturate intoxication with amobarbital and thiopental, respectively. They had both obtained the barbiturates via the Internet. Both patients were comatose and showed signs of respiratory depression; one of them was also haemodynamically unstable. Both patients recovered fully following intensive supportive therapy. CONCLUSION: In patients with coma, respiratory depression, absence of brainstem reflexes and shock with no evident cause one should be aware of the possibility of barbiturate intoxication, even when there is no indication that these have been prescribed or that the patient has direct or indirect access to barbiturates. Prompt, optimal supportive therapy will give a good chance of full somatic recovery.

Bilateral Wada test: amobarbital or propofol?

PURPOSE: The Wada test is still the gold standard procedure to predict language and memory deficits before temporal lobe epilepsy surgery. As amobarbital was no longer available, our aim was to validate propofol as an alternative. METHOD: We retrospectively studied 47 patients who underwent a bilateral intracarotid procedure, performed with amobarbital (18), or propofol (29), between 2000 and 2010 during the preoperative evaluation of temporal lobe epilepsy. RESULTS: The number of patients experiencing an adverse event (mostly transient disturbance of consciousness or benign ocular symptoms) during both injections did not differ significantly between amobarbital and propofol. Hemispheric dominance was successfully determined in 96.5% patients with propofol vs. 94.4% with amobarbital for language, and in 72.4% under propofol vs. 77.7% under amobarbital for memory with no significant difference between groups. CONCLUSION: Propofol can be used for the Wada test with an efficacy and safety comparable to amobarbital.

A comparison of propofol and amobarbital for use in the Wada test.

129 Wada procedures were reviewed to examine the suitability of propofol (n=54) as a replacement to amobarbital (n=75) for use as an anaesthetic in the Wada test. Suitability was considered with respect to length of hemiplegia induced, the frequency of side effects and patient memory scores. Data was retrospectively collected from records of patients who had undergone the Wada procedure between 2004 and 2009 in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. No significant differences were found between the two drugs on any of the measures. The results suggest that propofol represents a suitable alternative to amobarbital for use in the Wada procedure.

Case report: Death associated with stroke following intracarotid amobarbital testing.

OBJECTIVE: One previous accidental death during intracarotid amobarbital testing (IAT) associated with cerebral angiography (CA) has been reported in the literature. The objectives of this article are to briefly review morbidity and mortality risks for patients undergoing diagnostic CA and to describe a case with a fatal outcome. METHOD: The case of a 38-year-old man who had a right middle cerebral artery stroke while undergoing IAT is described. The patient was not high risk by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services criteria or invasive procedures; neither did he have risk factors for embolic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: A problem noted is that IAT procedures vary from center to center and that IAT may increase the risk for individual patients because of differences between IAT and other CA interventions.

Carbonic anhydrase-inhibiting medications and the intracarotid amobarbital procedure in children.

The intracarotid amobarbital procedure (IAP) is routinely conducted as part of the presurgical evaluation of pediatric patients with epilepsy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possibility that anesthetization failures are the result of interactions of carbonic anhydrase-inhibiting (CAI) medications with sodium amobarbital. An archival review of 81 cases conducted between 1999 and 2008 was performed across two pediatric epilepsy centers. chi(2) analysis was used to assess whether CAI medications interfered with the outcome of these procedures. Of 81 patients, 85.2% had conclusive findings. All of the remaining 14.8% with anesthetization failures were taking CAI medications at the time of the procedure. However, 53.8% of patients taking CAI medications had conclusive results. This suggests that these medications may interact with sodium amobarbital, raising the possibility of anesthetization failures in children prescribed CAI medications.

Intracarotid propofol testing: a comparative study with amobarbital.

Twenty-five consecutive patients who underwent the Wada test using propofol as anesthetic were compared with 15 randomly selected patients who were tested using amobarbital. Time to verbal and nonverbal responses and time to motor power 3/5 did not differ between the two groups (P>0.05). The number of doses received by each patient and the percentage of patients needing more than one dose were significantly greater in the propofol group (P<0.005). Only one patient developed confusion, combativeness, and agitation. Despite the need for multiple doses, our patients had no residual drowsiness within 10 to 15 minutes of the propofol injection. This allowed us to perform the test on both sides on the same day separated only by 45 minutes. Propofol is an effective alternative to amobarbital in the Wada test, and may be used successfully in multiple repeated injections within the same test without significant residual sedation or significant adverse effects.

Complications during the Wada test.

OBJECTIVE: The intracarotid amobarbital procedure (IAP) is routinely used in the preoperative workup of patients with epilepsy. We previously reported dissections and seizures as complications of this procedure and now have reviewed our cohort for additional complications associated with the IAP. METHODS: Charts of 677 consecutive patients were reviewed for complications during the IAP. RESULTS: Complications were observed in 74 patients (10.9%) and included encephalopathy (7.2%), seizures (1.2%), strokes (0.6%), transient ischemic attacks (0.6%), localized hemorrhage at the catheter insertion site (0.6%), carotid artery dissections (0.4%), allergic reaction to contrast (0.3%), bleeding from the catheter insertion site (0.1%), and infection (0.1%). Older patients were more prone to strokes and dissections, whereas younger patients more frequently experienced seizures. Use of amobarbital was associated with encephalopathy, whereas methohexital was related to seizures. CONCLUSION: The IAP bears the risk of minor and major complications in up to 11% of patients. Risks, benefits, and possible alternative options have to be considered when a patient is to undergo the IAP.

Seizures during intracarotid methohexital and amobarbital testing.

BACKGROUND: Methohexital and amobarbital have been used as agents for Wada testing in the presurgical evaluation of patients with epilepsy. Previous experience with methohexital as an anesthetic indicates that methohexital may decrease seizure threshold and may trigger seizures. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 760 intracarotid amobarbital and methohexital tests was performed to determine the frequency of seizures associated with preoperative intracarotid barbiturate testing for language and memory lateralization. RESULTS: Sixteen patients (2.1%) who had seizures were found. In 3 patients, seizures occurred prior to barbiturate injection, and in 13, following barbiturate injection. After injection of amobarbital, 4 of 538 patients (0.7%) had a seizure. Nine of 222 patients had a seizure after methohexital injection (4.1%) (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients with a previous history of epilepsy may be at higher risk for seizures after methohexital injection as compared with amobarbital injection.

Safety of cerebral digital subtraction angiography in children: complication rate analysis in 241 consecutive diagnostic angiograms.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Catheter-based cerebral angiography remains an important diagnostic tool in the pediatric population, particularly considering the currently growing interest in diagnosing and treating cerebrovascular disorders in children. There are no recent estimates of the complication rate associated with modern diagnostic digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in the pediatric population. The purpose of this study was to estimate the rate of complications occurring during cerebral angiography in children. METHODS: Data from 241 consecutive pediatric cerebral angiograms performed at a single institution were entered into an institutional review board-approved database. Information on patient demographics, DSA indication, neurovascular diagnosis, and intra procedural and postprocedural complications was collected. RESULTS: Our population included 115 boys and 90 girls, with age ranging from 1 week to 18 years (mean+/-SD, 12+/-5 years). All angiograms were technically successful. No intraprocedural complication was noted; in particular, there was no occurrence of iatrogenic vessel injury (dissection) and no transient or permanent neurological deficit secondary to a thromboembolic event. One child with a complex dural arteriovenous fistula experienced a fatal intracranial rehemorrhage secondary to a posterior fossa varix rupture 3 hours after completion of an uneventful diagnostic angiogram. The rates of intraprocedural and postprocedural complications were therefore 0.0% (95% CI, 0.0% to 1.4%) and 0.4% (95% CI, 0.012% to 2.29%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of immediate complications occurring during diagnostic cerebral angiography in children is very low. No intraprocedural complication was documented in the reported series. DSA performed by experienced angiographers is a safe procedure that can provide critical diagnostic information.

Transient global amnesia triggered by the intracarotid amobarbital procedure.

The emergence of a sudden, global, and fully reversible amnestic state during an intracarotid amobarbital procedure (IAP) performed in a patient with a right temporal tumor is described. Forms of amnesia during the IAP are discussed, and it is argued that because of its appearance, the associated behavioral abnormalities, and EEG findings, this state was a transient global amnesia (TGA). In addition to other origins such as bitemporal lesions, increased barbiturate levels, seizures, and epileptic amnesia, TGA may triggered by stress or angiography during the IAP.

Reduced anesthetization during the intracarotid amobarbital (Wada) test in patients taking carbonic anhydrase-inhibiting medications.

PURPOSE: Failure to show adequate anesthetization during the intracarotid amobarbital procedure (IAP or "Wada test") is a rare complication. After an unusually high rate of recent anesthetization failures, we sought to determine the frequency of reduced anesthetization and any common factors underlying these failures. METHODS: We reviewed the records of all patients who underwent IAP tests through the UCLA Seizure Disorder Center between September 1999 and May 2002. Age, date, epileptogenic focus, radiologist, and current medications were all considered. RESULTS: Of a total of 56 patients who underwent our intracarotid amobarbital examination, 11 (19.6%) showed either very rapid recovery (/=8 weeks after discontinuation of such medications.

Bizarre behavior during intracarotid sodium amytal testing (Wada test): are they predictable?

The intracarotid sodium amytal test (ISAT or Wada Test) is a commonly performed procedure in the evaluation of patients with clinically refractory epilepsy candidates to epilepsy surgery. Its goal is to promote selective and temporary interruption of hemispheric functioning, seeking to define language lateralization and risk for memory compromise following surgery. Behavioral modification is expected during the procedure. Even though it may last several minutes, in most cases it is subtle and easily manageable. We report a series of patients in whom those reactions were unusually bizarre, including agitation and aggression. Apart of the obvious technical difficulties (patients required physical restraining) those behaviors potentially promote testing delay or abortion and more importantly, inaccurate data. We reviewed those cases, seeking for features that might have predicted their occurrence. Overall, reactions are rare, seen in less than 5% of the ISAT procedures. The barbiturate effect, patients' psychiatric profiles, hemisphere dominance or selectiveness of the injection were not validated as predictors. Thorough explanation, repetition and simulation may be of help in lessening the risk of those reactions.

Carotid artery dissection after the intracarotid amobarbital test.

A retrospective chart review of 435 consecutive intracarotid amobarbital tests (IAT) was performed to determine the frequency of carotid artery dissection (CAD) associated with IAT. Three patients with a CAD were found (0.7%). Mean age of patients with dissection (51.3 years) was higher than the average age of 432 patients without dissection (31.7 years) (p < 0.05). All patients had clinical symptoms including face or neck pain. Patients undergoing the IAT are at risk of CAD. Age may be a risk factor.

Affective self-report during the intracarotid sodium amobarbital test: group differences.

Emotional reactions are sometimes observed during the intracarotid sodium amobarbital test. For instance, euphoric/indifference reactions can be seen during right hemisphere inactivation and catastrophic reactions may accompany left hemisphere inactivation. Less dramatic changes can also be detected in affective self-report during left and right hemisphere amobarbital tests, with more negative affect reported during left hemisphere inactivation and either neutral or mildly positive affective states reported during right hemisphere inactivation. The current study not only replicated this effect, but in addition, found significant group differences. The first group (right way) showed a pattern of affective self-report during left and right amobarbital tests entirely consistent with prior findings, while a second group (wrong way) showed results that behaved in a diametrically opposite fashion. A third group (no change) showed little, if any, difference in affective self-report during left and right amobarbital tests. The major factor distinguishing the wrong way group from the other two appeared to be an asymmetrical distribution of left and right temporal lobe lesions in the former group. In contrast, the factor differentiating the right way group from the no change group appeared to be the relative degree of left hemisphere inactivation during the left hemisphere amobarbital test. The results are discussed not only in terms of their impact on theories of cerebral lateralization for emotion, but also in terms of methodological issues in this field.

Maculo-papillary branch retinal artery occlusions following the Wada test.

BACKGROUND: The Wada test induces short-term anesthesia of one hemisphere by injection of sodium amytal into an internal carotid artery. It is an important presurgical diagnostic tool in epileptic patients. PATIENT: A 22-year-old man with idiopathic epilepsy noticed a shadow in the central visual field of his right eye immediately following a Wada test of the right hemisphere. RESULTS: The patient presented with an occlusion of two small branch retinal arteries and corresponding defects in his visual field. Fluorescence angiography revealed small dense hyperfluorescent spots within the occluded retinal vessels. CONCLUSION: Branch retinal artery occlusions are a possible complication of the Wada test, possibly induced by undissolved contrast medium or sodium amytal.

Emotional outbursts and post-traumatic stress disorder during intracarotid amobarbital procedure.

Severe emotional outbursts (SEOs) during intracarotid amobarbital procedures (IAP) rarely jeopardize preoperative language and memory testing. Four of four patients (100%) with outbursts had experienced significant emotional trauma (three were raped and one witnessed a decapitation), compared with 26 of 546 patients (4.8%) without outbursts (chi2 = 69.8, p < 0. 0001). Evocative injections were ipsilateral to seizure focus. IAP may disrupt emotional balance in some traumatized patients. Counseling may prevent SEOs.

Lateralized memory deficits on the Wada test correlate with the side of lobectomy only for patients with unilateral medial temporal lobe epilepsy.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the predictive value of the intracarotid amobarbital test (IAT) for the side to be resected is applicable only to medial temporal lobe epilepsy and to investigate whether there are different patterns of memory performances on the IAT between patients with unilateral mesial temporal sclerosis (UMT group) and those without (non-UMT group). We studied 30 patients in the UMT group and 10 in the non-UMT group, who underwent pre-surgical evaluation for intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. Memory performances on the IAT was defined as the percentage of memory items presented during unilateral hemispheric anesthesia that was recognized after recovery. More than a 20% decline of the memory performance on the IAT compared with the memory performance on the pre-test was regarded as a memory deficit. Age at onset of epilepsy was significantly younger in the UMT than in the non-UMT group. Surgical outcome was significantly better in the UMT than in the non-UMT group. The lateralizing value of unilateral memory deficits on the IAT was statistically confirmed. There was a significant association between falsely lateralizing memory performances and the non-UMT group. Excluding the exceptional cases with right-sided language dominance in spite of right-sided lesions, the high incidence of the unilateral right-sided memory deficits in the non-UMT group was statistically significant. This study suggested that the excellent lateralizing value of the memory performances on the IAT is limited to patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. IAT memory performances in patients without such lesions can be misleading, even if lateralized, because their memory status presumably reflects a natural lateralization of the memory organization which is independent of the epileptogenic focus.