Tranexamic acid use in severely injured patients, is it always appropriate?

Recently, it has been suggested that tranexamic acid should be administered only in those patients with hyperfibrinolysis determined using viscoelastic assays, as severely injured patients may present with fibrinolytic shutdown. However the last European guidelines on management of major bleeding and coagulopathy following trauma endorse the use of tranexamic acid to the trauma patient who is bleeding or at risk of significant hemorrhage as soon as possible without waiting for viscoelastic results. We present a severely blunt trauma patient treated with on-scene administration of tranexamic acid that developed immediate pulmonary embolism.

Ácido tranexámico en el paciente politraumatizado grave, ¿está siempre indicado? / Tranexamic acid use in severely injured patients, is it always appropriate?

Recientemente se ha sugerido la administración de ácido tranexámico sólo en aquellos pacientes con hiperfibrinólisis documentada con métodos viscoelásticos, ya que los pacientes politraumatizados graves pueden presentar una disminución de la fibrinólisis. Sin embargo, las últimas guías clínicas sobre el manejo de la hemorragia y coagulopatía tras un trauma recomiendan el uso de ácido tranexámico en todo paciente sangrante, o con posibilidad de sangrar, lo más precozmente posible sin esperar los resultados de los métodos viscoelásticos. Presentamos el caso de un trauma cerrado grave que recibió ácido tranexámico prehospitalariamente y desarrolló un embolismo pulmonar inmediato.(AU)

Recently, it has been suggested that tranexamic acid should be administered only in those patients with hyperfibrinolysis determined using viscoelastic assays, as severely injured patients may present with fibrinolytic shutdown. However the last European guidelines on management of major bleeding and coagulopathy following trauma endorse the use of tranexamic acid to the trauma patient who is bleeding or at risk of significant hemorrhage as soon as possible without waiting for viscoelastic results. We present a severely blunt trauma patient treated with on-scene administration of tranexamic acid that developed immediate pulmonary embolism.(AU)

Tranexamic acid use in severely injured patients, is it always appropriate? / Ácido tranexámico en el paciente politraumatizado grave, ¿está siempre indicado?

Recently, it has been suggested that tranexamic acid should be administered only in those patients with hyperfibrinolysis determined using viscoelastic assays, as severely injured patients may present with fibrinolytic shutdown. However the last European guidelines on management of major bleeding and coagulopathy following trauma endorse the use of tranexamic acid to the trauma patient who is bleeding or at risk of significant hemorrhage as soon as possible without waiting for viscoelastic results. We present a severely blunt trauma patient treated with on-scene administration of tranexamic acid that developed immediate pulmonary embolism.

Trigeminal nerve palsy and Horner's syndrome following epidural analgesia for labor: a subdural block?

Horner's syndrome is a rare complication of epidural analgesia for labor. Much more uncommon is trigeminal nerve palsy. Both complications may be attributed to a subdural localization of the catheter, as we demonstrated clinically by a repeat injection and patchy sympathetic block and with the typical image on epidurography.

[Application of the laryngeal mask in pediatric anesthesiology]. / Aplicación de la mascarilla laríngea en anestesia pediátrica.

To analyze problems with inserting, maintaining and removing a laryngeal mask in children, as well as to assess the possible involvement of certain factors (experience with the laryngeal mask, type of anesthesia, duration of surgery, type of surgery, obesity, etc.) in favoring the development of complications. One hundred eighty-nine children undergoing a variety of surgical procedures under general anesthesia were studied; patients with full stomachs and/or a history of hiatus hernia were excluded. The agent used for anesthetic induction and the method of ventilation were chosen by the anesthesiologist responsible for each case. Variables monitored in all patients were continuous ECG, heart rate, systolic and diastolic arterial pressure, capnography, pulse oximetry, airways pressure and respiratory rate. Values were recorded at five times: before induction (T1), immediately after induction (T2), after placement of the laryngeal mask (T3), before removing the laryngeal mask (T4) and after removing the laryngeal mask (T5). Correct insertion was achieved on the first try in 85%. The remaining 15% required 2 or more tries. There were no cases in which a tracheal tube or face mask were required. We found no correlation between type or duration of surgery and the occurrence of complications. Complications were more frequent when the laryngeal mask was placed by inexperienced personnel, when inhalational anesthetics were used for induction and maintenance, and when a No. 1 laryngeal mask was used. Adequate ventilation was provided for the patients who required it with an airways pressure between 8 and 18 cmH2O, arterial oxygen saturation over 98% and end-expiratory CO2 pressure under 35 mmHg. Cardiovascular repercussions were slight and hemodynamic stability was good.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Total intravenous anesthesia in general surgery]. / Anestesia total intravenosa en cirugía general.

To evaluate unwanted side effects expressed in hemodynamic parameters, postanesthetic recovery and quality of intravenous total anesthesia (IVTA) with propofol, fentanyl and atracurium. A prospective study in 292 patients undergoing general surgery. Fifty-three percent of the patients were ASA I, 32.2% were ASA II and 14.8% were ASA II, representing a wide range of ages, weights and heights. Mean time of anesthesia was 108.25 +/- 56.96 min. Anesthesia was achieved with propofol 0.108 +/- 0.027 mg/kg/min, fentanyl 0.093 +/- 0.035 microgram/kg/min and atracurium 0.011 +/- 0.0034 mg/kg/min. Slight pain was evident at injection in 1.7% of the patients. Greater hemodynamic instability was recorded at induction, with mean decreases in systolic and diastolic arterial pressures of 16% and 10%, respectively, with scarcely any response to intubation and extubation. Anesthetic recovery was recorded at 5.95 +/- 4.97 min, with surgical amnesia in 100% of the patients. Nausea was seen in 3.42% and vomiting in 1.7%. Patient evaluation of anesthetic technique was "good" in 60.3% and "excellent" in 39.7%. Propofol dose was significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with age (r = -0.33) and time of anesthesia (r = -0.4). IVTA with propofol and fentanyl in general surgery provides adequate maintenance of anesthesia for surgery and recovery, with good hemodynamic stability. In older patients and longer times of anesthesia, the total dose of propofol administered decreases, with negative effect on time and quality of recovery. Total dose of propofol administered is not significantly correlated with either time or quality of recovery.