[Evaluation of anesthetic management and renal function in open and endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm].

BACKGROUND: Since 2007, the number of patients receiving endovascular aneurysm repairs (EVARs) is increasing in Japan. Although EVAR is less invasive and has a lower short-term mortality, it has no long-term advantages and may lead to deterioration of renal function. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated anesthetic management and renal function in patients undergoing EVAR and open repair (OR) between July 2010 and June 2011. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients (EVAR 33, OR 30) were studied. The average age of patients was significantly older in the EVAR group, and the duration of surgery and anesthesia were longer in the OR group. Despite lower blood loss in the EVAR group compared with the OR group, a massive hemorrhage (1,563 g) occurred in the EVAR group. The renal function of the EVAR group did not deteriorate within 1 year after surgery. However, the rate of acute kidney injuries (AKI) was higher in patients with renal dysfunction before operation than in patients with normal renal function. CONCLUSIONS: Although EVAR is less invasive than OR, anesthesiologists should pay attention to pre-operative comorbidity and massive hemorrhage during the operation. To avoid postoperative renal dysfunction, it is important to protect the kidney during surgery.

The results of surgery under general anesthesia in patients with lung cancer.

PURPOSE: There are few reports of surgical complications for underweight patients. This study evaluated the complications associated with lung cancer surgery and anesthesia in underweight patients in a comparison with obese ones. METHODS: A single-center retrospective evaluation of perioperative complications was conducted in 756 patients who underwent thoracic surgery under general anesthesia between 1996 and 2006. The body mass index showed that 39 were extremely underweight (<17.2 kg/m(2)), 45 were underweight (17.2-18.4 kg/m(2)), 513 were normal (18.5-24.9 kg/m(2)), and 159 were obese (>24.9 kg/m(2)). RESULTS: Extremely underweight patients had the most preoperative thoracic disease such as emphysema, whereas obese patients had the most preoperative cardiovascular disease such as hypertension. The postresection-predicted pulmonary function showed no difference among the four groups. Extremely underweight patients had an increased incidence of intraoperative hypotension and arrhythmia in comparison to underweight patients. On the other hand, obese patients had the majority of intraoperative thoracic complications such as hypoxia. Extremely underweight patients had more postoperative thoracic complications, especially pneumonia and pulmonary air leakage, than other patients. CONCLUSIONS: Extremely underweight patients as well as obese patients had a high risk of perioperative complications, especially postoperative thoracic complications. Extremely underweight patients should therefore be carefully observed with regard to respiratory management.

Anesthetic management of a patient with aortocaval fistula.

Aortocaval fistula is a rare complication of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and patients with an aortocaval fistula show multiple symptoms. We report an 87-year-old man who was diagnosed as having an AAA with aortocaval fistula and who developed refractory hypotension after induction of anesthesia. Following a phenylephrine injection for slight hypotension induced by anesthetic induction, he developed severe hypotension and bradycardia, and his skin became cyanotic. Vasopressor agents had no immediate effect on the hypotension, but blood pressure gradually increased in about 30 min with continuous infusion of dopamine and noradrenaline. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) showed right ventricle (RV) hypokinesis and massive tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Central venous pressure (CVP) showed a remarkably high value. After the repair of the aortocaval fistula, the hemodynamics became stable, RV motion was improved, TR was reduced, and CVP became normal. Anesthetic management of the repair of an aortocaval fistula is very difficult. The hemodynamics changed dramatically throughout anesthesia in our patient with this disorder, even though low-dose anesthetics were used. For the successful treatment of this disorder, preparation for the operation is required before the induction of anesthesia, and urgent closure of the fistula is necessary after the induction of anesthesia. TEE is a useful tool for monitoring hemodynamics in such patients.