Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators--general and anesthetic considerations.

A pacemaking system consists of an impulse generator and lead or leads to carry the electrical impulse to the patient's heart. Pacemaker and implantable cardioverter defibrillator codes were made to describe the type of pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator implanted. Indications for pacing and implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation were given by the American College of Cardiologists. Certain pacemakers have magnet-operated reed switches incorporated; however, magnet application can have serious adverse effects; hence, devices should be considered programmable unless known otherwise. When a device patient undergoes any procedure (with or without anesthesia), special precautions have to be observed including a focused history/physical examination, interrogation of pacemaker before and after the procedure, emergency drugs/temporary pacing and defibrillation, reprogramming of pacemaker and disabling certain pacemaker functions if required, monitoring of electrolyte and metabolic disturbance and avoiding certain drugs and equipments that can interfere with pacemaker function. If unanticipated device interactions are found, consider discontinuation of the procedure until the source of interference can be eliminated or managed and all corrective measures should be taken to ensure proper pacemaker function should be done. Post procedure, the cardiac rate and rhythm should be monitored continuously and emergency drugs and equipments should be kept ready and consultation with a cardiologist or a pacemaker-implantable cardioverter defibrillator service may be necessary.

Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators - general and anesthetic considerations / Marcapassos e cardioversores desfibriladores implantáveis - considerações gerais e anestésicas / Marcapasos y desfibriladores automáticos implantables. Consideraciones generales y anestésicas

A pacemaking system consists of an impulse generator and lead or leads to carry the electrical impulse to the patient's heart. Pacemaker and implantable cardioverter defibrillator codes were made to describe the type of pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator implanted. Indications for pacing and implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation were given by the American College of Cardiologists. Certain pacemakers have magnet-operated reed switches incorporated; however, magnet application can have serious adverse effects; hence, devices should be considered programmable unless known otherwise. When a device patient undergoes any procedure (with or without anesthesia), special precautions have to be observed including a focused history/physical examination, interrogation of pacemaker before and after the procedure, emergency drugs/temporary pacing and defibrillation, reprogramming of pacemaker and disabling certain pacemaker functions if required, monitoring of electrolyte and metabolic disturbance and avoiding certain drugs and equipments that can interfere with pacemaker function. If unanticipated device interactions are found, consider discontinuation of the procedure until the source of interference can be eliminated or managed and all corrective measures should be taken to ensure proper pacemaker function should be done. Post procedure, the cardiac rate and rhythm should be monitored continuously and emergency drugs and equipments should be kept ready and consultation with a cardiologist or a pacemaker-implantable cardioverter defibrillator service may be necessary.

Marcapasso (MP) é um sistema que consiste em um gerador de impulso e eletrodo ou eletrodos que conduzem o impulso elétrico para o coração do paciente. Códigos de MP e cardioversor desfibrilador implantável (CDI) foram criados para descrever o tipo de MP ou CDI implantado. Indicações para a implantação de MP e CDI foram descritas pelo Colégio Americano de Cardiologistas. Alguns MPs têm interruptores de circuitos magneticamente operados incorporados, porém a aplicação magnética pode causar efeitos adversos graves; portanto, os dispositivos devem ser considerados programáveis, salvo conhecimento em contrário. Quando um paciente portador de dispositivo é submetido a qualquer procedimento (com ou sem anestesia), precauções especiais devem ser tomadas, incluindo história/exame físico focados; perguntas sobre o MP antes e após o procedimento, uso de medicamentos de emergência/estimulação e desfibrilação temporárias; reprogramação do MP e desabilitação de certas funções, caso necessário; monitoração dos distúrbios metabólicos e eletrolíticos e evitar certos medicamentos e equipamentos que podem interferir na função do MP. Se houver previsão de interações com o dispositivo, considerar a suspensão do procedimento até que a fonte de interferência tenha sido eliminada ou controlada e todas as medidas corretivas devem ser tomadas para garantir o funcionamento adequado do MP. Após o procedimento, frequência e ritmo cardíacos devem ser monitorados continuamente, medicamentos e equipamentos de emergência devem ser mantidos de prontidão e pode ser necessário consultar um cardiologista ou serviço de MP-CDI.

El marcapasos (MP) es un sistema que consiste en un generador de impulso y un electrodo o electrodos que conducen el impulso eléctrico hacia el corazón del paciente. Se han creado códigos de MP y de desfibrilador automático implantables para describir el tipo de cada uno. El Colegio Norteamericano de Cardiólogos han descrito indicaciones para la implantación de MP y de desfibrilador automático implantable. Algunos MP tienen interruptores de circuitos magnéticos incorporados, sin embargo, la aplicación magnética puede causar efectos adversos graves; por tanto, los dispositivos deben ser considerados programables, salvo que se tenga un conocimiento diferente. Cuando un paciente portador de dispositivo se somete a cualquier procedimiento (con o sin anestesia), se deben tomar precauciones especiales, incluyendo historial/examen físico dirigidos; preguntas sobre el MP antes y después del procedimiento, uso de medicamentos de urgencia/estimulación y desfibrilación temporales; reprogramación del MP e inhabilitación de ciertas funciones del mismo, si fuere preciso; monitorización de los trastornos metabólicos y electrolíticos y evitar ciertos medicamentos y equipos que puedan interferir con la función del MP. Si hay alguna previsión de interacción con el dispositivo, considerar la suspensión del procedimiento hasta que la fuente de la interferencia haya sido eliminada o controlada. Se deben tomar todas las medidas correctivas para garantizar el funcionamiento adecuado del MP. Después del procedimiento, la frecuencia y el ritmo cardíacos deben ser monitorizados continuamente, y deben estar preparados los medicamentos y equipos de urgencia; y si fuera necesario, consultar con un cardiólogo o con el servicio de MP- desfibrilador automático implantable.

Scrub typhus.

Scrub typhus is an acute febrile illness caused by orientia tsutsugamushi, transmitted to humans by the bite of the larva of trombiculid mites. It causes a disseminated vasculitic and perivascular inflammatory lesions resulting in significant vascular leakage and end-organ injury. It affects people of all ages and even though scrub typhus in pregnancy is uncommon, it is associated with increased foetal loss, preterm delivery, and small for gestational age infants. After an incubation period of 6-21 days, onset is characterized by fever, headache, myalgia, cough, and gastrointestinal symptoms. A primary papular lesion which later crusts to form a flat black eschar, may be present. If untreated, serious complications may occur involving various organs. Laboratory studies usually reveal leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, deranged hepatic and renal function, proteinuria and reticulonodular infiltrate. Owing to the potential for severe complications, diagnosis, and decision to initiate treatment should be based on clinical suspicion and confirmed by serologic tests. A therapeutic trial of tetracycline or chloramphenicol is indicated in patients in whom the diagnosis of scrub typhus is suspected. The recommended treatment regimen for scrub typhus is doxycycline. Alternative regimens include tetracycline, chloramphenicol, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, rifampicin, and roxithromycin. Treatment of pregnant women with azithromycin was successfully done without relapse and with favorable pregnancy outcomes. Hence, early diagnosis and treatment are essential in order to reduce the mortality and the complications associated with the disease. We searched the English-language literature for reports of scrub typhus in children, pregnant women, and non-pregnant patients with scrub typhus, using the MEDLINE/PubMed database, which includes citations from 1945 to the present time. We used the search terms 'scrub typhus', 'scrub typhus' and 'pregnancy', 'scrub typhus' and 'children', 'scrub typhus' and 'complications', 'scrub typhus' and 'treatment'.

Comparative evaluation of the sniffing position with simple head extension for laryngoscopic view and intubation difficulty in adults undergoing elective surgery.

The effect of patient position on mask ventilation, laryngoscopic view, intubation difficulty, and the stance adopted by the anesthesiologist during laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation was investigated in 546 anesthetized adults in this prospective, randomized study. Patients were randomly assigned to either the sniffing position group or the simple extension group. The distribution of Cormack grades was comparable between the two groups (P = 0.144). The IDS score [median (IQR)] was 0 (0-2) in the sniffing group and 1 (0-2) in the simple extension group; P = 0.002. There were significant differences between groups with regard to intensity of lifting force, external laryngeal manipulation, alternate techniques used, number of attempts, and the stance adopted by anesthesiologist. We conclude that the sniffing position is superior to simple head extension with regard to ease of intubation as assessed by IDS. An upright stance is adopted by more anesthesiologists performing intubation with patients in the sniffing position.