Quality of psychomotility recovery after propofol sedation for painless gastroscopy and colonoscopy / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To study the effect of propofol used for painless gastroscopy and colonoscopy on psychomotility recovery.@*METHODS@#One hundred adult patients undergoing painless gastroscopy and colonoscopy were recruited, aged 18-72 years, with American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) physical status Ⅰ-Ⅱ. According to age, the patients were divided into youth group (20-39 years old, 27 cases), middle age group (40-54 years old, 37 cases), and elder group (55-64 years old, 36 cases). Propofol was continuously infused according to the patients' condition to mantain the bispectal index (BIS) score 55-64. All the patients received psychomotility assesment 30 min before the operations when the discharge criteria were met including number cancellation test, number connection test and board test. The heart rate, blood pressure, saturation of pulse oximetry, electrocardiograph and BIS were monitored during the operation. The operating time, recovery time, total volume of propofol and discharge time were recorded. If the results obtained were inferior to those before operation, a third assessment was taken 30 minutes later until the results recovered or being superior to the baseline levels.@*RESULTS@#All the patients completed the first and second assessments, and 25 patients had taken the third assessment. There was no statistically significant difference in the results of psychomotility assessment when the patients met the discharge standard. Furthermore, the results were analyzed by grouping with age, and there was no statistical difference in the test results of the youth and middle age groups compared with the preoperative group, among which, the efficiency of the number cancellation test was significantly better than that before operation in the youth group (P < 0.05). However, in the elderly patients the number cancellation efficiency, number connection test and board test were significantly inferior to that before operation (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the accuracy of number cancellation compared with that before operation. The patients who needed the third test in the elder group were significantly more than in the other groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the preoperative results, there was no statistical difference in the test results of those who completed the third test.@*CONCLUSION@#The psychomotility function of the patients who underwent painless gastroscopy and colonoscopy was recovered when they met discharge criteria. The elderly patients had a prolonged recovery period.

Intraoperative management of potentially fatal arrhythmias after anesthesia induced by severe hypokalemia: A case report / 北京大学学报(医学版)

Severe hypokalemia is defined as the concentration of serum potassium lower than 2.5 mmol/L, which may lead to serious arrhythmias and cause mortality. We report an unusual case of potentially fatal ventricular arrhythmias induced by severe hypokalemia in a patient undergoing laparoscopic partial nephrectomy in Peking University Third Hospital due to irregular use of indapamide before operation. Indapamide is a sulfonamide diuretic with vasodilative and calcium antagonistic effects, which enhances sodium delivery to the renal distal tubules resulting in a dose-related increase in urinary potassium excretion and decreases serum potassium concentrations. The electrolyte disorder caused by the diuretic is more likely to occur in the elderly patients, especially those with malnutrition or long-term fasting. Hence, the serum potassium concentration of the patients under indapamide therapy, especially elderly patients, should be monitored carefully. Meanwhile, the potassium concentration measured by arterial blood gas analysis is different from that measured by venous blood or laboratory test. According to the previous research, the concentration of potassium in venous blood was slightly higher than that in arterial blood, and the difference value was 0.1-0.5 mmol/L. This error should be taken into account when rapid intravenous potassium supplementation or reduction of blood potassium level was carried out clinically. In the correction of severe hypokalemia, the standard approach often did not work well for treating severe hypokalemia. The tailored rapid potassium supplementation strategy shortened the time of hypokalemia and was a safe and better treatment option to remedy life-threatening arrhythmias caused by severe hypokalemia with a high success rate. Through the anesthesia management of this case, we conclude that for the elderly patients who take indapamide or other potassium excretion diuretics, the electrolyte concentration and the general volume state of the patients should be comprehensively measured and fully evaluated before operation. It may be necessary for us to reexamine the serum electrolyte concentration before anesthesia induction on the morning of surgery in patients with the history of hypokalemia. For severe hypokalemia detected after anesthesia, central venous cannulation access for individualized rapid potassium supplementation is an effective approach to reverse the life-threatening arrhythmias caused by severe hypokalemia and ensure the safety of the patients.

Effect of dexamethasone combined with oxybuprocaine hydrochloride gel on prevention of postoperative sore throat after nasal endoscopy / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effectiveness and feasibility of dexamethasone combined with oxybuprocaine hydrochloride gel on the prevention of postoperative sore throat after nasal endoscopy.@*METHODS@#In the study, 60 patients with American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) physical statuses Ⅰ to Ⅱ, aged 18 to 72 years, scheduled for elective nasal endoscope surgery under general anesthesia requiring endotracheal intubation were randomly divided into dexamethasone combined with oxybuprocaine hydrochloride gel group (G group, n=30) and control group (C group, n=30). The patients in the G group received dexamethasone 0.1 mg/kg before induction and the oxybuprocaine gel was applied to the endotracheal catheter cuff and the front end within 15 cm. The patients in the C group received the same dose of saline and the saline was applied to the endotracheal catheter cuff and the front end within 15 cm. Then, all the patients in the two groups received the same induction and anesthesia maintainance. The operation time, anesthesia time, emergence time, extubation time and departure time were recorded. The intraoperative infusion volume, blood loss volume, propofol, remifentanil, rocuronium dosage were also recorded. The adverse reactions such as intraoperative hypotension, bradycardia and postoperative agitation were recorded. The postoperative sore throat score was recorded at the end of operation and 4 h, 8 h, 12 h, and 24 h after operation.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the C group, the emergence time [(8.4±3.9) min vs. (10.8±4.7) min], extubation time [(8.8±3.7) min vs. (11.9±4.8) min], and departure time [(20.0±5.3) min vs. (23.0±5.8) min] were significantly shorter, and the propofol dosage [(11.8±1.8) mg/kg vs. (15.9±4.6) mg/kg], remifentanil dosage [(10.9±4.7) μg/kg vs. (14.1±3.6) μg/kg] were significantly less in the G group, and there was no difference of rocuronium dosage in the two groups. Compared with the C group the incidence of intraoperative hypotension [10%(3/30) vs. 30%(9/30)], bradycardia [16.7%(5/30) vs. 20%(6/30)] and postoperative agitation [6.7%(2/30) vs. 23.3%(7/30)] were significantly lower in the C group. The postoperative sore throat score at the end of operation, 4 h, 8 h, 12 h and 24 h after operation in the G group were significantly lower than in the C group respectively [0 (0, 1) vs. 1 (1, 2), 0 (0, 0) vs. 1 (1, 2), 0 (0, 0) vs. 1 (1, 2), 0 (0, 0) vs. 1 (0.75, 1), 0 (0, 0) vs. 1 (0, 1)].@*CONCLUSION@#Dexamethasone combined with oxybuprocaine hydrochloride gel was effective and feasible on the prevention of postoperative sore throat after nasal endoscopy.

Time comparison of artificial airway establishment in operating room and on slope using endotracheal intubation and laryngeal mask / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the completion time of endotracheal intubation and laryngeal mask implantation in operating room and on slope of ski resort, and to discuss the optimal method of estab-lishing artificial airway on slope of ski resort.@*METHODS@#The simulator was placed with the head under the feet on slope of ski resort. The artificial airway was established by tracheal intubation assisted by video laryngoscope (endotracheal intubation group) and laryngeal mask placement (laryngeal mask group) respectively by an anesthesiologist who wore full set of ski suits, helmets, goggles, gloves and ski boots. Each method was repeated 5 times, and the operation time of artificial airway establishment was recorded. While the simulated human was placed flat on the operating table in an operating room of a hospital, and the artificial airway was established by the same anesthesiologist using the same methods. Time was recorded and repeated for 5 times. The completion time of endotracheal intubation and laryngeal mask placement in the operating room and on the ski slope were compared.@*RESULTS@#The operating time of tracheal intubation in the operating room was longer than that of laryngeal mask placement [(79.8±10.4) s vs. (53.4±2.7) s, P=0.005], and the operating time of endotracheal intubation on the ski slope was longer than that of laryngeal mask placement [(209.2±32.7) s vs. (72.2±3.1) s, P=0.001]. The time of endotracheal intubation group on the slope of the ski resort was longer than that in the opera-ting room(t=-7.851, P=0.001). The time of laryngeal mask group on the slope was longer than that in the operating room (t=-19.391, P < 0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#On ski slope, both of tracheal intubation assisted by video laryngoscope and laryngeal mask placement can quickly complete the establishment of artificial airway, but the time required is longer than that in the operating room. The time of laryngeal mask placement to establish artificial airway is shorter than that of tracheal intubation assisted video laryngoscope, which may have a certain advantage in ski rescue.

Effect of different shunt strategies on cerebral infarction after carotid endarterectomy / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#The key point of anesthesia management in carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is to maintain adequate cerebral perfusion during carotid artery occlusion. Placement of shunt is one of the common surgical methods. This study analyzed the effects of different shunt strategies on cerebral infarction after carotid endarterectomy.@*METHODS@#A total of 443 patients who underwent CEA under general anesthesia within 2 years were divided into imaging group (based on preoperative imaging data as the basis for shunt) and stump pressure group (based on intraoperative stump pressure as the basis for shunt). The preoperative demographic data, past medical history, degree of cervical vascular stenosis, blood pressure at each time point during the perioperative period, vascular blocking time, whether to place the shunt, postoperative hospital stay, cerebral infarction during hospitalization, and other adverse events were collected and compared between the two groups. On this basis, the preoperative and intraoperative conditions with significant differences were matched with propensity scores, and the influence of different shunt strategies on postoperative cerebral infarction was analyzed.@*RESULTS@#In the study, 268 patients in the imaging group and 175 patients in the stump pressure group underwent CEA under general anesthesia. There were statistically significant differences in basic conditions and blood pressure at each time point between the two groups. After matching the propensity scores, 105 patients in each of the two groups were matched. The basic conditions of the patients before surgery and the difference in blood pressure of the two groups at each time point were not statistically significant. There was no significant diffe-rence in the incidence of postoperative cerebral infarction between the two groups (1.9% vs. 1.0%, P>0.999). The intraoperative shunt rate in the imaging group was lower than that in the stump pressure group (0 vs. 22.9%, P < 0.001). The postoperative hospital stay in the imaging group was 8 (7, 8) days, which was longer than the stump pressure group 5 (4, 6) days (P < 0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#The rate of the shunt was lower according to preoperative imaging examination than that according to the residual pressure in our hospital. There is no significant difference in the incidence of cerebral infarction during the postoperative hospital stay. The effect of different shunt strategies on cerebral infarction needs further study.

Anesthesia management of cervical chordoma resection: A case report / 北京大学学报(医学版)

Chordoma is a slow-growing, locally invasive, lowgrade malignant tumor with a prevalence of one in 100 000, accounting for 1%-4% of all malignant bone tumors. At present, it is considered that chordoma originates from ectopic embryonic chordal tissue and can occur in any part of the spine from the skull base to the sacrum. About 50% of chordoma occurs in the sacrococcygeal region, about 30% in the skull base, and the rest occurs in the active spinal region. Cervical chordoma is rare, but it may be accompanied by difficult airways. The tumors compress the pharynx and throat forward, which can cause upper airway obstruction. If the anesthesia is not properly handled, the patient may die of asphyxia. The core issues of airway management during the perioperative period of cervical chordoma surgery involve three main parts: preoperative airway evaluation, airway management and extubation management. Difficult airway assessment often relies on physical examination indicators, such as inter-incisor gap, thyromental distance, neck circumference, Mallampati test, etc. But the accuracy is insufficient. The application of imaging examination in the observation of different tissues can make up for the inaccurate evaluation of the internal structure of the airway. Because chordoma destroys cervical vertebral body and accessories, cervical stability is impaired. Excessive cervical vertebral extention should be avoided during tracheal intubation to prevent severe compression of the spinal cord. It is better to fix the head by an assistant and perform neutral tracheal intubation. Considering that the patient with a difficult airway that could be predicted before operation, the strategy of tracheal intubation under conscious sedation with topical anesthesia was selected. After sedation and topical anesthesia, the patient was successfully intubated with optical stylet. After operation, the patient returned to ICU with tracheal catheter. On the 4th day after operation, the tracheal tube was pulled out. On the 5th day after operation, the patient was transferred to the orthopaedic ward and discharged on the 7th day after operation. It is of great significance to establish specific strategies for such operations to reduce related complications, speed up post-operative rehabilitation and save medical resources. We reported the anesthetic management of cervical chordoma cured in Peking University Third Hospital.

Shikani Optical Stylet versus Macintosh Laryngoscope for Intubation in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Cervical Spondylosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Airway management is critical in patients with cervical spondylosis, a population with a high incidence of difficult airway. Intubation with Shikani Optical Stylet (SOS) has become increasingly popular in difficult airway. We compared the effects of intubation with SOS versus Macintosh laryngoscope (MLS) in patients undergoing surgery for cervical spondylosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 270 patients scheduled for elective surgery for cervical spondylosis of spinal cord and nerve root type from August 2012 to January 2016 were enrolled and randomly allocated to the MLS or SOS group by random numbers. Patients were evaluated for difficult airway preoperatively, and Cormack-Lehane laryngoscopy classification was determined during anesthesia induction. Difficult airway was defined as Cormack-Lehane Grades III-IV. Patients were intubated with the randomly assigned intubation device. The success rate, intubation time, required assistance, immediate complications, and postoperative complaints were recorded. Categorical variables were analyzed by Chi-square test, and continuous variables were analyzed by independent samples t-test or rank sum test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The success rate of intubation among normal airways was 100% in both groups. In patients with difficult airway, the success rates in the MLS and SOS groups were 84.2% and 94.1%, respectively (P = 0.605). Intubation with SOS took longer compared with MLS (normal airway: 25.1 ± 5.8 s vs. 24.5 ± 5.7 s, P = 0.426; difficult airway: 38.5 ± 8.5 s vs. 36.1 ± 8.2 s, P = 0.389). Intubation with SOS required less assistance in patients with difficult airway (5.9% vs. 100%, P< 0.001). The frequency of postoperative sore throat was lower in SOS group versus MLS group in patients with normal airway (22.0% vs. 34.5%, P = 0.034).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>SOS is a safe and effective airway management device in patients undergoing surgery for cervical spondylosis. Compared with MLS, SOS appears clinically beneficial for intubation, especially in patients with difficult airway.</p><p><b>TRIAL REGISTRATION</b>Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-IOR-16007821; http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=13203.</p>

Phylogenetic Analysis and Pathogenicity Assessment of Two Strains of Avian Influenza Virus Subtype H9N2 Isolated from Migratory Birds: High Homology of Internal Genes with Human H10N8 Virus.

Two human-infecting avian influenza viruses (AIVs), H7N9 and H10N8, have emerged in China, which further indicate that the H9N2 subtype of AIVs, as an internal gene donor, may have an important role in the generation of new viruses with cross-species transmissibility and pathogenicity. H9N2 viruses that contain such internal genes widely exist in poultry but are rarely reported in migratory birds. In this study, two strains of the H9N2 virus were isolated from fecal samples of migratory birds in 2014: one strain from Caizi Lake in Anhui Province and one from Chen Lake in Hubei Province of China. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed high homology of all six internal genes of these two strains with the internal genes of the human H10N8 virus in Jiangxi Province, as well as with the human H7N9 virus. Phylogenetic analysis indicated a possible origin of these two strains from poultry in South China. Both of the two viruses tested could replicated in respiratory organs of infective mice without adaption, by both strains of the H9N2 AIVs from wild birds, suggesting their potential capacity for directly infecting mammals. Our findings indicate the existence of H9N2 viruses that contain internal genes highly homologous with human H10N8 or H7N9 viruses. Wild birds can contribute to the spread of the H9N2 virus that contains the "harmful" internal gene complex, leading to gene rearrangement with other influenza viruses and to the generation of new pathogenic viruses. Therefore, strengthening AIV surveillance in wild birds can promote an understanding of the presence and prevalence of viruses and provide scientific evidence for the prevention and control of AIVs and human-infecting AIVs.

Low-dose Simvastatin Increases Skeletal Muscle Sensitivity to Caffeine and Halothane / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Objective To determine whether the myotoxic side effects of statin simvastatin affect skeletal muscle's sensitivity to caffeine and halothane.Methods Primary cultured neonate rat skeletal myotubes were treated with 0.01-5.0 μmol/L simvastatin for 48 hours. MTT was used to evaluate cellular viability. The gross morphology and microstructure of the myotubes were observed with a light and electron microscope, respectively. The intracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca]i) at rest and in response to caffeine and halothane were investigated by fluorescence calcium imaging. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) test.Results Simvastatin (0.01-5.0 μmol/L) decreased myotube viability, changed their morphological features and microstructure, and increased the resting [Ca]i in a dose-dependent manner. Simvastatin did not change myotube's sensitivity to low doses of caffeine (0.625-2.5 mmol/L) or halothane (1.0-5.0 mmol/L). In response to high-dose caffeine (10.0 mmol/L, 20.0 mmol/L) and halothane (20.0 mmol/L, 40.0 mmol/L), myotubes treated with 0.01 μmol/L simvastatin showed a significant increase in sensitivity, but those treated with 1.0 μmol/L and 5.0 μmol/L simvastatin showed a significant decrease. The sarcoplasmic reticulum Castorage peaked in the myotubes treated with 0.01 μmol/L simvastatin, but it decreased when cells were treated with higher doses of simvastatin (0.1-5.0 μmol/L).Conclusions The myotoxic side effect of simvastatin was found to change the sensitivity of myotubes in response to high-dose caffeine and halothane. When dose was low, sensitivity increased mainly because of increased Cacontent in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, which might explain why some individuals with statin-induced myotoxic symptoms may show positive caffeine-halothane contracture test results. However, when the dose was high and the damage to the myotubes was severer, sensitivity was lower. It is here supposed that the damage itself might put individuals with statin-induced myotoxic symptoms at greater risks of presenting with rhabdomyolysis during surgery or while under anesthesia.

Response surface analysis of sevoflurane-remifentanil interactions on consciousness during anesthesia / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Recently, the combination of sevoflurane and remifentanil has been widely used in general anesthesia. In this study, we investigated the sevoflurane-remifentanil pharmacodynamic interactions at clinical concentrations using the observer's assessment of alertness/sedation (OAA/S) and the bispectral index (BIS) by response surface analysis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 65 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I patients age 20 to 50 years old were included in this study. Patients were randomly assigned to be anesthetized with different target end-tidal sevoflurane concentrations that ranged from 0.2% to 3.4% in increments of 0.2%. The end-tidal sevoflurane concentration was maintained constant throughout the study. Remifentanil was infused with a target controlled infusion (TCI) system at increasing step-wise concentrations from 1 ng/ml to 10 ng/ml. The values of OAA/S and BIS at different sevoflurane-remifentanil concentration combinations were measured. The pharmacodynamic interactions between sevoflurane and remifentanil were analyzed by a response surface method. The three-dimensional response surfaces were constructed with Minitab Software. Model parameters were estimated with NONMEM program.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Sevoflurane and remifentanil acted synergistically on OAA/S. Sevoflurane alone could produce OAA/S ≤ 1 at a minimal alveolar concentration (MAC) of 0.93%. When used in combination with remifentanil at 1, 3, 6, and 10 ng/ml, the corresponding sevoflurane MACs were reduced to 0.79%, 0.58%, 0.48%, and 0.38%, with reductions of 17.2%, 37.6%, 48.4%, and 62.0% from baseline, respectively. In patients administered remifentanil alone, the OAA/S score was ≥ 3 even when the remifentanil concentration reached 10 ng/ml. BIS was closely associated with the sevoflurane concentration and the remifentanil concentration did not noticeably influence the relationship between the sevoflurane concentration and BIS. A sevoflurane concentration of (1.04 ± 0.19)% to (1.81 ± 0.21)% could maintain a BIS between 60 and 40.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The response surface method can analyze the pharmacodynamic interactions between remifentanil and sevoflurane qualitatively and quantitatively. Within the range of our study (remifentanil ≤ 10 ng/ml, sevoflurane ≤ 3.4%), the two drugs produced synergistic effects on OAA/S but had no interactive effect on BIS. A guideline of BIS between 40 and 60 may cause excessive anesthesia when opioids are used to maintain anesthesia.</p>

Use of ultrasound to facilitate femoral nerve block with stimulating catheter / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The adjunction of ultrasound to nerve stimulation has been proven to improve single-injection peripheral nerve block quality. However, few reports have been published determining whether ultrasound can facilitate continuous nerve blocks. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the addition of ultrasound to nerve stimulation facilitates femoral nerve blocks with a stimulating catheter.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In this prospective randomized study, patients receiving continuous femoral nerve blocks for total knee replacement were randomly assigned to either the ultrasound guidance combined with stimulating catheter group (USNS group; n = 60) or the stimulating catheter alone group (NS group; n = 60). The primary end point was the procedure time (defined as the time from first needle contact with the skin until correct catheter placement). The numbers of needle passes and catheter insertions, onset and quality of femoral nerve blocks, postoperative pain score, and early knee function were also recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The procedure time was significantly less in the USNS group than in the NS group (9.0 (6.0 - 22.8) minutes vs. 13.5 (6.0 - 35.9) minutes, P = 0.024). The numbers of needle passes and catheter insertions were also significantly less in the USNS group. A greater complete block rate was achieved at 30 minutes in the USNS group (63.3% vs. 38.3%; P = 0.010). The postoperative pain score, the number of patients who required bolus local anesthetic and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia, and knee flexion on the second postoperative day were not significantly different between the two groups of patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Ultrasound-assisted placement of a stimulating catheter for femoral nerve blocks decreases the time necessary to perform the block compared with just the nerve-stimulating technique. In addition, a more complete blockade is achieved using the ultrasound-assisted technique.</p>

Clinical features and diagnosis for Chinese cases with malignant hyperthermia: a case cluster from 2005 to 2007 / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Malignant hyperthermia (MH), manifesting as MH crisis during and/or after general anesthesia, is a potentially fatal disorder in response to volatile anesthetics and depolarizing muscle relaxants. Though typical features of MH episode can provide clues for clinical diagnosis, MH susceptibility is confirmed by in vitro caffeine-halothane contracture test (CHCT) in western countries. It is traditionally thought that MH has less incidence and fewer typical characteristics in Chinese population than their western counterparts because of the different genetic background. In this study, we investigated the clinical features of MH in Chinese cases and applied the clinical grading scale and CHCT for diagnosis of MH.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A cluster of three patients with MH, from January 2005 to December 2007, were included in the study. Common clinical presentations and the results of some lab examinations were reported in detail. The method of the clinical grading scale of diagnosis of MH was applied to estimate the qualitative likelihood of MH and predict MH susceptibility. Muscle fibers of femoral quadriceps of the patients were collected and CHCT was performed to confirm the diagnosis of MH.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The clinical grading scales of diagnosis of the disease for these cases were all ranked grade D6, suggesting almost diagnosed ones. And the results of caffeine test were positive correspondingly, indicating that the patients should be diagnosed as MH susceptibility (MHS) according to diagnostic criteria of the North America MH group, which were already confirmed by clinical presentations and biochemical results.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These Chinese cases manifest as MH crisis. The clinical grading scale of diagnosis of MH may provide clues for clinical diagnosis. CHCT can also be used in confirming diagnosis of MH in Chinese cases though they have different genetic background from their western counterparts.</p>

Effects of residual paralysis after a single intubating dose of rocuronium on postoperative pulmonary function of patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecological surgeries / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the residual paralysis after a single intubating dose of rocuronium and its effect of residual paralysis after a single dose of rocuronium on the postoperative pulmonary function of patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecological surgeries.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I - II patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecological surgeries were randomly divided into rocuronium (R) group (n = 30) and rocuronium + neostigmine (R + N) group (n = 30).All patients received midazolam (0.02 mg/kg), fentanyl (1 microg/kg), propofol(1.5-2 mg/kg), and rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg) to facilitate tracheal intubation and no more relaxant thereafter. Anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane and nitrous oxide in oxygen (N(2)O:O(2) = 1:1). At the end of the procedure, neuromuscular blockade was not reversed in R group, while antagonism was accomplished with neostigmine (0.04 mg/kg) and atropine (0.02 mg/kg) in R + N group. Immediately after tracheal extubation and on arrival in the PACU, the train-of-four (TOF) ratio at the adductor pollicis of all patients were measured using acceleromyography. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)), and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) of all patients were measured using spirometry before surgery, after administration of midazolam and fentanyl, immediately after tracheal extubation, on arrival in the PACU, and after the TOF ratio recovered to 1.0. The TOF ratio and pulmonary function between two groups were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Immediately after tracheal extubation and on arrival in the PACU, the mean TOF ratio in R group was significantly lower than that in R + N group (P < 0.05). The mean time to achieve TOF ratio of 0.9 and 1.0 in R group was significantly longer than in R + N group (P < 0.05). Immediately after tracheal extubation and on arrival in the PACU, FVC, FEV(1), and PEFR were significantly lower in R group than in R + N group (P < 0.05). FVC, FEV(1), and PEFR after administration of midazolam and fentanyl and after TOF ratio recovered to 1.0 were significantly lower than the baseline values in all patients (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>After a single intubating dose of rocuronium, residual paralysis exists in the majority of patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecological surgeries. The pulmonary function is impaired after the surgery, even after recovery of TOF ratio to 1.0.</p>

Population pharmacokinetics of rocuronium delivered by target-controlled infusion in adult patients / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Target-controlled infusion (TCI) has been recently developed and successfully implemented in clinical practice. The current study was to estimate the population pharmacokinetics of rocuronium TCI in adult patients using nonlinear mixed-effects model (NONMEM), and to investigate the influence of relevant factors in adult patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fourteen ASA I-II patients undergoing elective laparoscopy operation with general anesthesia were included. After induction, all patients received rocuronium by TCI system. The beginning target plasma concentration (Cpt) was 2.0 µg/ml, then increased Cpt according to the neuromuscular transmission monitoring. The endpoint of Cpt was determined when the T₁ scale was blocked by 90% - 95%. TCI rocuronium was stopped 30 minutes before the end of the operation. Arterial blood was drawn before anesthesia at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, 60, 120, 180, 240 and 360 minutes after the infusion of rocuronium was stopped for the analysis of plasma concentrations of rocuronium by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The population pharmacokinetics analysis was performed using NONMEM program.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The pharmacokinetics of TCI rocuronium in adult patients was best described by a three-compartment model. Pharmacokinetic parameters were clearance (CL)₁ = 0.205 L/min, CL₂ = 0.324 L/min, CL₃ = 0.0292 L/min, volumes of distribution (V)₁ = 4.00 L, V₂ = 2.28 L, V₃ = 4.26 L, Vdss = 10.54 L. Both age and weight as covariates affected the pharmacokinetic parameters. V₁ and CL₁ were negatively correlated with patient age. CL₁ was positively correlated with weight.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>No pharmacokinetic change was noted when rocuronium was administered via TCI. Both age and weight as covariates affected the pharmacokinetic parameters.</p>

A small-dose naloxone infusion alleviates nausea and sedation without impacting analgesia via intravenous tramadol / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Early studies showed that naloxone infusion decreases the incidence of morphine-related side effects from intravenous patient-controlled analgesia. This study aimed to determine whether naloxone preserved analgesia while minimizing side effects caused by intravenous tramadol administration.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty patients undergoing general anesthesia for cervical vertebrae surgery were randomly divided into four groups. All patients received 1 mg/kg tramadol 30 minutes before the end of surgery, followed by a continuous infusion with 0.3 mg x kg(-1) x h(-1) tramadol with no naloxone (group I, n = 20), 0.05 microg x kg(-1) x h(-1) naloxone (group II, n = 20), 0.1 microg x kg(-1) x h(-1) naloxone (group III, n = 20) and 0.2 microg x kg(-1) x h(-1) naloxone (group IV, n = 20). Visual analog scales (VAS) for pain during rest and cough, nausea five-point scale (NFPS) for nausea and vomiting, and ramsay sedation score (RSS) for sedation were assessed at 2, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours postoperatively. Analgesia and side effects were evaluated by blinded observers.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seventy-eight patients were included in this study. The intravenous tramadol administration provided the satisfied analgesia. There was no significant difference in either resting or coughing VAS scores among naloxone groups and control group. Compared with control group, sedation was less in groups II, III, and IV at 6, 12, and 24 hours (P < 0.05); nausea was less in groups II, III and IV than group I at 2, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours postoperatively (P < 0.05). The incidence of vomiting in the control group was 35% vs. 10% for the highest dose naloxone group (group IV) (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A small-dose naloxone infusion could reduce tramadol induced side effects without reversing its analgesic effects.</p>

Efficacy of clonidine transdermal patch for treatment of Tourette's syndrome in children / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Children with Tourette's syndrome (TS) have a poor treatment compliance due to side effects and inconvenient administration of oral drugs. This study explored the efficacy and safety of clonidine transdermal patch for treating TS in children.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 119 children with TS were randomly treated with the clonidine transdermal patch (n=65) or with oral haloperidol (n=54). The therapeutic efficacy was assessed based on the results of the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) 4 weeks after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The clonidine transdermal patch group showed a higher reduction in the overall tic symptom scores (61.5+/-7.5%) than that in the haloperidol group (41.0+/-6.3%; p<0.05). Clonidine transdermal patch treatment was effective in 53 patients (81.5%) and 36 patients (67.5%) showed effective to oral haloperidol (p>0.05). Mild side effects (decrease of blood pressure and dizziness) were observed in 1 patient in the clonidine transdermal patch group. Mild hypermyotonia, drowsiness or lassitude as side effects occurred in 6 patients in the haloperidol group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Clonidine transdermal patch is effective for the treatment of TS in children and its side effects are mild and rare.</p>

Clinical evaluation of target controlled infusion system for sufentanil administration / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Sufentanil target controlled infusion (TCI) provides stable analgesia, better hemodynamic control than a bolus injection of intravenous anesthetics, anticipated recovery and improved quality of anesthesia during perioperative period. This study evaluated the accuracy and feasibility of TCI system for sufentanil at high concentrations in Chinese surgical patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twelve low risk adult patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia were included in this study. Sufentanil was administered with a specific TCI system incorporating the population pharmacokinetic data of sufentanil previously reported, using a target effect-site concentration of sufentanil 4 or 6 ng/ml. Sufentanil TCI duration was 30 minutes. Frequent arterial blood samples were taken during and up to 24 hours after sufentanil TCI for determination of plasma sufentanil concentrations by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. The changes of circulatory system function during the procedure, recovery profile and adverse effects were recorded. Measured plasma sufentanil concentrations were compared with the values predicted by the TCI system. The bias (median performance error, MDPE), precision (median absolute performance error, MDAPE) and wobble (variability of performance error) of the sufentanil TCI system were determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All patients had stable cardiovascular variables during induction and maintenance of anesthesia. Time to eye opening and extubation were (5.6 + or - 1.7) minutes when TCI set to 4 ng/ml and (7.2 + or - 2.3) minutes when set to 6 ng/ml. There was no episode of agitation, muscle rigidity or intraoperative awareness. The bias (MDPE), precision (MDAPE) and wobble of the sufentanil TCI system were -3.7%, 18.9% and 19.6% respectively during TCI, and the MDPE, MDAPE and wobble were -29.1%, 31.7% and 15.0% respectively after TCI (up to 8 hours).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The TCI system programmed for sufentanil at 4 or 6 ng/ml was considered acceptable for clinical use in low risk Chinese surgical patients. But the relatively larger MDPE and MDAPE after TCI suggest improvements of the pharmacokinetic model are needed.</p>

Screening of differentially expressed genes in the hypothalamus of a rat neuropathic pain model following sciatic nerve injury / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Neuropathic pain is induced by injury or disease of the nervous system. Most studies have so far focused only on a few known molecules and signaling pathways among neurons. However, all signal transmissions involved in neuropathic pain appear to be an integral system at different molecular levels. This study was designed to screen the differentially expressed genes of the hypothalamus in chronic constriction injury (CCI) rats and analyze their functions in developing neuropathic pain.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ten adult female Sprague-Dawley rats ((200 +/- 10) g) were used in experimental group and sham group (n = 5 in each group). Mechanical allodynia tests were performed to ensure that the CCI rat model was constructed successfully. Total hypothalamus RNAs were isolated from each group. Forward suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) library of rat hypothalamus was constructed and up-regulated cDNA clones at neuropathic pain states were obtained via suppressed subtractive hybridization technique and the functions of these genes were analyzed bioinformatically.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Mechanical allodynia tests showed that the experimental rats had a significantly reduced mechanical allodynia threshold 3 to 13 days after CCI vs sham surgery rats (P < 0.01), indicating that the model was successful. Forward SSH library of the rat hypothalamus was constructed successfully and 26 over-expressed expression sequence tags (ESTs) were obtained from these up-regulated cDNA clones.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Twenty-six up-regulated genes, involved in the regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis, signal transduction, and neuroprotection, may play key roles in decreasing mechanical withdraw thresholds in CCI rats, which implicates a multidimensional and integrated molecular mechanism at gene level in developing neuropathic pain with the supraspinal contributions.</p>

Application of caffeine-halothane contracture test in the diagnosis of malignant hyperthermia / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the application of caffeine-halothane contracture test (CHCT) in the confirmation of malignant hyperthermia (MH).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One patient who underwent radical gastrectomy presented with clinical manifestations of MH during routine intravenous-inhalation anesthesia process. Isoflurane inhalation and the operation were ceased immediately and emergency management approaches such as physical cooling therapy were taken. Meanwhile, the levels of serum creatine kinase (CK), serum myoglobin, and urinary myoglobin were examined and rectus abdominis was taken and then CHCT was performed to confirm the clinical diagnosis. Total genome was extracted from the patient and then exons 2-18, 39-46, and 90-104 of ryanodine receptor 1 (RYR1) gene were screened to detect mutations using DNA sequencing technique.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The patient was diagnosed as MH episode by clinical characteristics and postoperatively continuous elevation of the levels of CK, serum myoglobin, and urinary myoglobin (30 times higher than normal level). Despite halothane test was negative, the diagnosis of MH was verified by the positive result of caffeine test. DNA sequencing of RYR1 gene of the patient revealed c. 6724C > T (p. T 2 206M).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CHCT can be used to confirm the diagnosis of MH.</p>

Postoperative neuropsychological change and its underlying mechanism in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The high incidence of neuropsychologic deficits after cardiac surgery, including cognitive dysfunction and mood status, has significantly influenced the prognosis, outcome of treatment and long-term quality of life of patients. With a circadian secretion pattern, melatonin and cortisol are capable of modulating the human physiological processes and neuropsychological status, whereas disorder of their secretion pattern may lead to many diseases. However, it is unclear whether neuroendocrine variations are related to the neuropsychologic status in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty male patients scheduled for CABG with hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) (n = 20) or off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) (n = 20) were studied. Blood samples were taken intraoperatively at specific time-points and every 3 hours within the first postoperative 24 hours to determine plasma concentrations of melatonin and cortisol. A neuropsychologic test battery including depression and anxiety was administered preoperatively and 7 to 10 days postoperatively. Statistical methods included the nonparametric analysis, multiple linear regression and cosinor analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The patients in the CPB group exhibited more severe neuropsychologic deficits and more anxious than those in the OPCAB group after surgery. In both groups, patients were more depressed postoperatively than preoperatively and recovered 3 months after surgery. Depression and anxiety were correlated with some factors of cognitive dysfunctions. In the postoperative 24 hours, 2 patients in the CPB group, and 6 patients in the OPCAB group showed a circadian rhythm of melatonin secretion. As for cortisol secretion, there were 3 patients in the CPB group and 7 in the OPCAB group respectively. Parameters of circadian rhythm of melatonin in the CPB group and those of secretion rhythm of cortisol in both groups were correlated with depression and some neuropsychologic tests.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The incidence of neuropsychological deficits was higher in patients receiving CABG with CPB than in those without CPB. The status of mood may contribute to the perioperative cognitive dysfunctions. The disordered circadian rhythm of melatonin secretion in patients undergoing CABG with CPB and the disordered cortisol secretion may correlate directly or indirectly through mood with neuropsychological deficits.</p>