Hyperlactatemia and other perioperative metabolic disturbances in neuroanesthesia.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The concept of 'brain-body cross-talking' has gained growing interest in the last years. The understanding of the metabolic disturbances (e.g., hypernatraemia/hyponatraemia and hyperlactatemia) in neurosurgical patients has improved during the last years. RECENT FINDINGS: The impact of elevated lactate without acidosis in neurosurgical patients remains controversial. The pathophysiology of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) has become clearer, whereas the diagnosis of cerebral salt wasting should be used more carefully. SUMMARY: These findings will contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology involved and enable better prevention and therapy where possible in clinical practice.

Vascular anomaly diagnosis by central venous catheter misplacement: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Congenital heart diseases rarely have a primary manifestation in adulthood. They are a rare cause of pulmonary hypertension in adults. CASE PRESENTATION: A 70-year-old woman of Eurasian descent underwent emergency surgery for bowel ischemia. Her history of mild pulmonary hypertension likely correlates with a peculiar diagnosis of an anatomic anomaly on the postoperative x-ray and computed tomography scan. The central venous catheter was misplaced. Initial management consisted of removal of the catheter. The diagnosis, partial anomalous pulmonary venous return, may pose a clinical therapeutic dilemma. CONCLUSIONS: Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return is a potentially treatable cause of pulmonary hypertension. With the current trend toward more medical imaging, we expect this diagnosis to be made more often in the future.

Hyperlactatemia After Intracranial Tumor Surgery Does Not Affect 6-Month Survival: A Retrospective Case Series.

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing neurosurgery frequently exhibit hyperlactatemia. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with hyperlactatemia and assess how hyperlactatemia impacts survival and hospital length of stay after intracranial tumor surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 496 adult patients that underwent surgery between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2015. We evaluated patient characteristics, surgery characteristics, pH, lactate, and blood glucose from blood samples collected on admission to the high-dependency unit and the morning after surgery, and 6-month outcome data. RESULTS: Hyperlactatemia (>2.0 mmol/L) occurred in >50% of patients, but only 7.7% had acidosis. Postoperative hyperlactatemia was not correlated with 6-month survival (P=0.987), but was correlated with (median [interquartile range]) longer hospital stays (6 [4 to 8.5] d vs. 5 [4 to 8] d; P=0.006), longer surgery duration (4:53 [4:01 to 6:18] h:min vs. 4:28 [3:33 to 5:53] h:min; P=0.001), higher dexamethasone dose (16 [16 to 35] mg vs. 16 [16 to 20] mg; P<0.001), and higher blood glucose concentration (8.4 [7.5 to 9.6] mmol/L vs. 8.0 [7.1 to 8.9] mmol/L; P<0.001). Patients that received total intravenous anesthesia developed hyperlactatemia less frequently than those that received balanced anesthesia with inhalational agents (48.4% vs. 61.5%, P=0.008). Hyperlactatemia was not associated with increased postoperative neurological deficits or the need for rehabilitation therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperlactatemia was common after intracranial tumor surgery. It did not influence 6-month outcomes but was associated with longer hospital length of stay. Several potential causative factors for hyperlactatemia were identified.

Anxiety, memories and coping in patients undergoing intracranial tumor surgery.

OBJECTIVES: The diagnosis and the surgical removal of a brain tumor can have serious impact on the quality of life of a patient. The question rises, whether having more or just less memories of the procedure is better for coping with such an event. Furthermore, for preoperative information of future patients it is important to know how patients process their emotions and memories. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the link between preoperative anxiety, the perioperative experience and the quantity and quality of postoperative memories in patients who underwent intracranial tumor surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was a retrospective observational study; all patients who underwent intracranial tumor surgery at the Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam between January 1st 2014 and December 31st 2015 were identified. In May 2016, all patients who were not registered as deceased were sent a questionnaire about their anxieties, perceptions and memories of the perioperative period. RESULTS: In total 476 patients were included. 272 patients responded, which resulted in a response rate of 57.14%. In the general anesthesia (GA) group there was a significant negative correlation between anxiety in the perioperative period and the quantity and quality of memories. In the awake craniotomy group, there was a significant negative correlation between anxiety after the operation and the quantity of memories. CONCLUSION: Patients in the GA group who experienced anxiety in the perioperative period had less quantity and quality of memories and less patient satisfaction. Patients in the AC group who experienced anxiety after the operation had only a lower quantity of the memory; there was no correlation with patient satisfaction.