[Air embolism during lumbar discal hernia repair. Retroperioneal vessels lesions have to be suspected]. / Symptomatologie d'embolie gazeuse au cours d'une chirurgie de hernie discale lombaire: suspecter une plaie vasculaire rétropéritonéale.

Occurrence of deep PETCO(2) drop during surgical lumbar disk repair is rare but dramatic. This case report leads to the diagnosis of retroperitoneal vessels lesions. We review the different diagnosis related to the drop of the PETCO(2) during surgery in the genupectoral position. We recommend that the diagnosis of retroperitoneal vessels lesion have to be suspected early if air embolism occurs during lumbar disk surgery.

Renal and adrenal gland localization of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia presenting as a kidney tumor.

Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) characterized by prominent monocytosis and an increase in bone marrow monocyte precursors in addition to dyshaematopoietic features (1). Extrahaematological manifestations including cutaneous, neurologic, and rheumatic symptoms have been recorded in association with CMML. Here, we report the first observation of renal, adrenal and perirenal involvement in CMML which presented as a kidney tumor.

[Transesophageal echocardiography and air embolism during posterior fossa neurosurgery. Intraoperative detection in the foramen ovale]. / Echocardiographie transoesophagienne et embolie gazeuse en neurochirurgie de la fosse cérébrale postérieure. Intérêts et limites du dépistage préopératoire du foramen ovale.

Sitting position during neurosurgery is discussed because the risk of venous air embolism and paradoxical air embolism is increased. Preoperative transoesophageal echocardiography is proposed to screen patients with patent foramen ovale to avoid them for the sitting position. This work reported 2 patients in conflict with this screening. It is discussed the physiological principles governing the paradoxical air embolism and the actual recommended monitoring for this position.

[Need for integration and working conditions of locum anaesthesiologists in community hospitals of a French administrative area]. / Besoins, intégration, conditions de travail des anesthésistes-réanimateurs remplaçants dans les centres hospitaliers généraux en région Rhône-Alpes.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the need for locum anaesthetic coverage and the practical consequences (integration, working conditions, quality and safety) arising during the first 5 days of work, when a temporary position is accepted. MEASURED PARAMETERS: 1) Telephone enquiry of administrative services of community hospitals (CH) in one French administrative area (Rhône-Alpes) about their need for locum anaesthetists; 2) if a position was offered, it was accepted when the participation to on-call duties was delayed after the first 5 days of work; 3) during the working period, the following characteristics were assessed: integration of the locum anesthesiologist among team members, comparison of practice patterns to national guidelines; 4) data from the Platines-website of the French Ministry of Health were used to quantify indicators of activity and size of the hospitals and search for correlations between these parameters and working conditions of the locum anaesthetist. RESULTS: Of the 32 CH questioned, 28 were looking for temporary anaesthetic work force but only 11 (35%) accepted a 5-day period before participation to on-call duties and 17 refused this integration period. Four CH declared not to be looking for temporary work force. Characteristics of integration of the locum anaesthetist and standards of work were very different among centers. No hospital administration had a strategy for evaluation of recruited locums. CONCLUSION: Temporary work force in anaesthesia is widely required in CH of the Rhône-Alpes area but this practice had not been formalised. No recruitment strategy was observable. This questions about the institutions' requirements for anaesthetic services in French public hospitals.

[Cortical spreading depolarization: an underestimated phenomenon after human brain injury?]. / Les ondes lentes de dépolarisation corticale : un phénomène sous-estimé chez les patients cérébrolésés ?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cortical spreading depolarization waves (CSD) are massive temporary neuronal depolarizations that slowly propagate through cerebral cortex from brain injured tissue. CSD waves cause temporary brain electrical silence, local tissue hemodynamic responses and metabolic increases required for cellular repolarization. Due to this metabolic imbalance in compromised tissue, CSD could participate in the extension of secondary insults after brain injury. From the analysis of the human literature, we aimed at determine the CSD incidences in brain injured patients. METHODS: Medline(®) research: "cortical spreading depolarization" and "brain injury", and "human" limits from 1980 to 2011. RESULTS: Ten original studies were found. CSD occurred in more than 50% of patients monitored for CSD after different brain injury (traumatic, subarachnoid haemorrhage, malignant stroke, spontaneous intracranial haemorrhage). When detected, CSD were associated with a significantly worse neurological outcome. To be identified, CSD required specific devices that directly record cortical electrical depression by a multipolar electrode positioned at the cortex surface or by indirect analysis of hemodynamic and metabolic consequences of the CSD. CONCLUSIONS: When monitoring tools are available, CSD occur in more than 50% of brain injured patients. Today results come from clinical research. Future studies are necessary to determine the impact of CSD detection on care and potential therapeutics aimed at counteracting these adverse events.

[Profile and motivations of students performing a universitary degree in 2011]. / Profil et motivations des étudiants inscrits à un diplôme universitaire en 2011.

OBJECTIVE: Observational study relating to the inscriptions with universitary diplomas (DU) in relation with anesthesiology and intensive care during the year 2010-2011. We had in mind to know the profile and the motivations of the students concerned. METHOD: A questionnaire was put on line and the registered students with the various diplomas were contacted by e-mail. Different items investigated concerned: demography, type of exercise of the students, heading of diplomas, scientific level of the students, their motivations at the time of the inscription and finally practical organization. RESULTS: We collected 265 questionnaires, that is to say 42 % of answers. The demographic distribution of the registered voters was the followed: 71% of MD, 28% of residents. These doctors exerted for the majority with the public hospital (87%). The inscriptions concerned intensive care diplomas in 90% of the cases. The total scientific level of the students was high, since 46% of them had a diploma other than their medicine thesis. The students were registered for the majority of them "to widen their field of competence" (65%) or "in complement of their initial training" (46%). The other reasons were: "to make up a deficit of their initial training (26%)", "as continuous medical training" (16%) and finally "for the university validation of an asset" (10%). The rate of total satisfaction of the diplomas was very high (96%). Financial aid was assumed by the institution for 46% of students. Residents were less financially helped than senior practitioners. The overall costs of the DU/DIU, including the registration fee, transport and lodging, were important (>500 euros in 61% of the cases). CONCLUSION: DUs related to our specialty are much appreciated. They interest a majority of senior doctors, but also a considerable number of residents, which poses the problem of the place of these additional trainings within the framework of initial training. The principal motivations of the registered voters are to supplement their initial training or to widen their field of competence, much more than to make up a deficit of this initial training. Lastly, the total financial expenses associated with these diplomas remain important and appear inversely proportional to the incomes of the registered students.

[Post-traumatic dysautonomic crises in intensive care unit: a French national assessment]. / Les crises dysautonomiques post-traumatiques en réanimation: enquête de pratique nationale française.

INTRODUCTION: The dysautonomic crises (DC) after traumatic brain injury are an unknown syndrome whereas the first case was described more than 50 years ago. This work aimed to collect their support modalities in French neuro-intensive cares units. MATERIAL AND METHODS: French medical doctors, working in neuro-intensive care unit, were questioned by mail. The questionnaire developed point of prevalence, physiopathology, diagnosis, treatment, prognostic of DC and the existence of a support protocol in the department. RESULTS: There were 52 replies (40%) of 25 different hospitals. The DC were common or frequent for 77% of intensivists. The large majority (94%) reported a lack of knowledge about the physiopathology of the DC. The DC presented more often a therapeutic problem (28%) than a diagnostic problem (10%). The intensivists didn't know if the DC impacted on the prognostic of the patients (33%). The preferred treatment for the DC was an association of alpha/beta blockers and neuroleptics (38%). The more used preventive treatment was alpha/beta blockers (33%). Only two departments had a support protocol. CONCLUSION: Although DC were a common complication in neuro-intensive care unit, their support seems mainly empirical.

[Burnout in French doctors: a comparative study among anaesthesiologists and other specialists in French hospitals (SESMAT study)]. / Enquête comparative sur le syndrome d'épuisement professionnel chez les anesthésistes réanimateurs et les autres praticiens des hôpitaux publics en France (enquête SESMAT).

OBJECTIVE: Burnout is one of the main chronic health problems with negative consequences on health care givers but also on quality of care. The main goal of Physician Health Survey was to study the frequency of burnout among salaried physicians and pharmacists and to compare anesthesiologists and intensivists (AI) with other practitioners (OP). The secondary end points were to analyze risk factors of burnout in each group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was diffused via a specific website. Burnout was measured using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI). Several different factors were examined: work/family conflict, salary satisfaction, quality of teamwork, interpersonal relationships, workplace influence, workload and perceived health. The role of each factor was calculated by multivariate logistic regression and comparisons were made between AI and OP. RESULTS: Among the 3196 responses, CBI revealed an elevated score of burnout in 38.4% in AI and in 42.4% in OP. In each group, a great gap was displayed between the CBI results and the self-assessment of burnout (15%). Among AI, risk factors of burnout were high quantitative demand (ORadj=3.40; CI(95) 1,34-8,63), Work/family conflict (ORadj=; 3.12 CI(95) 1.60-6.08), low quality of teamwork (ORadj=1.99; CI(95)1.14-3.47) and tense Relation within team (ORadj=1.92; CI(95) 1.25-2.95). All these factors are observed also among OP. Female gender, young age and dissatisfaction with pay have significant influence but different in the two groups. Claims of recurrent harassment by superiors is a risk factor for burnout only for the AP (adj.OR=1.83; CI(95) 1.04-3.22). DISCUSSION: Burnout affected near one about two salaried physicians and pharmacists in France. AI were not more concerned by burnout than OP but all of whom have difficulty identifying their own levels of psychological stress and burnout. Decreasing the level of different risk factors i.e. by improving the quality of teamwork should lead to reduce burnout frequency.

[Subclavian artery rupture after road crash: many similitaries]. / Rupture de l'artère sous-clavière après un accident de la route : de nombreuses similitudes !

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic Subclavian Arterial Ruptures (TSCAR) are rare and with a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological data and the medical charts of the initial care of each patient suffering a TSCAR following a traffic accident. METHODS: Using the register of the road crash in the Rhone department (France) that records every casualty using the AIS codes, we retrospectively reviewed the prehospital and intrahospital medical, biological and radiological charts of every patient. Follow-up was obtained at day 60 post-trauma. RESULTS: Among the 1181 severe traumatic injuries, five casualties have been recorded in the register with a TSCAR (0.4%). Four of the five patients died in an early dramatic fatal hemorrhagic shock. Similarities between casualties were observed for patients still alive at hospital arrival that associate 1) a two-wheel motorized rider (2-WMR) crashing without antagonist 2) a severe polytraumatism including thoracic and 3) orthopaedic lesions; 4) clinical and biological signs of a severe haemorrhagic shock; 5) radiological signs of scapulothoracic dissociation. CONCLUSION: TSCAR are rare with a high mortality. We recommend improving the early care by the recognition of the triad associating early severe shock, polytraumatism (thorax and superior limb) and radiological signs evocating scapulothoracic dissociation in a 2-WMR. These signs must lead to the operating theatre as fast as possible in association with early massive transfusions.

[An unusual endometritis]. / Une endométrite peu banale.

We report a case of pyometra without any related risk factor. This leads to a severe septic shock. Evolution was successful because of quick surgical management. We report literature management of such infection. Although pyometra is an uncommon disease, it should be kept in mind as delayed management may lead to fatal outcome.

ORG 9487 neuromuscular block at the adductor pollicis and the laryngeal adductor muscles in humans.

BACKGROUND: ORG 9487 is a new steroidal nondepolarizing muscle relaxant with a rapid onset of action. This study was designed to determine the neuromuscular blocking profile of ORG 9487 at the adductor muscles of the larynx and the adductor pollicis. METHODS: In 30 adults, anesthesia was induced with propofol (2-5 mg/kg) and fentanyl (2-3 microg/kg). After train-of-four stimulation, the block of the laryngeal adductor muscles was evaluated by measuring the pressure changes in the cuff of the tracheal tube placed between the vocal cords, and the force of the contraction of the adductor pollicis was measured with a force transducer. Patients were randomly allocated to receive ORG 9487 at intravenous bolus doses of 0.75, 1.5 or 2 mg/kg (n = 10 in each group). RESULTS: Time to peak effect was significantly shorter at the vocal cords than at the adductor pollicis muscle (P < 0.001). Onset time at the vocal cords was 62 +/- 16 s, 62 +/- 13 s, and 52 +/- 14 s (mean +/- SD) after doses of 0.75, 1.5, and 2 mg/kg, respectively (not significant). Onset time at the adductor pollicis muscle was 126 +/- 33 s, 96 +/- 20 s, and 82 +/- 21 s after 0.75, 1.5, and 2 mg/kg doses, respectively (P < 0.001). Maximum block was significantly less intense at the vocal cords than at the adductor pollicis muscle (69 +/- 15% vs. 94 +/- 4% after 0.75 mg/kg; 86 +/- 7% vs. 97 +/- 4% after 1.5 mg/kg; and 91 +/- 5% vs. 99 +/- 1% after 2 mg/kg). After 1.5 mg/kg duration to 25%, recovery was 3.7 +/- 2.2 min versus 10.2 +/- 2.5 min at the vocal cords and the adductor pollicis muscle, respectively, and 75% recovery occurred at 9.7 +/- 3.7 min at the vocal cords and at 18.3 +/- 5.2 min at the adductor pollicis muscle. CONCLUSIONS: ORG 9487 has a rapid onset of action at the laryngeal adductor and the adductor pollicis muscles. Onset and duration of action are faster at the vocal cords than at the adductor pollicis muscle. However, the maximum block obtained at the laryngeal muscles was less than at the adductor pollicis, regardless of the dose of ORG 9487.

The mechanism of pancuronium potentiation of mivacurium block: use of the isolated-arm technique.

UNLABELLED: The neuromuscular blocking effects of mivacurium are greatly enhanced when mivacurium is preceded by a subparalyzing dose of pancuronium. The mechanism of this potentiation has not been elucidated. This study investigated the effects of the anticholinesterase activity of a small dose of pancuronium on the neuromuscular blocking effects of mivacurium. Forty patients were enrolled in the study. The neuromuscular effects of 7.5 and 15 microg/kg pancuronium, followed by 50 and 100 microg/kg mivacurium, were assessed in Groups PM1 and PM2 (n = 20), respectively. The neuromuscular effects of 65 and 130 microg/kg mivacurium were assessed in Groups M1 and M2 (n = 20), respectively. One arm was excluded from circulation with a tourniquet, which was inflated before the injection of pancuronium and deflated 3 min after the injection of mivacurium. The plasma cholinesterase activity was measured before induction for all patients and 3 min after the injection of pancuronium for Groups PM1 and PM2. The plasma cholinesterase activity was decreased by 16% and 33% after pancuronium administration in Groups PM1 and PM2, respectively. In the nonexcluded arm, pancuronium significantly potentiated the effects of mivacurium. In the excluded arm, no significant block was detected for Groups M1 and M2, whereas the maximal degree of neuromuscular block was 79% and 100% for Groups PM1 and PM2, respectively. Using the isolated-arm technique, we suggest that pancuronium potentiation of the neuromuscular blocking effects of mivacurium is more likely attributable to an increase in the effective plasma concentration of mivacurium than to occupancy of postsynaptic acetylcholine receptors. IMPLICATIONS: Using the isolated-arm technique, we suggest that pancuronium potentiation of the neuromuscular blocking effects of mivacurium is more likely attributable to an increase in the effective plasma concentration of mivacurium than to occupancy of postsynaptic acetylcholine receptors.

Preemptive intravenous morphine-6-glucuronide is ineffective for postoperative pain relief.

BACKGROUND: Morphine-6-glucuronide (M-6-G), a major metabolite of morphine, is reported to be more potent than morphine when administered intrathecally; however, its efficiency remains under debate when administered intravenously. This study was designed to assess the analgesic efficiency of intravenous M-6-G for the treatment of acute postoperative pain. METHODS: After informed consent was obtained, 37 adults (American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-II) who were scheduled for elective open knee surgery were enrolled in the study. General anesthesia was induced with thiopental, alfentanil, and vecuronium and was maintained with a mixture of nitrous oxide/isoflurane and bolus doses of alfentanil. At skin closure, patients were randomized into three groups: (1) morphine group (n = 13), which received morphine 0.15 mg/kg; (2) M-6-G group (n = 12), which received M-6-G 0.1 mg/kg; and (3) placebo group (n = 12), which received saline. At the time of extubation, plasma concentration of morphine and M-6-G was measured. Postoperative analgesic efficiency was assessed by the cumulative dose of morphine delivered by patient-controlled analgesia. Opioid-related side effects were also evaluated. RESULTS: No difference was noted in patient characteristics and opioid-related side effects. Morphine requirements (mean +/- SD) during the first 24 h in the M-6-G group (41+/-9 mg) and the placebo group (49+/-8 mg) were significantly greater (P<0.05) compared with the morphine group (29+/-8 mg). CONCLUSION: A single intravenous bolus dose of M-6-G was found to be ineffective in the treatment of acute postoperative pain. This might be related to the low permeability of the blood-brain barrier for M-6-G.