The occurrence of seizure increases 15-30% in women who become pregnant while being treated for epilepsy, due to pharmacological changes in the antiepileptic drugs and, changes in the emotional status and hormones. It is reported that 1-2% of pregnant women experience status epilepticus. When refractory status epilepticus occurs in a pregnant woman, parturition may be an important method of treatment. We report here on a case of a 28 weeks pregnant woman who had epilepsy for 21 years and she had status epilepticus in a refractory status and so she underwent general anesthesia for cesarean section.
Anesthesia, General ; Anticonvulsants ; Cesarean Section ; Epilepsy ; Female ; Humans ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus

BACKGROUND: Coughing during emergence from general anesthesia may be detrimental in children. We compared the effect of a small dose of propofol or ketamine administered at the end of sevoflurane anesthesia on the incidence or severity of coughing in children undergoing a minimal invasive operation. METHODS: One hundred and eighteen children aged between 3 and 15 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status I, were enrolled in this randomized double blind study. Anesthesia was induced with propofol or ketamine and maintained with sevoflurane in N2O/O2. Each group received propofol 0.25 mg/kg or ketamine 0.25 mg/kg and the control group received saline 0.1 ml/kg. The decision to perform tracheal extubation was based on specified criteria, including the resumption of spontaneous respiration. During emergence from anesthesia and extubation, coughing was observed and graded at predefined times. RESULTS: The incidence of emergence without coughing was higher in the propofol group than in the ketamine and control group (19%, 11% and 6%, respectively), whereas the incidence of severe coughing was higher in the control group than in propofol and ketamine group (17.14%, 10.0% and 6.98%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of propofol 0.25 mg/kg decreased the incidence of coughing after sevoflurane general anesthesia in children undergoing non-painful procedures.
Aged ; Airway Extubation ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Child ; Cough ; Double-Blind Method ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ketamine ; Laryngismus ; Methyl Ethers ; Propofol ; Respiration

BACKGROUND: Knowledge regarding normal upper airway anatomy is essential for airway management and is required to prevent malpositioning of endotracheal tubes. We evaluated the length of the upper airway in Korean children and adults who had no abnormality of the upper airway using a fiberoptic bronchoscope. METHODS: Eighty seven patients aged 5 to 81 years undergoing noninvasive elective surgery were included in this study. After induction of anesthesia was complete, we measured the distance from the upper incisor to various components of the upper airway by fiberoptic bronchoscopy. RESULTS: In adults, the mean length between the upper incisor and midtrachea was found to be 21.8 +/- 1.8 cm in males and 19.9 +/- 1.3 cm in females, while the mean length of the trachea was 10.1 +/- 1.3 cm in males and 10.3 +/- 1.6 cm in females. The length between the upper incisor and midtrachea (IT) were correlated with height both in children (IT [cm] = 2.531 + 0.109 x height [cm]) and adults (IT [cm] = 0.167 + 0.127 x height [cm]), which shows that they differ from the western standard (length of tube [cm] = 5 + 0.1 x height [cm]). CONCLUSIONS: In adults and children, the length from the incisor to the midtrachea was significantly different when compared with western standards. Therefore, re-evaluation of the proper and precise depth of endotracheal tube in Koreans should be considered.
Adult ; Aged ; Airway Management ; Anesthesia ; Bronchoscopes ; Bronchoscopy ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Incisor ; Intubation ; Male ; Otolaryngology ; Trachea

BACKGROUND: To analyze how lidocaine 40 mg mixed prevents injection pain of propofol affects the onset time of rocuronium, tracheal intubating conditions and intubation related hemodynamic changes. METHODS: This study consisted of 70 patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status class 1 or 2 for general anesthesia. All the patients were randomly allocated into two groups: propofol 2 mg/kg plus normal saline 2 ml (Group C) and propofol 2 mg/kg plus 2% lidocaine 40 mg (Group L). Each group was administrated intravenously during induction and the patient was intubated 1 minute after an injection of 0.6 mg/kg of rocuronium. The time at disappearance of the first twitch and intubation scores were recorded. Also, blood pressure and heart rate were measured at the baseline, after intravenous injection of propofol, before intubation, and at 0, 1, 2, 3 and 5 minutes after intubation. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between group C and L (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: 40 mg of lidocaine mixed with propofol to prevent injection pain did not affect the onset time of rocuronium, intubating conditions and intubation related hemodynamic changes.
Androstanols ; Anesthesia, General ; Blood Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Intubation ; Lidocaine ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Propofol

BACKGROUND: Esmolol and remifentanil are widely used drugs that minimize the increase of the blood pressure and the heart rate in response to endotracheal intubation during the induction of anesthesia. The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of esmolol and remifentanil on the cardiovascular and catecholamine responses to endotracheal intubation. METHODS: Sixty ASA I and II patients were randomly allocated to three groups. Anesthesia was induced with propofol 2 mg/kg and rocuronium 0.9 mg/kg and this was maintained with 2 vol% sevoflurane and 50% nitrous oxide in oxygen. The patients received 10 ml intravenous saline (control group), 1.5 mg/kg esmolol (esmolol group) or 1microgram/kg remifentanil followed by an infusion of 0.1microgram/kg/min (remifentanil group) before intubation. The noninvasive blood pressure and heart rate were recorded before induction (baseline), before intubation and at 1, 2, 3 and 5 minutes after intubation. The blood catecholamine level (epinephrine and norepinephrine) was measured before induction and at 1 and 5 minutes after intubation. RESULTS: The systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressures after endotracheal intubation were similar in the control and esmolol groups, but they were lower in the remifentanil group (P < 0.05). The heart rate after endotracheal intubation was lower in the remifentanil group than that in the esmolol group. No significant differences of the catecholamine responses to endotracheal intubation were observed among the three groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: 1microgram/kg remifentanil followed by an infusion of 0.1microgram/kg/min is more effective than 1.5 mg/kg esmolol for inhibiting the cardiovascular responses following endotrachal intubation during the induction of general anesthesia.
Androstanols ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Methyl Ethers ; Nitrous Oxide ; Oxygen ; Piperidines ; Propanolamines ; Propofol

BACKGROUND: Esmolol and remifentanil are widely used drugs that minimize the increase of the blood pressure and the heart rate in response to endotracheal intubation during the induction of anesthesia. The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of esmolol and remifentanil on the cardiovascular and catecholamine responses to endotracheal intubation. METHODS: Sixty ASA I and II patients were randomly allocated to three groups. Anesthesia was induced with propofol 2 mg/kg and rocuronium 0.9 mg/kg and this was maintained with 2 vol% sevoflurane and 50% nitrous oxide in oxygen. The patients received 10 ml intravenous saline (control group), 1.5 mg/kg esmolol (esmolol group) or 1microgram/kg remifentanil followed by an infusion of 0.1microgram/kg/min (remifentanil group) before intubation. The noninvasive blood pressure and heart rate were recorded before induction (baseline), before intubation and at 1, 2, 3 and 5 minutes after intubation. The blood catecholamine level (epinephrine and norepinephrine) was measured before induction and at 1 and 5 minutes after intubation. RESULTS: The systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressures after endotracheal intubation were similar in the control and esmolol groups, but they were lower in the remifentanil group (P < 0.05). The heart rate after endotracheal intubation was lower in the remifentanil group than that in the esmolol group. No significant differences of the catecholamine responses to endotracheal intubation were observed among the three groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: 1microgram/kg remifentanil followed by an infusion of 0.1microgram/kg/min is more effective than 1.5 mg/kg esmolol for inhibiting the cardiovascular responses following endotrachal intubation during the induction of general anesthesia.
Androstanols ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Methyl Ethers ; Nitrous Oxide ; Oxygen ; Piperidines ; Propanolamines ; Propofol

Stickler syndrome is a connective tissue dysplasia disorder with characteristic midface hypoplasia, retromicrognathia, cleft palate, and a moon-shaped appearance. Incidence of the syndrome is estimated at around 1/10000 and the disorder is considered to be caused by mutations in the COL2A1, COL11A1, COL11A2, COL9A1 procollagen genes of type 2 and 11 collagen. Patients with a mandibular hypoplasia like Stickler syndrome present the anesthesiologist with considerable problems when mask ventilation or endotracheal intubation is attempted. We report a successful anesthetic experience, including blind endotracheal intubation with rigid laryngoscope without neuromuscular blockade, in a 9-year-old boy with Stickler syndrome for scleral buckling with cryotherapy.
Anesthesia, General ; Child ; Cleft Palate ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Cryotherapy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Laryngoscopes ; Masks ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Procollagen ; Scleral Buckling ; Ventilation

Objective: To compare the energy efficiency of gait with knee-ankle-foot orthosis (KAFO) and robot-assisted gait and to develop a usability questionnaire to evaluate the satisfaction of walking devices in paraplegic patients with spinal cord injuries. Methods: Thirteen patients with complete paraplegia participated and 10 completed the evaluation. They were trained to walk with KAFO (KAFO-gait) or a ReWalk robot (ReWalk-gait) for 4 weeks (20 sessions). After a 2-week wash-out period, they switched walking devices and underwent 4 additional weeks of training. Two evaluations were performed (after 2 and 4 weeks) following the training periods for each walking device, using the 6-minute walking test (6MWT) and 30-minute walking test (30MWT). The spatiotemporal variables (walking distance, velocity, and cadence) and energy expenditure (heart rate, maximal heart rate, the physiologic cost index, oxygen consumption, metabolic equivalents, and energy efficiency) were evaluated duringthe 6MWT and 30MWT. A usability evaluation questionnaire for walking devices was developed based on the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission guidelines through expert consultation. Results: The ReWalk-gait presented significant advantages in energy efficiency compared to KAFO-gait in the 6MWT and 30MWT; however, there were no differences in walking distance or speed in the 30MWT between ReWalk-gait and KAFOgait. The usability test demonstrated that ReWalk-gait was not superior to KAFO-gait in terms of safety, efficacy, efficiency, or patient satisfaction. Conclusion The robot (ReWalk) enabled patients with paraplegia to walk with lower energy consumption compared to KAFO, but the ReWalk-gait was not superior to KAFO-gaitin terms of patient satisfaction.