A 69-year-old man with prostate cancer underwent surgery for 16 h. Approximately 6 h after surgery, the patient developed severe pain and motor weakness in his right arm. After neurologic examinations that included a nerve conduction study and electromyography, the patient was diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury. The causes of the brachial plexus injury were thought to be abduction of both arms, direct compression of the shoulder brace, and prolonged surgery. Most of the postoperative peripheral nerve injuries due to patient position are preventable, and anesthetists and surgeons should be very careful in positioning the patient accurately.
Aged ; Arm ; Braces ; Brachial Plexus ; Electromyography ; Head-Down Tilt ; Humans ; Neural Conduction ; Neurologic Examination ; Patient Positioning ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Shoulder

No abstract available.
Humans ; Prognathism* ; Retrognathia*

BACKGROUND: Various techniques have been introduced to decrease complications during nasotracheal intubation. A common practice is to use nasal packing with a cotton stick and 0.01% epinephrine jelly. However, this procedure can be painful to patients and can damage the nasal mucosa. Xylometazoline spray can induce effective vasoconstriction of the nasal mucosa without direct nasal trauma. In this study, we aimed to compare the efficacy of these two methods. METHODS: Patients were randomly allocated into two groups (n = 40 each): xylometazoline spray group or epinephrine packing group. After the induction of general anesthesia, patients allocated to the xylometazoline spray group were treated with xylometazoline spray to induce nasal cavity mucosa vasoconstriction, and the epinephrine packing group was treated with nasal packing with two cotton sticks and 0.01% epinephrine jelly. The number of attempts to insert the endotracheal tube into the nasopharynx, the degree of difficulty during insertion, and bleeding during bronchoscopy were recorded. An anesthesiologist, blinded to the intubation method, estimated the severity of epistaxis 5 min after intubation and postoperative complications. RESULTS: No significant intergroup difference was observed in navigability (P = 0.465). The xylometazoline spray group showed significantly less epistaxis during intubation (P = 0.02). However, no differences were observed in epistaxis 5 min after intubation or postoperative epistaxis (P = 0.201). No inter-group differences were observed in complications related to nasal intubation and nasal pain. CONCLUSION: Xylometazoline spray is a good alternative to nasal packing for nasal preparation before nasotracheal intubation.
Anesthesia, General ; Bronchoscopy ; Epinephrine* ; Epistaxis* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intubation* ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Methods ; Mucous Membrane ; Nasal Cavity ; Nasal Mucosa ; Nasopharynx ; Postoperative Complications ; Vasoconstriction

No abstract available.
Airway Management* ; Ankylosis* ; Hypertrophy* ; Joints* ; Palatine Tonsil* ; Temporomandibular ankylosis* ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

BACKGROUND: Rapid sequence induction (RSI) is indicated in various situations. Succinylcholine has been the muscle relaxant of choice for RSI, and rocuronium has become an alternative medicine for patients who cannot be administered succinylcholine for various reasons. Although rocuronium has the most rapid onset time among non-depolarizing muscle relaxants, the standard dose of rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg) takes 60 seconds to achieve appropriate muscle relaxation. We evaluated intubating conditions using the "modified timing principle" with rocuronium and succinylcholine. METHODS: In this prospective controlled blinded study, all patients received 1.5 microg/kg fentanyl intravenously with preoxygenation for 2 minutes and were randomized to receive 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium followed by 1.5 mg/kg propofol or 1.5 mg/kg propofol and 1.5 mg/kg succinylcholine. The rocuronium group was intubated just after confirming loss of consciousness, and the succinylcholine group was intubated 1 minute after injecting succinylcholine. Intubation condition, timing of events, and complications were recorded. RESULTS: All patients were successfully intubated in both groups. Apnea time of the rocuronium group (38.5 seconds) was significantly shorter than that in the succinylcholine group (100.7 seconds). No significant differences were observed in loss of consciousness time or intubation time. The succinylcholine group tended to show better intubation conditions, but no significant difference was observed. None of the patients complained awareness of the intubation procedure or had respiratory difficulty during a postoperative interview. CONCLUSIONS: The modified RSI with rocuronium showed shorter intubation sequence, acceptable intubation conditions, and a similar level of complications compared to those of conventional RSI with succinylcholine.
Androstanols ; Apnea ; Complementary Therapies ; Fentanyl ; Humans ; Intubation ; Muscle Relaxation ; Muscles ; Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents ; Propofol ; Prospective Studies ; Succinylcholine ; Unconsciousness

A dental bridge impacted in the esophagus of a 43-year-old man was successfully removed using endoscopy, without any further complications. It is of utmost importance that the medical staff carefully assess the patient's dental condition, provide clear documentation, and notify the patient appropriately to prevent dental prosthesis-related complications and claims. Anesthesiologists also need to be more cautious in the perioperative period, even after extubation, because this complication may not be completely avoidable.
Adult ; Anesthesia, General ; Endoscopy ; Esophagus ; Foreign Bodies ; Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Medical Staff ; Perioperative Period

We experienced a case of induction of general anesthesia without using neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) in a 40-year-old woman with a history of anaphylaxis immediately after the administration of anesthetics lidocaine, propofol, and rocuronium to perform endoscopic sinus surgery 2 years before. The skin test showed a positive reaction to rocuronium and cis-atracurium. We induced general anesthesia without using NMBAs after inducing airway anesthesia with lidocaine (transtracheal injection and superior laryngeal nerve block). Deep general anesthesia was maintained with end-tidal 4 vol% sevoflurane. Hypotension was treated with phenylephrine infusion. The operation condition was excellent, and patient recovered without complications after surgery. Airway anesthesia with local anesthetics may be helpful when we cannot use NMBAs for any reason, including hypersensitivity to NMBA and surgery that needs neuromuscular monitoring.

Central venous catheter (CVC) insertion is commonly used in the operating room and intensive care unit to monitor central venous pressure and secure an intravenous route to deliver medications and nutritional support that cannot be safely infused into peripheral veins. However, CVC insertion may be associated with serious complications such as arterial puncture, hematoma, pneumothorax, hemothorax, catheter infections, and thrombosis. Several methods have been recommended to prevent these complications. Here we report a case of massive hemothorax caused by attempts of CVC insertion into the internal jugular vein and subclavian vein in a patient with multiple trauma. CVC placement should be performed or supervised by an experienced physician to decrease the incidence of CVC-related complications. CVC insertion under ultrasound guidance is recommended.

No abstract available.
Dantrolene ; Malignant Hyperthermia

In cases of multiple facial trauma and other specific cases, the anesthesiologist may be asked to convert an oral endotracheal tube to a nasal endotracheal tube or vice versa. Conventionally, the patient is simply extubated and the endotracheal tube is re-inserted along either the oral or nasal route. However, the task of airway management can become difficult due to surgical trauma or worsening of the airway condition. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was considered a novel method of airway conversion but this method is not useful when there are secretions and bleeding in the airway, or if the anesthesiologist is inexperienced in using this device. We report a successful airway conversion under the aid of both, a fiberoptic bronchoscope and a C-MAC video laryngoscope.
Airway Management ; Bronchoscopes* ; Bronchoscopy ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Laryngoscopes* ; Methods