BACKGROUND: This study was designed to compare the hemodynamic changes in response to direct laryngoscopy of the McCoy blade and the Macintosh blade. METHODS: Sixty patients scheduled for elective gynecologic surgery were randomly allocated into two groups. The induction of anesthesia was done with thiopental sodium 5 mg/kg, fentanyl 2 mcg/kg, vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg. When the train of four arrived came at 0/4, the vocal cords were visualized with either the McCoy or the Macintosh laryngoscope blade for 10 seconds. Heart rate and blood pressure were recorded at 1 minute intervals for 5 minutes. RESULTS: Laryngoscopy caused significant increases in arterial blood pressure in both groups, while it had no effect on heart rate in either group. There were no significant differences in blood pressure and heart rate responses to laryngoscopy in the blades. CONCLUSIONS: The McCoy and the Macintosh blade show similar changes in heart rate and blood pressure after laryngoscopy.
Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Female ; Fentanyl ; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Laryngoscopes* ; Laryngoscopy ; Thiopental ; Vecuronium Bromide ; Vocal Cords

BACKGROUND: One of the most important physical properties affecting the level of analgesia after intrathecal administration of a local anesthetic is baricity. This study was done to compare the distribution of 0.5% tetracaine in 5% glucose solution and in 10% glucose solution. METHODS: Tetracaine 2.6 ml (0.5% with 5% glucose or 10% glucose) added with 0.1% epinephrine 0.2 ml was administered to each of 20 patients. All patients' heights were within 160 170 cm. The cephalad spread of analgesia, the degree of motor block in the legs and hemodynamic values were assessed at 2-min intervals for the first 10 min and then at 5-min intervals until 30 min. RESULTS: In the 5% glucose and 10% glucose solutions, the maximum sensory level was T5.4 and T4.3, the maximum sensory block time was 128.1 min and 118.2 min and the time to complete motor block was 5.4 min and 5.2 min respectively. It was not statistically significant between groups. But T 8.1 (vs T 9.6 in the 5% glucose solution) of initial sensory level measured at 4 min after injection of drug was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the 10% glucose solution. Maximum hemodynamic changes from the baseline were not different in two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Tetracaine 0.5% with 5% glucose or 10% glucose solutions showed similar distribution in the cerebrospinal fluid.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Epinephrine ; Glucose* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Leg ; Tetracaine*

BACKGROUND: The combination of a local anesthetic and an opioid has been shown to produce effective epidural labor analgesia. It was reported that the combination of intrathecal opioid and bupivacaine could produce labor analgesia with longer duration and less side effects. This study was done to evaluate the effect of intrathecal bupivacaine mixed with sufentanil for labor analgesia. METHODS: Eighty women requesting labor analgesia were randomly assigned to receive intrathecal 10 mcg of sufentanil (S group, n = 40) or 2.5 mg of bupivacaine plus 10 microgram of sufentanil (SB group, n = 40) diluted in a total volume of 2.2 ml with normal saline. The analgesia was performed using combined spinal-epidural technique in the lateral position. Visual analogue scales (VAS) for pain, sensory changes to cold, duration of analgesia, motor block, hypotension, fetal heart rate, pruritus, and other side effects were assessed for 30 minutes after intrathecal drug injection. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the VAS pain scores and sensory levels at 5 minutes after intrathecal drug injection between groups. However, VAS pain scores were significantly lower and sensory levels higher in the SB group at 15 minutes and 30 minutes after intrathecal drug injection. The duration of analgesia provided by intrathecal sufentanil (n = 31) was 103.4 41.1 min, by intrathecal sufentanil plus bupivacaine (n = 29) 113.0 32.1 min (P = 0.30). Motor block assessed by a modified Bromage scale was significantly frequent in the SB group (P< 0.001). Not only adverse effects such as hypotension, fetal bradycardia, pruritus, and nausea, but also satisfaction scores were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of bupivacaine to intrathecal sufentanil produced more frequent motor block and extensive sensory block, but better analgesia. However, duration of analgesia, side effects and satisfaction score did not change.
Analgesia* ; Bradycardia ; Bupivacaine* ; Female ; Heart Rate, Fetal ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Labor Pain ; Nausea ; Pregnancy ; Pruritus ; Sufentanil* ; Weights and Measures

We experienced a case of incidental removal of granuloma of vocal cord after blind endotracheal intubation with lightwand. The patient was a 43-years-old female suffering from hoarseness for 2 months and diagnosed as vocal cord pyogenic granuloma developed after primary closure of thyroid cartilage laceration. She had a limited neck extension suggesting difficult intubation, so endotracheal intubation with lightwand was planned to secure airway. After endotracheal intubation using lightwand, the lesion of vocal cord could not be seen in the microscopic exam. We discovered and immediately removed the granuloma on the carina level using rigid bronchoscope.
Bronchoscopes ; Female ; Granuloma ; Granuloma, Pyogenic* ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Intubation* ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Lacerations ; Neck ; Thyroid Cartilage ; Vocal Cords*

BACKGROUND: This study was done to compare vacuum delivery and cesarean section rates in a large population before and after on-demand labor epidural analgesia became available. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the overall sets of delivery modes in patients who gave birth during a 12-month period before the introduction of on-demand labor epidural analgesia, and those giving birth after labor epidural analgesia became available. Additionally, we compared the rates of cesarean section or vacuum delivery in patients delivering before and after the availability of on-demand labor epidural. RESULTS: Included were 3905 patients who delivered before, and 4318 patients who delivered after epidural analgesia became available. Labor epidural rates were 0.3% vs 14.7% for the before and after groups. The rates of cesarean delivery for dystocia in primary cesarean operation did not change (10% vs 10.5%), and vacuum delivery rates in the total vaginal delivery patients were not changed (15.1% vs 14.7%) for the before and after group. CONCLUSIONS: Increased epidural analgesia did not change the overall cesarean delivery rates for dystocia and vacuum - assisted delivery rates.
Analgesia, Epidural* ; Cesarean Section* ; Dystocia ; Female ; Humans ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Vacuum*

BACKGROUND: In patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), ketorolac tromethamine has been mixed with nalbuphine HCL in the same PCA balloon or syringe. The compatibility of mixed drugs is an important factor in determining the effects of the administered drugs, so we examined the compatibility of the mixed solution of the both drugs in various dilutions. METHODS: Ketorolac tromethamine (K1, 3, 7, 19 group; n = 10/group) or nalbuphine HCl (N1, 3, 7, 19 group; n = 10/group) was diluted 1: 1, 3, 7, or 19 with normal saline and then the other drug was added. The presence of precipitates, turbidity by visual and spectrophotometric methods, and the pH of the mixed solutions were evaluated 0, 1, 6, 12 and 24 hours later. RESULTS: Precipitates were observed in all studied solutions except in solutions of nalbuphine HCl diluted 1 : 19 with normal saline plus ketorolac tromethamine at the observed intervals. Turbid changes were observed in N1, 3, K1, 3, and 7, but significantly decreased from 6 hours after mixing. The pH of the K groups were significantly lower than those of the N groups. CONCLUSIONS: The mixed solutions of ketorolac tromethamine with nalbuphine HCl were visually incompatible in almost all studied cases, so careful considerations are needed in mixing ketorolac tromethamine with nalbuphine HCl.
Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Ketorolac Tromethamine* ; Ketorolac* ; Nalbuphine* ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Syringes

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to compare responses to the insertion of an intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA) and to the intubation of an endotracheal tube according to insertion time when used with sevoflurane and without muscle relaxant. METHODS: We used 50% N2O-O2-8% sevoflurane and a 10% topical lidocaine spray. Forty-eight patients were randomized into four groups according to insertion time (each, n = 12). The ILMA was inserted at 3, 4, 5, and 6 minutes after sevoflurane induction and intubation was performed at 1 minute after ILMA insertion. Responses to intubation, such as vital signs, jaw relaxation, coughing, biting, movements, and laryngospasm were compared according to ILMA insertion time. RESULTS: At 3 minutes, overall responses to insertion and intubation were worse than at 4, 5, and 6 minutes (P < 0.05). At 4, 5, and 6 minutes, responses to the insertion of the ILMA and the intubation of endotracheal tube were satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: Insertion of ILMA at 4 minutes after sevoflurane induction proved satisfactory, and this could be applied in clinical practice.
Cough ; Humans ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal* ; Jaw ; Laryngeal Masks* ; Laryngismus ; Lidocaine ; Relaxation ; Vital Signs

BACKGROUND: Theoretically, L-type calcium channel blockers could modulate anesthetic effects. Nicardipine does not affect the bispectral index (BIS), but nimodipine, which can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, has not been studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a single dose of intravenous nicardipine or nimodipine could affect BIS following rapid sequence intubation. METHODS: This study was done in a double-blind, randomized fashion. Anesthesia was induced with fentanyl 2 microgram/kg, thiopental sodium 5 mg/kg, and 100% oxygen. After loss of consciousness, patients received rocuronium 1.0 mg/kg and either a bolus of 20 microgram/kg nicardipine, nimodipine, or a comparable volume of normal saline (n = 20). Intubation was performed 1 min after study drug administration. BIS, mean blood pressure (MBP), and heart rate (HR) were measured before anesthetic induction, after loss of consciousness, before intubation, during intubation, and 1, 2 and 5 min after intubation. RESULTS: BIS dropped rapidly after induction but increased to 60 before intubation in all groups irrespective of study drug. In nimodipine, the increase in BIS during intubation was not significant compared to pre-intubation, in contrast to the other two groups, but there was no difference in BIS during intubation. HR significantly increased, but MBP just rose to pre-induction values after intubation in nicardipine and nimodipine groups. BIS, MBP, and HR following intubation increased in control group. CONCLUSIONS: A single dose of intravenous nicardipine or nimodipine could attenuate blood pressure increases but not affect BIS increases in rapid sequence intubation.
Androstanols ; Anesthesia ; Anesthetics ; Blood Pressure ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Calcium Channels, L-Type ; Fentanyl ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Intubation ; Nicardipine ; Nimodipine ; Oxygen ; Thiopental ; Unconsciousness

Growing skull fracture is a rare complication of a closed head injury during infancy and childhood. Most growing skull fracture are located in the parietal region. The authors report a case of growing skull fracture of the orbital roof using three dimentional computerized tomography(3-D CT) imaging, the shpae and the size of defect were clearly demonstrated.
Head Injuries, Closed ; Orbit* ; Rabeprazole ; Skull Fractures* ; Skull*

BACKGROUND: Infracochlear approach indroduced by Ghorayeb et al. in 1988, was performed to reach the petrous apex with the canal wall-down procedure. Giddings et al. described the transcanal infracochlear approach preserving the posterior wall of the external auditory canal for treatment of the cholesterol granuloma in the petrous apex in 1991. OBJECTIVES: Surgical anatomy for the infracochlear approach to the petrous apex was reviewed in order to understand clinical applicability of this approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was performed using 20 human cadaveric temporal bones by the microscopic dissection. Measurements were obtained between different structures to find reliable angles and distances to guide working in the petrous apex region. RESULTS: The petrous apex was entered through the fenestra between the cochlea, carotid, and jugular bulb. The mean area of the fenestrae was 11.7+/-5.5mm2. The distance from the vertical segment of the facial nerve to the petrous apex was 25.3+/-2.4mm. The angle of the approach to the petrous apex was 37.3+/-5.1degrees to the axis of the internal auditory canal. CONCLUSION: The infracochlear approach could be used to obtain the route for a drainage procedure or a biopsy at the petrous apex without damaging hearing organs and major vessels. The canal-down procedure was needed to assess the petrous apex successfully.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Biopsy ; Cadaver ; Cholesterol ; Cochlea ; Drainage ; Ear Canal ; Facial Nerve ; Granuloma ; Hearing ; Humans ; Temporal Bone