Methemoglobinemia is a blood disorder in which an abnormal amount of methemoglobin is produced, and prilocaine is one of the drugs that can cause this disorder. The maximum recommended dose of prilocaine is 8 mg/kg. We report a case of methemoglobinemia caused by the administration of 4.2 mg/kg of prilocaine without other methemoglobinemia-inducing drugs during general anesthesia. A 17-year-old girl with hyperthyroidism and anemia was scheduled to undergo maxillary sinus floor elevation and tooth extraction. The patient’s peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) decreased from 100% at arrival to 95% after receiving prilocaine with felypressin following induction of general anesthesia. However, the fraction of inspired oxygen was 0.6. Blood gas analysis showed that the methemoglobin level was 3.8% (normal level, 1%–2%), fractional oxygen saturation was 93.9%, partial pressure of oxygen was 327 mmHg, and arterial oxygen saturation was 97.6%. After administration of 1 mg/kg of methylene blue, her SpO 2 improved gradually to 99%, and the methemoglobin value decreased to 1.2%. When using prilocaine as a local anesthetic, it is important to be aware that methemoglobinemia may occur even at doses much lower than the maximum recommended dose.

Methemoglobinemia is a blood disorder in which an abnormal amount of methemoglobin is produced, and prilocaine is one of the drugs that can cause this disorder. The maximum recommended dose of prilocaine is 8 mg/kg. We report a case of methemoglobinemia caused by the administration of 4.2 mg/kg of prilocaine without other methemoglobinemia-inducing drugs during general anesthesia. A 17-year-old girl with hyperthyroidism and anemia was scheduled to undergo maxillary sinus floor elevation and tooth extraction. The patient’s peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) decreased from 100% at arrival to 95% after receiving prilocaine with felypressin following induction of general anesthesia. However, the fraction of inspired oxygen was 0.6. Blood gas analysis showed that the methemoglobin level was 3.8% (normal level, 1%–2%), fractional oxygen saturation was 93.9%, partial pressure of oxygen was 327 mmHg, and arterial oxygen saturation was 97.6%. After administration of 1 mg/kg of methylene blue, her SpO 2 improved gradually to 99%, and the methemoglobin value decreased to 1.2%. When using prilocaine as a local anesthetic, it is important to be aware that methemoglobinemia may occur even at doses much lower than the maximum recommended dose.

We provided general anesthesia management to a patient with advanced atrioventricular block, which was discovered in the remote period after open-heart surgery. A 21-year-old man with Noonan syndrome was scheduled to undergo excision of a median intramandibular tumor. At 2 months of age, the patient underwent endocardial repair for congenital heart disease. During our preoperative examination, an atrioventricular block was detected, which had not been previously noted. Emergency drugs were administered, and a transcutaneous pacemaker was placed. During anesthesia induction, mask ventilation was easy, and intubation was performed smoothly using a video laryngoscope. The transcutaneous pacemaker was activated in demand mode at a pacing rate of 50 cycles/min approximately throughout the anesthesia time, and the hemodynamic status remained stable. The effect of intraoperatively administered atropine was brief, lasting only a few seconds. Although body movements due to thoracoabdominal muscle spasm were observed during pacemaker activation, they did not interfere with surgery. In postoperative patients with congenital heart disease, an atrioventricular block may be identified in the remote period, and preoperative evaluation should be based on this possibility. In addition, during anesthesia management, it is important to prepare multiple measures to maintain hemodynamic status.

Background: A high incidence (40–73%) of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) has been reported following orthognathic surgery, and various risk factors have been associated with it. Identifying PONV risk factors based on initial onset time will help establish preventive measures. This study aimed to identify factors that are significantly related to PONV based on the initial onset time after orthognathic surgery. Methods: This study included 590 patients who underwent orthognathic surgery. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors that are significantly related to PONV. The objective variables were classified into three categories: no PONV, early PONV (initial onset time: 0–2 h after anesthesia), and late PONV (initial onset time: 2–24 h after anesthesia). The explanatory variables included relevant risk factors for PONV, as considered in previous studies. Results: Total intravenous anesthesia with propofol was a significant depressant factor for early PONV (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.340, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.209–0.555) and late PONV (aOR = 0.535, 95% CI = 0.352–0.814). The administration of a combination of intraoperative antiemetics (vs. no administration) significantly reduced the risk of early PONV (aOR = 0.464, 95% CI = 0.230–0.961). Female sex and young age were significant risk factors for late PONV (aOR = 1.492, 95% CI = 1.170–1.925 and unit aOR = 1.033, 95% CI = 1.010–1.057, respectively). Conclusion We identified factors that are significantly related to PONV based on the initial onset time after orthognathic surgery. Total intravenous anesthesia with propofol significantly reduced the risk of PONV not only in the early period (0–2 h after anesthesia) but also in the late period (2–24 h after anesthesia).

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ingesting yogurt fermented with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (OLL1073R-1) on the immune function of healthy university men track and field athletes. Study design Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study. A total of 37 track and field athletes aged ≥18 years were randomly assigned into two groups. For 2 weeks, two bottles of yogurt fermented with OLL1073R-1 and Streptococcus thermophilus OLS3059 or placebo sour milk were ingested daily to the participants. During the intake period, a 1-week training camp was held and participants were subjected to strenuous exercise. Natural killer (NK) cell activity, which is the primary endpoint, was significantly lower in the placebo group after ingestion than that at baseline; however, it remained unchanged during the pre-exercise level of the yogurt group. The two-way repeated measures analysis of variance showed an interaction effect in the NK cell activity change (P=0.018) and a significant difference between the groups after the 2-week ingestion (P=0.015). Among the secondary endpoints, cytokines and chemokines levels involved in activating innate immunity maintained or enhanced only in the yogurt group. ALT, LDH, and CK significantly elevated only in the placebo group. Furthermore, amino acid levels were significantly lower in the placebo group after ingestion than that at baseline; however, it remained unchanged during the pre-exercise level in the yogurt group. Consuming yogurt fermented with OLL1073R-1 prevents the decline in immune function associated with strenuous exercise. Additionally, the yogurt may contribute to stable physical condition.