Anesthetic experience in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) with severe hypotension associated autonomic dysfunction has not yet been reported. Here in case, we report on the case of treatment with vasopressin to refractory hypotension in FTD patient. A 54-year-old male presented with a ten-year history of FTD with frequent syncope. The patient was scheduled to undergo subtotal gastrectomy for resection of stomach cancer. During the operation, sudden hypotension occurred and it was refractory to fluid and 1 unit of blood resuscitation and did not respond to catecholamine. Transesophageal echocardiography showed normal heart with adequate volume state. After intravenous administration of arginine vasopressin, the patient's vital signs returned to baseline values. Arginine vasopressin might be considered as a valuable alternative for treatment of severe refractory hypotension in autonomic dysfunction patients with FTD.
Administration, Intravenous ; Arginine Vasopressin ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Frontotemporal Dementia* ; Gastrectomy ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Resuscitation ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Syncope ; Vasopressins ; Vital Signs

BACKGROUND: Acute variceal bleeding is a serious complication of liver cirrhosis, which has an attendant mortality of approximately 60% over two years, and a variety of treatments, such as balloon tamponade, endoscopic varix ligation, sclerotherapy, histoacryl injection and vasoactive drugs, have been used. The aims of the present trial were to compare the effectiveness and complications of somatostatin and vasopressin in the treatment of acute variceal bleeding. METHODS: Forty-three cirrhotic patients, with endoscopically proven acute variceal bleeding, were included in this trial. Both drugs were given as continuous intravenous infusions for 48 hours. Twenty patients received the somatostatin (250 mcg per hr after a bolus of 50 mcg) and twenty-three the vasopressin (0.4 units per min). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in relation to age, sex, etiology of cirrhosis, Child-Pugh classification, characteristics of bleeding episode, laboratory findings before randomization and units of transfused blood during therapy. Rebleeding, within 6 hours after beginning of therapy, was regarded as failure to control initial bleeding, and was observed in 3 (13.0%) of the patients who received vasopressin and in 1 (5.0%) treated with somatostatin (p> 0.05). Five patients in both the somatostatin (25.0%) and vasopressin (21.7%) groups rebled during the first 5 days following the initial therapy (p> 0.05). Meaningful complications related to the use of vasopressin were observed in 5 patients (chest pain or abdominal pain requiring nitroglycerin), but no complications were associated with the use of somatostatin (p< 0.05). The mortalities during hospitalization were similar in both the treatment groups. Two of the vasopressin and 1 of the somatostatin group died due to the uncontrolled rebleeding, and 1 of the vasopressin group died due to hepatic failure (2 weeks later after theropy). CONCLUSION: This study showed no differences in the effectiveness of somatostatin and vasopressin, but the somatostatin group had a lower risk of the complications.
Comparative Study ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices/*drug therapy/etiology ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/*drug therapy/etiology ; Hemostatics/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Human ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Liver Cirrhosis/*complications/mortality/therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Somatostatin/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Treatment Outcome ; Vasopressins/*administration & dosage/adverse effects

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether treatment outcome is associated with visualization of contrast extravasation in patients with acute massive gastrointestinal bleeding after endoscopic failure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2007 to December 2009, patients that experienced a first attack of acute gastrointestinal bleeding after failure of initial endoscopy were referred to our interventional department for intra-arterial treatment. We enrolled 79 patients and divided them into two groups: positive and negative extravasation. For positive extravasation, patients were treated by coil embolization; and in negative extravasation, patients were treated with intra-arterial vasopressin infusion. The two groups were compared for clinical parameters, hemodynamics, laboratory findings, endoscopic characteristics, and mortality rates. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients had detectable contrast extravasation (positive extravasation), while 31 patients did not (negative extravasation). Fifty-six patients survived from this bleeding episode (overall clinical success rate, 71%). An elevation of hemoglobin level was observed in the both two groups; significantly greater in the positive extravasation group compared to the negative extravasation group. Although these patients were all at high risk of dying, the 90-day mortality rate was significantly lower in the positive extravasation than in the negative extravasation (20% versus 42%, p < 0.05). A multivariate analysis suggested that successful hemostasis (odds ratio [OR] = 28.66) is the most important predictor affecting the mortality in the two groups of patients. CONCLUSION: Visualization of contrast extravasation on angiography usually can target the bleeding artery directly, resulting in a higher success rate to control of hemorrhage.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Angiography ; *Embolization, Therapeutic ; Extravasation of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Materials/*radiography ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/mortality/radiography/*therapy ; Hemostasis, Endoscopic ; Hemostatics/*administration & dosage ; Humans ; Infusions, Intra-Arterial ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Radiography, Interventional ; Treatment Failure ; Vasopressins/*administration & dosage ; Young Adult

This is a report on a case of severe skin necrosis in a vasodilatory septic shock patient after the infusion of low-dose vasopressin through a central venous catheter. An 84-year-old male was hospitalized for edema on both legs at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. On hospital day 8, the patient began to complain of dyspnea and he subsequently developed severe septic shock caused by E. coli. After being transferred to the medical intensive care unit, his hypotension, which was refractory to norepinephrine, was controlled by an infusion of low-dose vasopressin (0.02 unit/min) through a central venous catheter into the right subclavian vein. After the infusion of low-dose vasopressin, severe skin necrosis with bullous changes developed, necessitating discontinuation of the low-dose vasopressin infusion. The patient expired from refractory septic shock. Although low-dose vasopressin can control hypotension in septic shock patients, low-dose vasopressin must be used with caution because ischemic complications such as skin necrosis can develop even with administration through a central venous catheter.
Vasopressins/administration & dosage/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Vasoconstrictor Agents/administration & dosage/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Skin/*drug effects/*pathology ; Shock, Septic/*drug therapy ; Necrosis/chemically induced/pathology ; Male ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Humans ; Fatal Outcome ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Catheterization, Central Venous ; Aged, 80 and over