A&A practice
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Critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been observed to be hypercoagulable, but the mechanisms for this remain poorly described. Factor VIII is a procoagulant factor that increases during inflammation and is cleaved by activated protein C. To our knowledge, there is only 1 prior study of factor VIII and functional protein C activity in critically ill patients with COVID-19. Here, we present a case series of 10 critically ill patients with COVID-19 who had severe elevations in factor VIII activity and low normal functional protein C activity, which may have contributed to hypercoagulability.
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Case Reports
Anesthesia Management for Pediatric Patient With Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2B: A Case Report.
Administering anesthesia to patients with pheochromocytoma may cause an exacerbation of catecholamine secretion from the pheochromocytoma secondary to drug administration, stress, or manipulation of the tumor. We present a pediatric patient with undiagnosed multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B (pheochromocytoma, thyroid carcinoma, and mucosal neuromas), initially diagnosed and treated for postviral myocarditis and cardiomyopathy, who presented for abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) under general anesthesia. Untreated cardiomyopathy poses an extra anesthesia mortality risk for patients with pheochromocytoma usually due to myocardial failure, myocardial infarction, or hypertensive hemorrhage into the myocardium or brain.
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Case Reports
Residual Weakness and Recurarization After Sugammadex Administration in Pediatric Patients: A Case Series.
While shown to be safe for administration in pediatric patients, sugammadex has recently been associated with residual weakness or recurarization. We describe 4 additional cases of pediatric patients with residual or recurrent weakness following rocuronium reversal with sugammadex. ⋯ A third patient received sugammadex with apparent waning of clinical effect and subsequently required neostigmine reversal. A fourth patient was observed to have residual weakness, which led to prolonged intubation despite appropriate train-of-four results after reversal with sugammadex.
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Case Reports
Neuraxial Morphine-Induced Hypothermia After Cesarean Delivery Managed With Nalbuphine: A Case Report.
Neuraxial morphine-induced hypothermia has been reported as a relatively rare complication, with the successful use of naloxone and lorazepam to reverse symptoms. We report a case of intrathecal morphine-induced hypothermia with profuse sweating, intractable nausea, and vomiting in a primigravid woman undergoing cesarean delivery in the setting of preeclampsia. All symptoms rapidly resolved after a single dose of intravenous nalbuphine. Because nalbuphine has a long track record of safe use on labor and delivery units, it is an attractive and novel choice for treatment of neuraxial morphine-induced hypothermia.
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We evaluated a full-face snorkel mask with an airway circuit filter to protect health care providers against airborne pathogens. First, a quantified N95 fit test was performed using aerosolized saline. ⋯ Neither hypercapnia nor hypoxemia occurred. This modified mask has the potential to protect providers who care for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).