A&A practice
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Sinking skin flap syndrome is a rare complication of decompressive craniectomy characterized by a sunken skin flap, neurological deterioration, and paradoxical herniation of the brain. An absent cranium allows for external compression via atmospheric pressure, causing alterations in cerebral blood flow, cerebral spinal fluid flow, and glucose metabolism, which ultimately leads to cortical dysfunction. This case report describes a patient with relatively early onset of variable neurological symptoms and imaging correlation, leading to a diagnosis and definitive therapeutic intervention with cranioplasty. Prompt recognition is critical to avoid potentially devastating neurological outcomes in this rare, but underreported condition.
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Neuroendocrine tumors may rarely present after organ transplantation, including cardiac transplant. Treatment is surgical resection with careful perioperative management to optimize blood pressure and intravascular volume. We present the anesthetic management of a patient who was diagnosed with bilateral neuroendocrine tumors soon after heart-lung transplantation and underwent successful staged bilateral adrenalectomy.
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Case Reports
Continuous Erector Spinae Plane Catheter for Analgesia After Infant Thoracotomy: A Case Report.
The erector spinae plane block is an emerging technique for the provision of thoracolumbar analgesia with reported pediatric applications. We describe the placement of a continuous erector spinae plane catheter at the T5-T6 level in a 7-month-old infant who was undergoing thoracotomy for left upper lobectomy due to congenital pulmonary airway malformation. This technique resulted in outstanding analgesia without the need for opioid rescue analgesia. This block has a low degree of technical difficulty and is placed in area devoid of nearby critical structures and could be used in a number of potentially painful interventions.
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Pentalogy of Cantrell is a rare syndrome consisting of midline abnormalities involving the heart, sternum, abdominal wall, and the anterior and pericardial diaphragm. This combination of defects places patients at particular perioperative risk and requires individualized management during anesthetic care. The following report documents the management of a patient with pentalogy of Cantrell, whose condition was further complicated by severe midline craniofacial abnormalities, including large anterior encephalocele, deficient mandible, tethered tongue, and cleft palate. The case offers insight into the complexity of care in this unique patient population.
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Postmastectomy pain syndrome poses a significant treatment challenge. We present the case of a 42-year-old woman who presented to our pain clinic with a 16-month history of postmastectomy pain. We performed a combined superficial and deep serratus plane block using bupivacaine, dexamethasone, and clonidine. ⋯ At 2-month follow-up, her pain was 5/10. The block was repeated with the same drugs at 3 months with similar pain relief. This case illustrates the utility of a combined superficial and deep serratus plane block in postmastectomy pain syndrome with a possible benefit from added dexamethasone and clonidine.