A&A practice
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Retained catheters are a rare but known complication of continuous peripheral nerve block. To date there have been several case reports of retained catheters but none that include longer-term follow-up of the patient experience and outcomes. ⋯ The patient initially experienced paresthesias emanating from the site of continuous peripheral nerve block catheter placement, but these issues resolved completely over several weeks. No infectious or serious sequelae were encountered during 6 months of follow-up.
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We present a rare case of a newborn with spontaneous, noniatrogenic arterial thromboembolism in the right brachial artery and accompanying ischemic changes to the right upper extremity, who was successfully treated with microsurgical intervention and ultrasound-guided infraclavicular brachial plexus block with a continuous infusion of ropivacaine for 48 hours. This case report highlights the emerging role of both the microsurgeon and anesthesiologist in management of spontaneous neonatal arterial thromboembolism.
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Epicardial pacing wires are routinely used to avoid hemodynamic instability due to perioperative arrhythmias after cardiac surgery. In rare cases, pacing wires themselves can be associated with potentially life-threatening complications. Herein, we present a novel case of hemorrhagic shock and hemoperitoneum after temporary epicardial pacing wire removal.
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We describe a patient's personal struggle with a symptom complex consisting of profound muscle weakness requiring pyridostigmine, and metabolic abnormalities suggestive of mitochondrial disease. This included a profound sensitivity to opioids, which in the past caused severe respiratory depression during a prior hospital admission. Interestingly, the patient herself is a professor of ethics in genomic sciences, and she and her medical team thus far have not been able to formally diagnose her with mitochondrial disease. The patient now presented for a multilevel lumbar spine fusion and her hospital course and perspective on her medical odyssey are described here.
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Malignant hyperthermia and thyroid storm are intraoperative emergencies with overlapping symptoms but different treatment protocols. We faced this diagnostic dilemma in a 25-year-old patient with symptomatic hyperthyroidism, elevated free T3 and free T4, and low thyroid-stimulating hormone from Graves disease despite treatment with propranolol 80 mg daily and methimazole 40 mg every 8 hours. During thyroidectomy, he developed hyperthermia and hypercarbia without tachycardia. When the rate of rise of PaCO2 and temperature accelerated, we treated the patient for malignant hyperthermia, a diagnosis subsequently confirmed by genetic testing.