A&A practice
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Case Reports
Left Ventricular Apex Venting in High-Risk Redo Sternotomy With Severe Aortic Insufficiency: A Case Report.
Redo cardiac surgery in patients with severe aortic insufficiency can present unique challenges to the anesthesiologist. We report a case highlighting the challenge and importance of interdisciplinary planning between cardiothoracic surgeons and anesthesiologists prior to high-risk surgery. Failure to place an endoaortic balloon and percutaneous coronary sinus catheter due to anatomical abnormalities prompted the adoption of an alternate technique involving apical ventricular venting to assist sternal reentry. Apical left ventricular venting was successfully used to prevent ventricular dilation and dysfunction during institution of cardiopulmonary bypass with significant aortic regurgitation and hypothermia-induced ventricular fibrillation.
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Accidental fire can occur with upper airway injury and can be fatal if inappropriately managed. Effective communication between the anesthetic and the surgical teams can reduce the risk of such an adverse event. ⋯ The literature on upper airway thermal injury has focused on prevention and intraoperative management, but few studies have described postburn management. In this report, we describe the intraoperative occurrence of an airway fire during a surgical tracheostomy and subsequent patient management.
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Anterior laryngeal web is a rare anomaly which is usually asymptomatic in infancy. This translates into a high incidence of unanticipated difficult intubation in these patients with consequent airway morbidity in the form of tracheostomy. ⋯ After multiple failed intubation attempts with direct laryngoscopy, use of CMAC video laryngoscope improved the glottic view, enabled us to diagnose the presence of a thick anterior laryngeal web and intubate the child. We have also highlighted a pivotal history which may improve its preoperative detection.