Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2002
Should we reevaluate the variables for predicting the difficult airway in anesthesiology?
Anesthesiologists have often been confronted with the difficult question of determining which patient will present an increased difficulty for endotracheal intubation. The limits of the previously reported morphometric airway measurements for predicting difficult intubation have inadequately addressed the normal patient population variables. We designed this prospective study to investigate the age and sex-related changes in the morphometric measurements of the airway in a large group of patients without anatomic abnormality and a group of cadavers. Hyomental, thyromental, sternomental distances, neck extension, and Mallampati scores were evaluated in 12 cadavers and in 334 patients. Patients were allocated to three groups based on age: Group 1 (20-30 yr), Group 2 (31-49 yr), and Group 3 (50-70 yr). Male and female sex differences were also evaluated. Hyomental distance was the only variable not affected by age. In addition, the mean population values were less than the threshold values suggested as criteria for difficult endotracheal intubation. All the other criteria were age-dependent and inversely affected by the increase in age. Male sex was also a distinction for increased measurements of all the morphometric distances. The mean degree of neck extension was similar in both sex groups. This study provides a more comprehensible approach to the morphometric measurements of the human airway. Adequate data of normal values may help the clinician to identify patients that are outside the range and therefore may be challenging. ⋯ This study was performed to establish data on the average values of airway morphology in the adult population of different age groups and sex. Hyomental, thyromental, sternomental distances and neck extension values were measured on 12 cadavers and 334 patients.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2002
Case ReportsProjected complex sensations after interscalene brachial plexus block.
The development of projected complex sensations mimicking phantom pain after interscalene block is reported. The recognition of this entity is important because it may be confused with some other cardiac, esophageal, or visceral pathologies.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2002
Pre-ictal bispectral index has a positive correlation with seizure duration during electroconvulsive therapy.
Propofol anesthesia increases the seizure threshold of patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy. Excessive neuronal suppression could result in an unacceptably short seizure. We sought to identify the correlation between the pre-ictal bispectral index (BIS) score and seizure duration in patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy under propofol anesthesia. BIS was monitored in 38 psychotically depressed patients. Anesthesia was induced by a bolus injection of 1 mg/kg of propofol. The duration of muscular and electroencephalographic seizure was measured during the therapy. The BIS immediately before the electrical shock was 54 +/- 13. Both muscular and electroencephalographic seizure durations had a positive correlation with pre-ictal BIS (r = 0.68 and 0.73, respectively; P < 0.01). After the electrically induced seizure, BIS decreased to 30 +/- 8, reflecting post-ictal suppression. BIS scores when the patients had awakened after the seizure had a wide variation (range, 29-81; mean, 45; SD, 13). In conclusion, seizure duration has a positive correlation with BIS immediately before electrical shock; however, BIS may not be an accurate predictor of awakening after electrical shock. ⋯ Pre-ictal bispectral index had a positive correlation with seizure duration and could be useful to prevent an unacceptably short seizure in electroconvulsive therapy under propofol anesthesia.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2002
Practice Guideline GuidelineACC/AHA Guideline Update for Perioperative Cardiovascular Evaluation for Noncardiac Surgery--Executive Summary. A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Committee to Update the 1996 Guidelines on Perioperative Cardiovascular Evaluation for Noncardiac Surgery).
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2002
Induction of anesthesia and insertion of a laryngeal mask airway in the prone position for minor surgery.
The use of the prone position for surgery presents potential obstacles to rapid tracking of patients during ambulatory anesthesia. We describe a prospective audit of 73 patients who placed themselves in the prone position; anesthesia was induced in this position and a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) was used to maintain the airway. Additional increments of propofol were given to one patient who had laryngospasm and to nine who required deepening of anesthesia before the LMA could be inserted. Of four cases with LMA malpositioning, the LMA was adjusted easily in three, but in one patient who was edentulous, it was necessary to hold the LMA for the duration of the procedure. Manual ventilation of the lungs via the LMA was required because of arterial oxygen desaturation and hypoventilation in four patients. Blood was noted outside the nostrils in two patients, presumably caused by soft tissue trauma after insertion of the LMA, and bradycardia occurred in five patients. In the postoperative period, hoarseness and sore throat were observed in one and six patients, respectively. With experience and appropriate patient selection, it is possible to induce and maintain anesthesia using a LMA in patients in the prone position for ambulatory surgery. ⋯ With experience and appropriate patient selection, it is possible to induce and maintain anesthesia using a laryngeal mask airway in patients in the prone position for ambulatory surgery.