Annales françaises d'anesthèsie et de rèanimation
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We describe a case of a parturient scheduled for Caesarean section in whom diplopia from abducens (sixth cranial) nerve palsy followed spinal anaesthesia performed with a 25 gauge Whitacre needle. After delivery, the patient experienced neckache, diplopia and postural headache successively. ⋯ Despite two consecutive epidural blood patches, no improvement of diplopia was observed. In 8 months, the nerve palsy had completely resolved.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Jan 2001
Case Reports[Acute hemolysis following perioperative blood salvage in chldren operated for the surgical correction of craniosynostosis].
We report the case of a 6-month-old child, who suffered from acute haemolysis following transfusion of salvaged blood. This complication, of favourable outcome, was related to the accidental aspiration of benzalkonium chloride into the cell saver. This case emphasizes that any adjunction of antiseptic solution is contraindicated during blood saving. The use of a cell saver must be associated with written protocols, describing clearly the contraindications, precautions of use, and the different steps of use of this method of autologous blood transfusion.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Jan 2001
[Measurement of carbon monoxide in expired breath in prehospital management of carbon monoxide intoxication].
Carbon monoxide detectors are currently used by the French prehospital medical teams. These detectors can also be used to measure expired breath carbon monoxide concentration. The interest of this measurement has never been studied. ⋯ Measurement of expired carbon monoxide concentration, easy and quick to perform is correlated with clinical severity in carbon monoxide poisoning.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Jan 2001
[Blood transfusion in adults: description of a quality assurance program].
In 1995, a fatal transfusion complication led to the development of a quality-assurance programme (QAP). Initial analysis showed important deficiencies in practice patterns for both nurses and physicians. No written guidelines had been previously produced. ⋯ The success of a change of practice patterns relies on hospital administration positive role, education and feedback, written and immediately available guidelines, employment of specially trained personnel, long-standing actions. Future accreditation of hospitals based on well-defined and well-implemented procedures will also be a major help to increase the quality of the transfusion process.
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To analyze the current knowledge concerning xenon anaesthesia. ⋯ The noble gas xenon has anaesthetic properties that have been recognized 50 years ago. Xenon is receiving renewed interest because it has many characteristics of an ideal anaesthetic. In addition to its lack of effects on cardiovascular system, xenon has a low solubility enabling faster induction of and emergence from anaesthesia than with other inhalational agents. Nevertheless, at present, the cost and arety of xenon limit its widespread use in clinical practice. The developement of closed rebreathing system that allowed recycling of xenon and therefore reducing its waste has led to a recent interest in this gas. Reducing its cost will help xenon to find its place among anaesthetic agents. An European multicentric clinical trial under submission will contribute to the discussion of the opportunity for xenon introduction in anaesthesia.