Annales françaises d'anesthèsie et de rèanimation
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Sep 2009
Review[Incidence and complications of post operative residual paralysis].
A 0.9 train-of-four ratio, measured at the thumb, is currently considered to reflect adequate recovery of neuromuscular block. Recent studies have documented that a train-of-four ratio <0.9 is associated with a decrease in chemoreceptor sensitivity to hypoxia and with a functional impairment of the pharyngeal muscles. These residual effects of neuromuscular blocking agents promote insufficient ventilatory response to hypoxia and regurgitation/aspiration. ⋯ Clinical tests such as the head lift test and visual or tactile evaluation of the response to peripheral nerve stimulation are no longer sufficient to exclude postoperative residual curarisation. Residual curarisation is still present at the time of extubation despite the use of subject if monitoring of neuromuscular function, clinical tests and/or reversal of neuromuscular blocking agents. In contrast, acceleromyographic monitoring provides a valuable tool to avoid residual curarisation and to reduce the related-side effects.
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Sugammadex, a cyclodextrin, is a novel agent designed to encapsulate selectively steroidal neuromuscular blocking agents such as rocuronium and vecuronium as well. One molecule of sugammadex is able to encapsulate only one molecule of muscle relaxant. ⋯ However, in order to preserve this efficacy, the dose of sugammadex needs to be adjusted to the degree of muscle paralysis at the time of reversal : 2 mg/kg after obtaining 2 responses at the adductor pollicis muscle after a train of four stimulation, 4 mg/kg with a post-tetanic count between 1 and 3 responses, and 12 to 16 mg/kg in case of rescue reversal (3 to 15 minutes after 0.6 to 1.2 mg/kg rocuronium). Even if the original property of sugammadex lets us think that per-operative neuromuscular transmission monitoring would not be furthermore useful, the assessment of the exact degree of muscle paralysis before reversal is mandatory for choosing the right dose of sugammadex.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Sep 2009
Review[In and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and echography: a review].
Cardiac arrest is a frequent emergency for doctors and resuscitation teams. Patients displaying asystole or pulseless electrical activity are non-shockable. They have extremely poor outcomes. ⋯ A synthesis algorithm dedicated to care of CA, including transthoracic echocardiography for search of curable causes, is proposed. This algorithm fulfills the ILCOR, ERC and AHA recommendations. The echocardiography should be part of ACLS, nevertheless clinical studies are needed to assess its impact on morbimortality.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Sep 2009
Review Case Reports[Anaphylaxis in terminal pregnancy: two case studies and review of the literature].
Anaphylaxis is a relative uncommon event in pregnancy that can have serious implications for both mother and foetus. Two cases of grade 3 anaphylactic shock occurring at the end of the third trimester of pregnancy are reported; the causal agents were respectively amoxicillin and suxamethonium. ⋯ A review of the literature confirms the good maternal outcome; neurologic damage in the newborn is frequent. On the basis of physiologic findings degranulation of placental mast cell is evoked in the genesis of birth asphyxia.