Journal of neurosurgical anesthesiology
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Oct 2016
Biomarkers, Genetics, and Epigenetic Studies to Explore the Neurocognitive Effects of Anesthesia in Children.
Exposure to commonly used anesthetic agents causes widespread neuronal degeneration in the developing mammalian brain and has been shown to impair neurodevelopment in a variety of newborn vertebrate animal species. Although retrospective studies have suggested an association between anesthesia exposure in childhood and subsequent neurodevelopmental abnormalities, a causal relationship in humans has yet to be demonstrated. Unfortunately, translation of findings from bench to bedside is limited by several factors and histologic assessment in healthy children following exposure to anesthesia is not possible. ⋯ Here we present the summary of a focus group discussion regarding the utility of biomarkers in translational studies of anesthetic neurotoxicity as part of The 2016 Pediatric Anesthesia NeuroDevelopmental Assessment (PANDA) Symposium at Columbia University Medical Center. The experts agreed that defining intermediate phenotypes using advanced neuroimaging as a biomarker is a highly feasible and reasonable modality to provide new insights into the deleterious effects of anesthetic exposure in the developing human brain and could illuminate a viable investigative path forward. Ultimately, well-defined intermediate phenotypes may allow us to fully understand the neurodevelopmental impact of anesthesia-induced neurotoxicity and permit us to develop the safest and most effective anesthetic strategies for the infants and children we care for.
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Oct 2016
Use of Anesthesia for Imaging Studies and Interventional Procedures in Children.
Ongoing investigation from the Pediatric Anesthesia NeuroDevelopment Assessment (PANDA) study hopes to examine the long-term effect on cognitive and language development of a single anesthetic exposure in children undergoing inguinal hernia repair. The fifth PANDA Symposium, held in April 2016, continued the mission of previous symposia to examine evidence from basic science and clinical studies on potential neurotoxic effects of anesthetics on developing brain. At the 2016 Symposium, a panel of specialists from nonsurgical pediatric disciplines including anesthesiology, radiology, neurology, gastroenterology, oncology, cardiology, and critical care reviewed use of anesthesia in their practices, including how concern over possible neurodevelopmental effects of early childhood anesthetic exposure has changed discussion with patients and families regarding risks and benefits of imaging studies and interventional procedures involving sedation or anesthesia. This paper summarizes presentations from nonsurgical pediatric specialists at the 2016 PANDA Symposium.
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Oct 2016
Cerebral Blood Flow Measurement by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy During Carotid Endarterectomy.
It is crucial to evaluate cerebral blood flow (CBF) during carotid endarterectomy (CEA). However, it is difficult to measure CBF in the operating room. The recent development of high-accuracy near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has enabled the measurement of regional CBF following injection of indocyanine green (ICG). We aimed to measure changes in regional CBF by clamping the carotid artery during CEA and to analyze factors affecting the blood flow index (BFI) in CEA. ⋯ The BFI was significantly reduced by carotid artery clamping during CEA. Abnormalities of the circle of Willis were a significant factor contributing to reduced BFI.
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Oct 2016
Intracarotid Etomidate Decreases the Interhemispheric Synchronization in Electroencephalogram (EEG) During the Wada Test.
The Wada test is a diagnostic method to anesthetize 1 cerebral hemisphere and assess the language and memory functions of awake contralateral hemisphere before temporal lobectomy in patients with epilepsy. The effects of an ipsilateral injection of etomidate on the functional properties of contralateral hemisphere are not known. Our aim was to characterize the electroencephalographic (EEG) effects after intracarotid injection of etomidate and to determine the changes in synchronization between the ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres. ⋯ Our study showed that the EEG effects of intracarotid ipsilateral injection of etomidate is not uniform in both hemispheres. Decrease in the interhemispheric synchronization of delta waves might serve as an indicator of ipsilateral effect of etomidate on the brain. Additional studies are needed to confirm our findings.