Journal of neurosurgical anesthesiology
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Oct 1995
Outcome of head injury in 2298 patients treated in a single clinic during a 21-year period.
Between 1968 and 1988, 2298 head-injured patients of all grades of severity were registered in the data bank of a single clinic. The majority of patients were admitted to a community hospital and transferred later to the neurosurgical clinic. The data included mechanism of injury and clinical status at admission, including the level of consciousness according to the Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) before and after resuscitation. ⋯ Outcome was significantly correlated to age and type and severity of lesion, as judged by the postresuscitation GCS. The outcome of the 1264 most severely injured, comatose patients (GCS < 9) shows a good recovery rate of 55%, a severely disabled rate of 14%, a vegetative rate of 7%, and a mortality rate of 24%. We attribute these results, which compare favorably with others, to prompt airway control and controlled ventilation in unconscious patients.
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Jul 1995
Clinical TrialDo recently developed techniques for skull base surgery increase the risk of difficult airway management? Assessment of pseudoankylosis of the mandible following surgical manipulation of the temporalis muscle.
We report our experience with anesthetic care for six patients with pseudoankylosis of the mandible following neurosurgical procedures, four of whom required fiberoptically guided intubation for anesthesia. We suggest that the development of operative approaches and reconstruction techniques in skull base surgery may increase the risk of difficult airway due to limitation of mouth opening.
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Apr 1995
Nitrous oxide added to isoflurane increases brain artery blood flow and low frequency brain electrical activity.
Although changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and the electroencephalogram (EEG) have been reported with nitrous oxide (N2O) administration, the interaction of these parameters is unclear. The purpose of this study was to measure CBF and EEG during N2O administration in eight patients. A craniotomy was performed and CBF was measured in major brain arteries using a transit time Doppler flowmeter. ⋯ N2O administration in these patients also enhanced delta EEG activity and increased CBF. The slowing of EEG activity with N2O is temporally related to increases in CBF during normocapnia. Hypocapnia abolished the increase in CBF during N2O and attenuated the shift of EEG to delta activity.
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Apr 1995
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialA comparison of anesthetic techniques for awake intubation in neurosurgical patients.
Two different methods of achieving upper airway anesthesia for awake fiberoptic intubation were prospectively compared in patients undergoing surgery for cervical spine instability. Forty patients were randomized to either topical anesthesia or nerve block groups. Topical anesthesia patients were administered nebulized 4% lidocaine (approximately 20 ml) via the oropharynx plus a transtracheal injection of 4% lidocaine (3 ml). ⋯ Ten minutes later there was no difference for plasma lidocaine concentration between groups. No patients had evidence of seizures or neurologic change during the procedure. There was no difference in patient perception of discomfort during the procedure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Apr 1995
Case ReportsPerforation and partial obstruction of an armored endotracheal tube.
Armored endotracheal tubes are often used during cases in which there is a risk of compromise of a polyvinylchloride tube with positioning of a patient's head. The authors describe a case in which partial airway obstruction and perforation of such a tube occurred as a result of biting by a patient. Ways to avoid this complication are discussed.