Paediatric anaesthesia
-
Paediatric anaesthesia · Nov 2003
Case ReportsProlonged cannulation of the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) for blood pressure monitoring in a child after cardiopulmonary bypass.
Cannulation of the radial artery percutaneously or by cut down is frequently used to monitor blood pressure in infants and children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. When radial artery cannulation is difficult because of previous cannulation attempts, and/or surgical cut downs, posterior tibial artery cannulation is sometimes undertaken. ⋯ There were no complications with the placement and/or the removal of this arterial line on the 25th postoperative day. When standard arterial monitoring sites are not accessible, internal mammary artery cannulation can provide reliable access for prolonged arterial blood pressure monitoring in the postoperative period in children.
-
Paediatric anaesthesia · Nov 2003
Case ReportsMassive tongue swelling following the use of synthetic saliva.
A 5-year-old boy with cerebral palsy and severe learning difficulties developed massive tongue swelling of sudden onset following the use of synthetic saliva. Acute airway obstruction and severe stridor ensued which required tracheal intubation and transfer to paediatric intensive care. The child was treated with intravenous steroids, antihistamines and epinephrine. With cessation of synthetic saliva, the swelling gradually resolved and the child was extubated on day 5.
-
Paediatric anaesthesia · Nov 2003
Letter Case ReportsAnaesthetic management of an infant with Conradi's syndrome.
-
Paediatric anaesthesia · Oct 2003
Case ReportsA long-term continuous infusion via a sciatic catheter in a 3-year-old boy.
We describe the case of a 3-year-old boy with a subtotal amputation of the right foot who received treatment for pain via a peripheral catheter positioned at the level of the sciatic nerve (lateral approach). We administered a continuous infusion of 0.2% ropivacaine, 0.4 mg x kg(-1) x h(-1) plus clonidine 0.12 microg x kg(-1) x h(-1) for 21 days. Pain relief was complete and the patient did not require any further rescue analgesia throughout the period even during medications and surgical treatment in our intensive care unit. We discuss the safety and efficacy of the use of a peripheral continuous infusion in children compared with other techniques of analgesia.
-
Paediatric anaesthesia · Oct 2003
ReviewChemokines and the inflammatory response following cardiopulmonary bypass--a new target for therapeutic intervention?--A review.
This 10-year Medline search of English-language articles describing experimental and clinical studies on chemokines, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and systemic or multiorgan failure revealed that chemokines are significantly involved in the pathogenesis of post-CPB syndrome. The post-CPB inflammatory response depends upon recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells. Leucocyte recruitment is a well-orchestrated process that involves several protein families, including pro-inflammatory cytokines, adhesion molecules and chemokines. ⋯ The chemokines, which are a cytokine subfamily of chemotactic cytokines, participate in recognizing, recruiting, removing and repairing inflammation. As chemokines target specific leucocyte subsets, antagonism of a single chemokine ligand or receptor would be expected to have a circumscribed effect, thereby endowing the antagonist with a limited side-effect profile. Chemokines should be considered as possible targets for therapeutic intervention.