Der Anaesthesist
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We report the case of a 4.9-year-old boy with congenital hydrocephalus and obstruction of his shunt who just after the induction of anaesthesia suddenly developed generalized muscle rigidity that made intubation impossible. Because of temporary mydriasis the situation could hardly be differentiated from acute cerebral herniation. The lack of any decrease in muscle tone after emergency trephination and drainage of the right lateral ventricle and the immediate improvement following intravenous dantrolene left no doubt about the diagnosis of malignant hyperthermia. ⋯ Reconstruction of the course of the first anaesthetic necessary for shunt implantation at the age of 62 days revealed that the same symptoms already had occurred. However, they then were not attributed to malignant hyperthermia but interpreted as symptoms of acute herniation. A detailed description of this first anaesthetic is given which again elucidates the problems associated with the abrupt onset of muscular hypertonus in a patient with neurologic disorder; moreover this may well be the first published case report of malignant hyperthermia at the age of just 2 months.
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Case Reports
[Postanesthetic recall ability, anxiety and dreams in surgical patients. A clinical study].
The recall of stimuli registered during general anaesthesia is described. Patients were interviewed 2 days after surgery, concerning their experiences during anaesthesia. ⋯ Of 140 patients, 2 described recall of awareness during anaesthesia. There was no evidence that external stimuli had been incorporated into dream content.
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Haemodynamic and metabolic effects of glucose-potassium-insulin (GKI) were studied in 14 patients with peritonitis. Study entry criteria were: hypodynamic septic shock (mean arterial pressure less than 50 mmHg and cardiac index less than 3.5 l/min) despite a highly positive fluid balance (greater than +2,000 ml during the last 12 h) and use of catecholamines (greater than 15 mcg/kg/min Dobutamine). GKI (glucose 70% 1 g/kg + potassium 10 mval + insulin 1.5 U/kg) was infused within 15 min via a central venous catheter. ⋯ The haemodynamic improvement lasted from 30 min or less (n = 3; 21%) to several hours. Nine patients (64%) survived more than 2 days, and two patients (14%) were eventually discharged from the hospital. We conclude, that in hypodynamic septic shock refractory to volume loading and catecholamine treatment GKI may be beneficial, although the mechanism of action remains unclear.