A & A case reports
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Case Reports
Brachiocephalic Vein Perforation During Cannulation of Internal Jugular Vein: A Case Report.
We report a rare complication of right brachiocephalic vein perforation during ultrasound-guided cannulation of the right internal jugular vein (IJV) in a patient with a tortuous common carotid artery (CCA). We suspect that the tortuous CCA displaced the IJV, which caused misplacement of the J-tip guidewire into the subclavian vein. ⋯ This was diagnosed by videothoracoscopy. Anesthesiologists should be aware of the possibility of guidewire malposition during IJV catheterization in patients with a tortuous CCA.
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Case Reports
Malignant Hyperthermia in a Morbidly Obese Patient Depletes Community Dantrolene Resources: A Case Report.
During resection of a duodenal carcinoid tumor, a 28-year-old morbidly obese woman developed suspected malignant hyperthermia. This hypermetabolic state posed a diagnostic challenge given the similar intraoperative presentation of carcinoid crisis and malignant hyperthermia. ⋯ Current dantrolene dosing recommendations are based on actual body weight despite a paucity of literature in obese patients. We speculate that the prolonged need for dantrolene redosing was from the continuous release of the volatile anesthetic from the patient's adipose tissue.
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Early diagnosis of aortic dissection is important to reduce mortality, with surgical management representing standard treatment. Current methods of diagnosing type A aortic dissection include computed tomography angiography (CTA), magnetic resonance imaging, catheter-based arteriography, and transesophageal echocardiography. ⋯ We present a case of a patient who was diagnosed with type A aortic dissection by CTA, but was found to not have an aortic dissection by transesophageal echocardiography under general anesthesia, preventing an unnecessary sternotomy. The echocardiographic findings suggested CTA artifact.
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Transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange (THRIVE) is a novel airway technique that utilizes high-flow humidified nasal oxygen. It can extend apnea time and maintain oxygen saturation. ⋯ Intravenous sedation resulted in hypoventilation close to apnea. THRIVE maintained oxygen saturation for 40 minutes until transient desaturation developed after complete airway obstruction.
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Case Reports
Use of 23.4% Saline in Symptomatic Vasospasm and Cushing's Triad to Prevent Herniation and Death: A Case Report.
A 53-year-old woman with migraines presented with Hunt-Hess grade 5 and Fisher grade 4 subarachnoid hemorrhage with intraventricular hemorrhage. She experienced severe vasospasm requiring intra-arterial medications. Continued vasospasm and edema resulted in Cushing's triad with profound tachypnea. ⋯ Despite the general practice to wait until complete neurologic deterioration before administering 23.4% saline, it was administered on 2 separate occasions, once after the failure of the 2 boluses of 3% saline and once on the reappearance of Cushing's triad 24 hours later, and on each occasion produced overall clinical improvement. The patient was subsequently discharged to a rehabilitation facility and then home. A paradigm shift to earlier intervention with 23.4% saline may improve overall outcomes in patients with severe intracranial hypertension refractory to 3% saline and impending herniation.