A & A case reports
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Tracheal stenosis in pregnancy is a relatively rare occurrence and there are limited data regarding the perioperative management of these patients. Various surgical treatment options are available to include open repair, long-term tracheostomy, or endoscopic repair (rigid versus balloon dilation). We report the case of a woman in her third trimester of pregnancy, with known recurrent and worsening history of subglottic tracheal stenosis, who underwent awake microlaryngoscopy with potassium titanyl phosphate laser radial incision and serial tracheal balloon dilation under topical anesthesia with sedation. We further discuss her perioperative multidisciplinary management.
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We describe using ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks for postoperative pain control in 2 children undergoing ventricular shunt surgery. In the first patient undergoing ventriculo-peritoneal shunt revision, a combination of ultrasound-guided greater occipital nerve, superficial cervical plexus, and transversus abdominis plane blocks was used. ⋯ Both patients, who underwent multiple revisions during their hospitalizations, showed decreased analgesic requirements after regional anesthesia. Our experience suggests this combined block technique may provide beneficial postoperative analgesia for patients undergoing shunt revision.
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We describe a case of a thoracic epidural abscess after epidural catheter insertion in a patient undergoing lobar segmentectomy. The patient described a "pulsatile" back pain the sixth day after surgery, and purulent material at the entry site of the catheter was observed. The image of the nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed an epidural abscess that was treated conservatively with antibiotics after a consensus decision among neurosurgery, infectious diseases an anesthesia services. The abscess was reabsorbed completely with no sequelae.
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We report a case of a patient undergoing esophagectomy for end-stage achalasia, a rare condition associated with potentially catastrophic ventilatory and circulatory complications. The complexity of the case necessitated preoperative planning with the surgical specialist, development of a novel algorithm for airway management, and careful implementation of our plan. Isolation of the lungs from the esophagus presented unique challenges due to not only the anatomic derangements that are the hallmark of this disease process but also an unusual anatomic finding seen in this patient.