A & A case reports
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Case Reports
Lumbar Epidural Blood Patch via a Caudal Catheter After Surgical Dural Tear and Failed Repair: A Case Report.
We report a patient who developed a positional headache and pseudomeningocele after multiple lumbar surgeries for low back and radicular pain. An epidural blood patch via a lumbar approach was not feasible as a result of distorted lumbar anatomy after multiple back surgeries. ⋯ The patient had immediate relief after the procedure and at 1 year was still symptom-free. This combination technique may be considered as an alternative approach when a percutaneous lumbar epidural blood patch is disadvantageous.
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Case Reports
Perioperative Surface Ultrasound for Placement and Confirmation of Central Venous Access: A Case Report.
We present a case highlighting that the real-time visualization of the guidewire in the internal jugular vein with ultrasound, and confirmation of correct position of the guidewire tip at the superior vena cava to right atrial junction with surface ultrasound, is possibly the safest method of central venous catheter insertion.
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Case Reports
Femoral Neuropathy Following Spontaneous Retroperitoneal Hemorrhage After Cardiac Surgery: A Case Report.
A woman underwent ascending aortic aneurysm repair, aortic root and valve replacement, and coronary artery bypass grafting. Her postoperative course was complicated by stroke and status epilepticus. With supportive care and antiepileptics, her neurologic status improved. ⋯ Because her hematoma was not amenable to percutaneous drainage or surgical evacuation, and considering her comorbidities, a conservative approach was elected. Anticoagulation was held but not reversed, and she was transfused. Her impairment resolved fully after 3 days, and anticoagulation was restarted in staggered fashion.
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A 67-year critically ill patient suffered from a hypertensive crisis (200 mm Hg) because of a norepinephrine overdose. The overdose occurred when the clinician exchanged an almost-empty syringe and the syringe pump repeatedly reported an error. ⋯ Testing this hypothesis in vitro showed significant peak dosing errors (up to +572%) but moderate overdose (0.07 mL, +225%) if a clamp was used on the intravenous infusion line and a large overdose (0.8 mL, +2700%) if no clamp was used. Clamping and awareness are advised.
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Case Reports
Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection or Sweet Syndrome: Surgery Versus No Surgery?: A Case Report.
The authors report a case of necrotizing Sweet syndrome in a 24-year-old transsexual male who presented with recurrent myonecrosis of the neck/upper chest. On index admission, computer tomography revealed gas and fat stranding of the sternocleidomastoid and pectoralis major muscle-findings suggestive of a necrotizing soft tissue infection. Despite debridement procedures and intravenous antibiotic therapy, myonecrosis of the affected areas persisted. ⋯ The initiation of IV corticosteroids, the gold-standard treatment for necrotizing Sweet syndrome, lead to significant clinical improvement. When soft tissue infections do not respond to debridement and broad-spectrum antimicrobial coverage, perioperative care providers should consider necrotizing Sweet syndrome as an underlying cause. By facilitating the early diagnosis and appropriate management of unique conditions such as necrotizing Sweet syndrome, anesthesiologists can not only play a more visible role as leaders in the emerging perioperative surgical home model, but they may also prevent significant patient morbidity and reduce unnecessary utilization of health care resources.