A & A case reports
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Acute adult epiglottitis is a rare and potentially fatal upper airway condition, requiring prompt recognition, resuscitation, stabilization, and transfer to definitive care. Treatment centers on skilled airway management and early antimicrobial therapy. We describe a patient with acute adult epiglottitis in whom airway management using noninvasive positive pressure ventilation was successful allowing avoidance of tracheal intubation.
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Before cannulation of the internal jugular vein (IJV) in 4 pediatric patients, we obtained in-plane and out-of-plane ultrasound images of the vertebral artery (VA). In 2 of 4 patients, abnormalities were identified and best imaged in the in-plane view. ⋯ In another patient, the in-plane image of both the IJV and the VA clearly showed a narrowed IJV. In some cases, the relationship between the VA and IJV may be more clearly understood with in-plane imaging.
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One day after removal of an AuraStraight disposable laryngeal mask, a plastic laryngeal mask airway cuff shield was retrieved from the oropharynx of a 5-year-old child refusing to eat, drooling, and pointing to her throat. We discuss the reasons why this occurred and suggest how it can be prevented in the future.
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We describe a case of postoperative uvular edema in a pediatric patient who underwent general anesthesia via a laryngeal mask airway at our institution. Although numerous cases of uvular trauma have been reported in the literature, its association with laryngeal mask airway use remains rare.
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In this case series, we describe transient postoperative facial nerve palsy in patients after awake craniotomy using selective scalp nerve blocks. In a 1-year period, 7 of the 42 patients receiving scalp nerve blocks at our institutions developed this complication. ⋯ The exact cause of transient postoperative facial nerve palsy after auriculotemporal nerve block is unknown and likely multifactorial. This technique may need to be refined to avoid such complications.