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Sub-tenon anesthesia for segmental scleral buckling and assessment of postoperative pain.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of sub-Tenon anesthesia for segmental scleral buckling. METHODS: Thirty-two patients diagnosed with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were treated with segmental scleral buckling under sub-Tenon anesthesia. After topical anesthesia, a buttonhole was made through the conjuntiva and Tenon's capsule 4 mm posterior to the limbus. Four milliliters of anesthetic solution was then delivered into the posterior sub-Tenon space using a blunt cannula. The buckling procedure was done immediately after the completion of anesthesia. We evaluated akinesia and recorded the pain with a visual analogue scale after surgery. RESULTS: There were no anesthesia related complications. Twenty-two patients (69%) reported no pain during surgery. Nine patients (28%) felt pain during surgery. However, the pain was tolerable and the surgeries were finished smoothly with or without a supplemental anesthetic solution. One patient (3%) experienced uncomfortable pain and needed an additional retrobulbar block. Five patients (16%) retained complete eye movement 5 min after anesthesia, and only 4 patients (13%) experienced total akinesia. At the end of the surgery, 16 patients (50%) had total akinesia and 2 patients (6%) retained complete eye movement. CONCLUSIONS: Sub-Tenon anesthesia is efficient and safe in segmental scleral buckling. It can prevent the complications of peribulbar or retrobulbar anesthesia and is a good alternative to both methods of anesthesia, especially in highly myopic eyes.

Adolescent↗

Bilateral hearing loss following a retrobulbar block.

PURPOSE: Regional anesthesia is the most commonly used ophthalmological anesthetic technique in Canada and the United States. Brainstem anesthesia is not an uncommon complication of retrobulbar blocks. Anesthesiologists are a prominent element in the ophthalmology suite, in part due to the complications possible with regional anesthesia. This is the first reported case of complete bilateral hearing loss following a retrobulbar block. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 46-yr-old male with type 1 diabetes mellitus presenting for ophthalmological surgery had a retrobulbar block performed by the ophthalmologist. Local anesthetic was injected through a 25 G, 1.5 inch needle, entering the orbit inferiorly on the temporal third of the lower lid. Shortly after the block was completed the patient experienced sudden hearing loss. On examination the hearing loss appeared to be complete and bilateral. The patient was alert and oriented; the remainder of the cranial nerve exam was normal. The patient's hearing loss gradually improved and three hours after the block his hearing had subjectively returned to normal. CONCLUSION: Brainstem anesthesia is not a rare complication of regional anesthesia for ophthalmological surgery. Symptoms include confusion, mental agitation, dizziness, blurred vision or blindness, ophthalmoplegia, deafness, tinnitus, dysphagia, dysarthria, respiratory depression to apnea, and/or limb paralysis. A connection between the subdural and subarachnoid spaces and the optic sheath exists. The effect on the central nervous system depends upon the amount of local anesthetic injected and the area to which it spreads.

Anesthesia, Conduction↗

Conscious awareness and memory during general anesthesia.

Conscious awareness is an infrequent complication of general anesthesia. All methods of anesthesia have been implicated, and no method guarantees amnesia. This article examines implicit and explicit memory and discusses factors associated with awareness. Common methods of detection are unreliable, and symptoms resembling post-traumatic stress disorder may result if awareness goes unrecognized and untreated. Patients who experience awareness may sue on grounds of malpractice, breach of contract, and lack of consent. Overhearing negative stimuli may affect patient outcome, because learning and language comprehension can occur during what appears to be clinically adequate anesthesia. Strategies to block threatening auditory stimuli include use of earphones, music tapes, white noise, reassuring statements, or positive suggestion. Behavioral anesthesia decreases patient stress to enhance recovery. Evidence of patient benefit resulting from therapeutic suggestion is inconclusive.

Anesthesia, General↗

The efficacy of regional anesthesia for outpatient anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Arthroscopically assisted anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a common orthopaedic procedure. Until recently, the majority of these procedures have been performed on an impatient basis. This retrospective study evaluated 67 consecutive patients who underwent an arthroscopically assisted, autogenous bone-patellar ligament-bone ACL reconstruction that was supervised by the same surgeon. General endotracheal anesthesia was used for 36 patients and a femoral sciatic nerve block was used in 31 patients. Only patients who underwent either isolated ACL reconstructions, or those combined with either medial or lateral meniscectomies, were included. No statistically significant differences in either the mean anesthesia time or operative time existed between the general anesthesia and regional anesthesia groups. Patients receiving regional anesthesia did require a significantly longer recovery room stay than those who received general anesthesia. Most of the patients who received general anesthesia had inpatient procedures. In the general anesthesia group, 31 of 36 patients spent at least one night in the hospital. Three of 30 patients who received regional anesthesia required hospital admission. There were no differences between anesthesia-related complication between groups. The cost saving of performing ACL reconstructions under regional anesthesia compared with general anesthesia was calculated to be $2,907 per case and predominantly reflected the outpatient approach used in these cases. This study supports the use of femoral sciatic nerve block anesthesia as a safe and reliable alternative to general anesthesia for patients undergoing outpatient ACL reconstruction. The use of this technique was not found to compromise operating room efficiency. Patients receiving regional anesthesia did require a slightly longer recovery room stay. ACL reconstruction performed under regional anesthesia with same-day discharge was well tolerated by our patients and it provides a cost-efficient alternative to ACL reconstructions performed as inpatient procedures.

Adult↗

Intrathecal anesthesia.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Development of new drugs and special techniques, as well as changes in health care organization have markedly influenced the use of spinal block and its indications. The present review overviews recent developments in local anesthetic drugs, side effects and special techniques for intrathecal anesthesia. RECENT FINDINGS: Severe complications after spinal anesthesia are acceptably rare. The cardiovascular effects associated with sympathetic block are more frequent but may successfully be treated with volume expansion and administration of vasoactive drugs while the multimodal approach to prevention of such side effects can also reduce the incidence. Based on recent magnetic resonance imaging studies the volume of cerebrospinal fluid at the lumbosacral level is the main determinant of the effects produced by intrathecal injection of local anesthetic solutions. Unfortunately, it is not possible to estimate the volume of cerebrospinal fluid at the lumbosacral region in clinical practice, but it is clear that the total dose of local anesthetic injected into the subarachnoid space is the primary determinant of both therapeutic and unwanted effects of spinal anesthesia. There is overwhelming evidence of the potential risk for neurological dysfunction associated with spinal lidocaine. This evidence is even more relevant in outpatients, in whom lidocaine is primarily indicated. On the other hand, several studies have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of using small doses of long-acting agents, such as bupivacaine or ropivacaine, to produce a short spinal block. The addition of small doses of opioids further helps to minimize the dose of local anesthetic solution required, without affecting the recovery profile from spinal block. The extensive use of pencil-point designs for spinal needles, and the availability of needles of very small size have allowed a significant reduction in the incidence of postdural puncture headache. SUMMARY: The changes in health care organization observed during the past few years have forced us to change the indications for and clinical uses of intrathecal anesthesia techniques in accordance with the changing needs of surgery. The development of new drugs and special techniques for spinal anesthesia will further improve the clinical use of this old but trusted technique.

Journal Article↗

[Anesthetic management of combined lung volume reduction surgery and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting].

A 54-year-old man with severe emphysema and stenosis of coronary artery was scheduled for combined surgery of lung volume reduction and an off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. His FEV1.0 was 600 ml and %FEV1.0 was 18%. Coronary angiography showed 99% stenosis of the left anterior descending artery. Anesthesia was induced with propofol, fentanyl and vecuronium, and was maintained with sevoflurane and continuous epidural anesthesia. In order to avoid high airway pressure, a pressure-controlled ventilation (less than 15 cmH2O) was carried out. A laryngeal mask airway was replaced with an endotracheal tube after surgery to avoid bucking during extubation, and this was removed after recovery from anesthesia successfully. No complications were observed during anesthesia. Lung volume reduction surgery after coronary reconstruction by off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting may be beneficial for patients with emphysema and ischemic heart disease.

Anesthesia, Epidural↗

Rupture of the pulmonary alveoli during general anesthesia.

The rupture of pulmonary alveoli during the induction of general anesthesia is a significant complication of general anesthesia that has been seldom reported in our literature. This article documents this occurrence in a patient scheduled for elective orthognathic surgery. The diagnosis and treatment are discussed.

Adult↗

Nerve stimulator and multiple injection technique for upper and lower limb blockade: failure rate, patient acceptance, and neurologic complications. Study Group on Regional Anesthesia.

UNLABELLED: To evaluate the failure rate, patient acceptance, effective volumes of local anesthetic solution, and incidence of neurologic complications after peripheral nerve block performed using the multiple injection technique with a nerve stimulator, we prospectively studied 3996 patients undergoing combined sciatic-femoral nerve block (n = 2175), axillary blocks (n = 1650), and interscalene blocks (n = 171). The success rate and mean injected volumes of local anesthetic were: 93% with 22.6 +/- 4.5 mL in the axillary, 94% with 24.5 +/- 5.4 mL in the interscalene, and 93% with 28.1 +/- 4.4 mL in the sciatic-femoral nerve blocks. Patients receiving combined sciatic-femoral nerve block showed more discomfort during block placement and worse acceptance of the anesthetic procedure than patients receiving brachial plexus anesthesia. During the first month after surgery, 69 patients (1.7%) developed neurologic dysfunction on the operated limb. Complete recovery required 4-12 wk in all patients but one, who required 25 wk. The only variable showing significant association with the development of postoperative neurologic dysfunction was the tourniquet inflation pressure (<400 mm Hg compared with >400 mm Hg, odds ratio 2.9, 95% confidence intervals 1.6-5.4; P < 0.001). We conclude that using the multiple injections technique with a nerve stimulator results in a success rate of >90% with a volume of <30 mL of local anesthetic solution and an incidence of transient neurologic complication of <2%. IMPLICATIONS: Based on a prospective evaluation of 3996 consecutive peripheral nerve blocks, the multiple injection technique with nerve stimulator allows for up to 94% successful nerve block with <30 mL of local anesthetic solution. Although the data collection regarding neurologic dysfunction was limited, the withdrawal and redirection of the stimulating needle was not associated with an increased incidence of neurologic complications. Sedation/analgesia should be advocated during block placement to improve patient acceptance.

Adult↗

The anatomy of local anesthesia.

The trigeminal nerve is the great sensory nerve of the facial portion of the head, and an intimate knowledge of this nerve and its surrounding structures is a prerequisite to the application of structures is a prerequisite to the application of profound local anesthesia without complication. In this review article, the classic description of the relevant anatomy is presented and updated with recently published research into anatomic variations that have an impact on the induction of clinical local anesthesia. Causes of both failure and complications of traditional local anesthetic techniques are explained, and recommendations for avoiding these pitfalls are made.

Anesthesia, Dental↗

The anatomy of local anesthesia.

The trigeminal nerve is the great sensory nerve of the facial portion of the head, and an intimate knowledge of this nerve and its surrounding structures is a prerequisite to the application of profound local anesthesia without complication. In this review article, the classic description of the relevant anatomy is described and is updated with recently published research into anatomic variations that have an impact on the induction of clinical local anesthesia. Causes of both failure and complications of traditional local anesthetic techniques are explained, and recommendations for avoiding these pitfalls are made.

Anesthesia, Dental↗

Outcome from day-case knee arthroscopy in a major teaching hospital.

Outcome is presented for 465 knee arthroscopies performed under general anesthesia in a public teaching hospital day surgery unit. The unanticipated hospital admission rate on the day of surgery was 1.07%. There were 11 (2.37%) major complications in the combined perioperative and postdischarge periods (up to 4 weeks postdischarge). Surgery-related complications (incidence 1.08%) were more frequent than complications of anesthesia (0.65%). Four patients (0.86%) had delayed complications after discharge that required hospital readmission. Stepwise polychotomous logistic regression showed that these complications were not significantly related to patient age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status or type of surgery. Mean recovery times required for patients to sit out of bed and to be ready for discharge were 61 +/- 37 and 142 +/- 52 min, respectively. Both postoperative pain and postoperative nausea and vomiting, present in 76% and 11.5% of patients, respectively, significantly delayed patient recovery, with longer delays associated with nausea and vomiting. Times required for patients to be ready for discharge were not correlated to either patient age (r = 0.07; p = 0.15) or duration of procedure (r = 0.07; p = 0.13). At early follow-up, 4.7% and 2.5% of patients had presented to hospital accident and emergency departments and local family doctors, respectively, usually for minor problems. Ninety-nine percent of all patients were happy with the ambulatory surgery service. With careful patient assessment and selection, day-case knee arthroscopy in a teaching hospital can provide satisfactory outcome.

Adolescent↗

Influences of tramadol on emergence characteristics from sevoflurane anesthesia in pediatric ambulatory surgery.

Sevoflurane is used for pediatric ambulatory surgery due to its low blood solubility, rapid emergence, non-pungency and low airway irritability. Nevertheless, its tendency to induce agitation during emergence may offset its benefits. The following study was designed to evaluate the effects of intravenous (i.v.) tramadol (1 mg/kg) on the emergence from sevoflurane anesthesia. Forty ASA I children, ranging from 1 to 8 years old, scheduled for inguinal surgery, were randomized into two groups (Group S--control group, Group ST--i.v. tramadol, 20 in each group). The patients were first premedicated with oral atropine (0.01 mg/kg), then anesthesia was induced with i.v. application of thiamylal (3-4 mg/kg) and maintained with mask anesthesia with sevoflurane. Topical infiltration with 2-3 ml of 1% lidocaine was applied over skin incision area. I.v. tramadol (1 mg/kg) was given before the end of operation in Group ST. The emergence agitation was recorded on a visual analog scale (VAS, 0-10) by a blinded anesthesiologist in the PACU (postoperative anesthesia care unit), as well as the length of other recovery stages and complications after anesthesia. The age, weight, gender, and duration of surgery and anesthesia were similar in the two groups. The emergence agitation score (6.3 +/- 3.5 vs. 3.2 +/- 2.8, P < 0.05), incidences of agitation (VAS > 5, 55% vs 20%, P < 0.05), and postoperative pain (65% vs 30%, P < 0.05) were higher for the control group. I.v. Tramadol (1 mg/kg) before the end of operation reduced postoperative pain and the incidence and degree of emergence agitation from sevoflurane anesthesia in pediatric ambulatory surgery.

Ambulatory Surgical Procedures↗

[Subdural empyema due to Mycoplasma hominis after a cesarean section under spinal anesthesia].

The isolation of Mycoplasma hominis in cultured biopsy material from a subdural empyema is a very rare finding. Likewise, subdural empyema complicating epidural anesthesia is an uncommon event after cesarean delivery. We report the case of a 32-year-old patient who presented a throbbing headache when standing 48 hours after undergoing cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia. On the fifth day after surgery, the headache worsened, fever developed, and an abscess was detected at the abdominal wall; antibiotic treatment was prescribed. When fever and headache persisted and abdominal infection had been ruled out, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the head revealed subdural empyema. Emergency surgery to drain pus was carried out twice. Mycoplasma hominis was isolated from a blood-agar culture of the exudate. The patient recovered fully after combined surgical and antibiotic treatment.

Adult↗