Effective tocolysis is essential after fetal myelomeningocele repair and is associated with the development of pulmonary edema. The increased uterine activity in the immediate postoperative period is commonly treated with magnesium sulfate. However, other tocolytic agents such as nitroglycerine, nifedipine, indomethacin, terbutaline, and atosiban (outside the US) have also been used to combat uterine contractility. The ideal tocolytic regimen which balances the risks and benefits of in-utero surgery has yet to be determined. In this case report, we describe a unique case of fetal myelomeningocele repair complicated by maternal pulmonary edema and increased uterine activity resistant to magnesium sulfate therapy.

Denis Snegovskikh

Konstantina Svokos

Dmitri Souza

Elizabeth Renaud

Stephen R. Carr

Mark C. Kendall

Francois I. Luks

Successful Anesthesia Management of Postoperative Maternal Pulmonary Edema and Uterine Hyperactivity following Open Fetal Myelomeningocele Repair

Lung transplant recipients are at particular high risk for postoperative respiratory failure as a result of poorly controlled pain, inadequate graft expansion, decreased cough, and reliance on systemic opioid therapy. Thoracic epidural and paravertebral blocks have been employed with the goal of improving postoperative pain control, improving pulmonary mechanics, and limiting the need for narcotic administration. These approaches require a needle position in proximity to the neuraxis and may cause significant hypotension that is poorly tolerated in transplant patients. Additionally, the use of anticoagulation or underlying clotting disorder limits the use of these regional blocks because of the concern of hematoma and subsequent neurologic injury. Ultrasound-guided continuous erector spinae plane (ESP) block has been shown to be efficacious for pain control following thoracotomy but has had minimal investigations following lung transplantation. In this study, we describe the effective use of a continuous erector spinae plane block to provide analgesia in a postoperative lung transplant recipient receiving systemic anticoagulation. The use of an ESP block with a more superficial needle tract that is further removed from the neuraxis allowed for a greater safety profile while providing efficacious pain control, decreased reliance on systemic narcotics, and improved oxygen saturation. The ESP block was effective in this case and thus may be a valuable alternative following lung transplantation for patients who are not candidates for thoracic epidural or paravertebral approaches.

Mark Mudarth

Veena Satyapriya

John Coffman

Peter DeSocio

Alec Lawrence

Shana Schwartz

Michael Kushelev

Continuous Erector Spinae Plane Block for Analgesia after Thoracotomy for Lung Transplantation in an Anticoagulated Patient

Isolated cranial nerve injury is a very rare complication of anesthesia. Specifically, hypoglossal nerve palsy affects mobility of the tongue and basic functions of swallowing and speech, and injury can be associated with placement and/or positioning of the endotracheal tube. Many etiologies are described that are unrelated to anesthesia such as tumors, stroke, trauma, or surgical dissection. Identification of hypoglossal neuropraxic-type injury from compression or stretching during anesthetic procedures can be difficult and tends to be a diagnosis of exclusion. Here, we present a case of a unilateral isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy following prolonged intubation in a surgery that involved large fluid shifts resulting in tongue swelling, in which establishment of the airway was initially difficult requiring two attempts. We suggest it is equally as possible that stretch injury occurred during airway instrumentation versus prolonged compression of the nerve between the endotracheal tube and the hyoid bone, possibly relating to a swollen tongue. We outline some treatments that have been used in previous reports and analyze their relation to improvements in symptoms. We conclude that instrumentation of the airway and prolonged intubation are both potential risk factors for hypoglossal nerve palsy, and identification of these risk factors can improve patient care by prompting patient discussions, guiding intraoperative management, and initiating earlier therapies.

Kahlin Leuzinger

Lopa Misra

Unilateral Hypoglossal Nerve Palsy in a Patient with a Difficult Airway Requiring Prolonged Intubation

No single regional anaesthetic technique is capable of complete anaesthesia of the axillary region. Regional or interfascial nerve blockade could be an effective alternative where administering general anaesthesia is not feasible, with superior analgesia, favourable haemodynamics, and reduced opiate related adverse effects. Ultrasound guidance improves effectiveness and safety profile. We report a case of a successful axillary clearance conducted under combined regional blocks for an axillary nodal recurrence following mastectomy for a breast carcinoma, in a patient who was not fit for general anaesthesia due to a persistent lobar pneumonia and recurrent asthma exacerbations. Our experience and current evidence supersede the initial conceptions of difficult ultrasonic intercostobrachial nerve (ICBN) visualization.

B. M Munasinghe

N. Subramaniam

S. Nimalan

P. Sivamayuran

Ultrasound to the Rescue: Axillary Clearance under Complete Regional Blockade

Carotid-cavernous fistulas (CCFs) are vascular shunts that allow blood to flow from the carotid artery or its branches into the cavernous sinus. Endovascular embolization is the treatment modality of choice. The trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) is a vagally mediated reflex that can lead to hemodynamic instability. It can be activated during embolization procedures due to the proximity of vagal efferent neurovascular structures within the cavernous sinus. This case report describes the intraoperative management of recurrent, profound bradycardia due to TCR during endovascular CCF embolization.

Renee L. Coleman

Dmitri Bezinover

Douglas C. Jones

Kevin M. Cockroft

Uma R. Parekh

Intra-Arterial Lidocaine Blunts the Trigeminocardiac Reflex during Endovascular Treatment of a Carotid-Cavernous Fistula

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Case Reports in Anesthesiology publishes case reports and case series related to anesthetic administration and efficacy, preoperative and postoperative considerations, perioperative care, critical care etc.

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Case Reports in Anesthesiology - Table of contents 2021

title

Case Reports in Anesthesiology publishes case reports and case series related to anesthetic administration and efficacy, preoperative and postoperative considerations, perioperative care, critical care etc.

Case Reports in Anesthesiology