Glue embolisation of a ruptured pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysm

Embolisation of a mycotic aneurysm of the anterior pancreaticoduodenal arcade was performed in an emergency situation using a microcatheter and tissue adhesive, after unsuccessful surgical therapy. The polymerising agent occluded the outflow vessel, the aneurysm and the feeding artery successfully. Correspondence to: F. Hammer     

Effects of famotidine and cimetidine on plasma levels of epidurally administered lignocaine

The effects of two H2-receptor antagonists, famotidine and cimetidine, on the plasma levels of epidurally administered lignocaine were studied. Group A (n = 20) received famotidine 20 mg orally the night before surgery and 20 mg intramuscularly 60 minutes before induction of anaesthesia. Group B (n = 15) received cimetidine 200 mg orally the night before the surgery and 400 mg orally 60 minutes before the anaesthetic induction. Group C (n = 20) received neither famotidine nor cimetidine and served as controls. Twelve millilitres of 2.0% lignocaine with adrenaline 1:200,000 was injected into the epidural space in all patients, after the establishment of general anaesthesia with nitrous oxide, oxygen, and enflurane (0.3-0.5%). The patients who received cimetidine showed significantly higher plasma concentrations of lignocaine compared with either group A or group C at all investigation times (p less than 0.01). The mean peak plasma concentrations were 2.4 (SEM 0.1), 3.2 (SEM 0.2) and 2.3 (SEM 0.1) micrograms/ml in group A, B, and C, respectively. This study suggests that famotidine is preferable to cimetidine for control of gastric acidity before the use of lignocaine as the epidural anaesthetic.     

Anterior thoracic corpectomy without sternotomy: A strategy for malignant disease of the upper thoracic spine

SummaryBackground With increasing frequency, spine surgeons are being asked to provide decompression and stabilization in patients with spinal metastases. While no region of the spine is easily treated, the upper thoracic spine is perhaps the least accessible. Traditional approaches to this region involve either thoracotomy or at least limited sternotomy. The authors present an approach to anterior pathology of the upper thoracic spine that obviates the need for sternotomy.Methods Within the past two years, two patients with cervicothoracic metastases underwent anterior decompression and fusion without sternotomy. In both patients, the bodies of C7, T1, and T2 were removed. While both patients were prepared and draped for sternotomy, each required a neck dissection only. In both patients, left-sided incisions were made along the leading edge of the sternocleidomastoid. The platysma was divided with the overlying skin. With further dissection, the strap muscles were tagged and divided approximately one centimeter above their sternal attachments. The loose areolar tissue of the superior mediastinum was then bluntly dissected. Along the entire length of the incision, the vascular plane medial to the carotid sheath was developed to facilitate exposure of the anterior spine. A Farley-Thompson retractor system was then employed to retract and protect the superior mediastinal structures. With this exposure, corpectomies were carried out using a high speed drill. Fusion was accomplished through insertion of Steinmann pins into the adjacent intact bodies above and below. This was followed by application of methyl methacrylate. Both patients had immediate postoperative stability with preservation of spinal cord function. Both patients subsequently underwent removal of dorsally located tumor with posterior fusion.Conclusions The goal of cancer surgery is to provide for increased functional survival without undue morbidity. The authors feel that when possible, the pain of sternal and clavicular osteotomies should be avoided. The described approach works well in conjunction with a methyl methacrylate/Steinmann pin construct. Because of the intact sternum, the surgeon has a downward angle to access the superior endplate of T3. With adequate soft tissue dissection and retraction as described, however, T3 and perhaps even T4 are easily accessible. While this downward angle would likely not permit an anterior plating procedure, it lends itself nicely to Steinmann pin/methyl methacrylate fusion and spares the patient the pain and potential morbidity of sternotomy.     

Epidural pethidine and bupivacaine in labour

A double-blind randomised study was performed to assess the value of the addition of pethidine 50 mg to the initial dose of bupivacaine given for epidural analgesia in labour. Forty-nine patients received either 1 ml of saline (n = 24), or 50 mg of pethidine (n = 25), added to 9 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine as an initial injection for intrapartum epidural analgesia. There was a significant increase in the mean duration of analgesia in the pethidine group. However, pethidine did not increase the speed of onset of analgesia, or improve the quality of analgesia.     

硬膜外控自动镇痛泵用于剖宫产术后临床观察

目的 :观察硬膜外腔自动镇痛泵 (AFA)用于剖宫产术后镇痛效果及对产后各项生理指标的影响。方法 :选择剖宫产术后患者 10 0例 ,随机分为两组 ,每组各 5 0例。硬膜外腔自动镇痛泵内含有 0 75 %布比卡因 15ml,0 5 %布比卡因 0 5ml,氟哌啶醇 5mg ,吗啡 8mg ,麻黄素 15mg ,生理盐水 80ml,以每小时 2ml速度给药 ,持续给药 48小时 ,对照组则不给任何药物。采用视觉模拟评分法 ,分别观察 2组患者术后的疼痛情况 ,肠蠕动恢复时间 ,拔尿管后排尿情况 ,产后出血、子宫复旧、泌乳情况及下床活动早晚情况 ,以及是否有恶心、呕吐、呼吸抑制等。结果 :①术后镇痛泵组患者术后无明显疼痛感 ,镇痛效果好 ,而对照组患者术后有明显疼痛感 (P <0 0 1) ;②镇痛泵组患者术后肠蠕动恢复时间为 (16 68±9 3 2 )h ,对照组 (16 2 3± 10 1)h ,两者比较无明显差异 (P >0 0 5 ) ;③术后尿管拔除后尿潴留发生率 ,镇痛泵组 8例 ,对照组 2例 ,差异有显著性 (P <0 0 5 ) ;④镇痛泵组下床活动时间为 (19± 5 )h ,明显早于对照组 (2 7± 8)h ,两组比较差异有显著性 (P <0 0 5 ) ;⑤ 2组患者产后出血、泌乳情况、子宫复旧、术后恶心呕吐、呼吸抑制发生情况比较 ,差异均无显著性(P >0 0 5 )。结论 :硬膜外自动镇痛泵具有良好的镇痛     

2-chloroprocaine antagonism of epidural morphine analgesia

Background: 2-chloroprocaine (2-CP) used for lumbar epidural anesthesia (LEA) reportedly decreases the efficacy of epidural morphine (EM) administered for post-cesarean section (CS) analgesia. The amount of supplemental i.v. morphine self-administered by the patient via the patient-controlled analgesia device (PCA) is used to study the interaction between EM and 2-CP.
Methods: Forty-two patients scheduled for elective CS were randomly divided into 3 equal groups, and received 2-CP, 2-CP+epinephrine (Epi, 5 μg ml^-1) or 2% lidocaine (Lido) with Epi for LEA. All patients received 5 mg EM and i.v. PCA morphine for postoperative pain. Cumulative amount of i.v. morphine used in the first 24 hours as well as the amount of the drug used during each 2-h period were noted. Nonparametric analysis of variance and Chi-squared analysis were used for statistical comparisons.
Results: The mean cumulative 24-h i.v. PCA morphine requirement in the 2-CP, 2-CP+Epi and Lido+Epi groups respectively was 20.5±24, 33.1.5±27 and 4.07±6.3 (mean±SD). The Lido+Epi group used significantly less morphine ( P = 0.01) compared to either of the 2-CP groups with no significant difference between the 2-CP groups. The maximum i.v. PCA morphine use occurred in the first 4 hours following surgery in all three groups.
Conclusion: Analgesic efficacy of EM is decreased when 2-CP is used for LEA compared to when Lido+Epi is used.     

Preoperative metoprolol improves cardiovascular stability and reduces oxygen consumption after thoracotomy

Background : Increased sympathetic activity perioperatively and associated cardiovascular effects play a central role in cardiovascular complications. High thoracic epidural blockade attenuates the sympathetic response, but even with complete pain relief, haemodynamic and endocrine responses are still present. Beta–adrenoceptor blockade is effective in situations with increased sympathetic activity. This study was designed to evaluate the perioperative haemodynamic effect of preoperative βblockade and its influence on the haemodynamic aspects of the surgical stress response.
Methods : Thirty–six otherwise healthy patients undergoing elective thoracotomy for lung resection were randomised doubleblinded to receive either 100 mg metoprolol or placebo preoperatively. Anaesthesia was combined high thoracic epidural block and general anaesthesia. The epidural analgesia was continued during recovery. Patients were monitored with ECG, pulse oximetry, invasive haemodynamic monitoring, arterial blood gases and electrolytes.
Results : After induction of anaesthesia the mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased in both groups, and decreased further in the placebo group after initiation of the epidural block. The heart rate (HR) was slightly less throughout the observation period after metoprolol. Peroperatively, the only difference in measured haemodynamics was a marginally higher MAP after metoprolol. Postoperative cardiac index (CI) was lower with a lower variability and cardiac filling pressures were slightly higher in the metoprolol group. The oxygen consumption index was higher after placebo throughout the observation period, with no difference in the oxygen delivery.
Conclusion. We found that preoperative β–blockade during combined general anaesthesia and high thoracic epidural blockade stabilised perioperative HR and CI and decreased total oxygen consumption.     

Effect of thoracic epidural etidocaine 1.5% on somatosensory evoked potentials, cortisol and glucose during cholecystectomy

The effect of thoracic (T7-8) epidural etidocaine 1.5%, 9 ml, and continuous per- and postoperative epidural infusion of etidocaine 1.5%, 4 ml/h, on early (less than 500 ms) somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs), and cortisol and glucose in plasma during cholecystectomy, was examined in ten patients. Spread of analgesia (pin-prick) was T3 (T1-T3) to L2 (T11-L3) 35 min after injection of etidocaine, and T3 (T2-T4) to T12 (T8-L4) 3 h after surgical incision (median (range)). Before operation, epidural etidocaine had no significant effects on peak-to-peak amplitude of SEPs to electrical stimulation at the L1, T10 or T6 dermatomal level (P greater than 0.09). SEPs were abolished in only two patients at T6, and no patient had SEPs abolished at T10 or L1. The plasma concentrations of cortisol and glucose were significantly increased 20 min after surgical incision and remained increased throughout the study. No correlation was found between the block-induced decrease in the peak-to-peak amplitude at T6 or T10 and increase in plasma cortisol, except for a negative correlation at T10 and the initial increase in cortisol (Rs = 0.72, P = 0.03). In conclusion, thoracic epidural administration of 9 ml of etidocaine 1.5% does not provide total afferent somatic blockade assessed by SEP and the stress response to cholecystectomy.     

延伸移植物后撤式释放法治疗胸主动脉夹层动脉瘤腔内隔绝术中近端内漏

目的 总结腔内隔绝术治疗Stanford B型胸主动脉夹层动脉瘤某些特殊情况下近端内漏的治疗方法，比较延伸移植物(cuff)延伸释放法和后撤释放法的价值。方法 2001年以来，stanford B型胸主动脉夹层动脉瘤腔内隔绝术中发生近端内漏6例，分别采用向近端延伸法和后撤法植入cuff封闭内漏。结果 3例采用延伸法，其中1倒采用1枚cuff，1例采用5枚cuff，均完全封闭内漏；1例采用1枚cuff封闭不完全，带漏返回。3例采用后撤法，各用l枚cuff一次性将近端内漏消除。结论 主动脉弓远端或降主动脉近端成角明显时，如腔内隔绝术治疗Stanford B型主动脉夹层动脉瘤术中发生近端内漏，采用后撤法植入cuff是一种效果满意的方法。     

胸主动脉夹层动脉瘤腔内隔绝术手术入路的探讨

目的 探讨为胸主动脉夹层动脉瘤(TAD)行腔内隔绝术(EVE)选择合适的导入动脉。方法 以彩超，CTA或MRA为检查手段，评估导入动脉(股动脉、髂总动脉、腹主动脉下段等)的直径大小(≥8mm)、有否硬化斑块、狭窄、是否被夹层累及、有否扭曲及其程度，从而选择具体的手术入路。结果 本组37例TAD行EVE术所选择经股动脉手术入路23例、经髂总动脉手术入路14例。未选择经腹主动脉下段手术入路。即时操作成功率为100％。结论 合理的选择导入动脉作为手术入路，是EVE手术治疗TAD顺利完成的要点。