Use of autologous blood for elimination of the residual pleural cavity after pneumonectomy

The authors describe a method of liquidation of a postresectional residual cavity by the introduction of the patient's autoblood with antibiotics. When using this method all the factors of the coagulating system of blood are involved in the formation of fibrin and the following formation of fibrothorax, which accelerates the formation of fibrothorax. The proposed method was used in 26 patients with residual pleural cavities after resection of the lungs and facilitated their liquidation and formation of fibrothorax.     

Air embolism during lumbar discal hernia repair. Retroperioneal vessels lesions have to be suspected

Occurrence of deep PETCO(2) drop during surgical lumbar disk repair is rare but dramatic. This case report leads to the diagnosis of retroperitoneal vessels lesions. We review the different diagnosis related to the drop of the PETCO(2) during surgery in the genupectoral position. We recommend that the diagnosis of retroperitoneal vessels lesion have to be suspected early if air embolism occurs during lumbar disk surgery.     

Air embolism during posterior spinal fusion

A 12-year-old healthy girl underwent a 13-level posterior spinal fusion with Harrington rod, Luque instrumentation and Drummond spinous process wires for scoliosis repair. Her anaesthetic induction and initial intraoperative course were completely uneventful until a precipitous blood pressure drop occurred accompanied by a significant decrease in heart rate. The Harrington rod was being manipulated at the same time as bone chips were being removed from the iliac crest. Although more common intraoperative events were presumed and treatment initiated, venous air embolism (VAE) was considered the aetiology of these events when a transient decrease in the end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) and an increase in the end-tidal nitrogen (ETN2) was noted by mass spectrometry. This transient episode resolved within a relatively narrow window of time, and the case proceeded without further incident, including a wake-up test, to the conclusion of surgery.