Music and ambient operating room noise in patients undergoing spinal anesthesia

Previous studies have indicated that music decreases intraoperative sedative requirements in patients undergoing surgical procedures under regional anesthesia. In this study we sought to determine whether this decrease in sedative requirements results from music or from eliminating operating room (OR) noise. A secondary aim of the study was to examine the relationship of response to intraoperative music and participants' culture (i.e., American versus Lebanese). Eighty adults (36 American and 54 Lebanese) undergoing urological procedures with spinal anesthesia and patient-controlled IV propofol sedation were randomly assigned to intraoperative music, white noise, or OR noise. We found that, controlling for ambient OR noise, intraoperative music decreases propofol requirements (0.004 +/- 0.002 mg . kg(-1) . min(-1) versus 0.014 +/- 0.004 mg . kg(-1) . min(-1) versus 0.012 +/- 0.002 mg . kg(-1) . min(-1); P = 0.026). We also found that, regardless of group assignment, Lebanese patients used less propofol as compared with American patients (0.005 +/- 0.001 mg . kg(-1) . min(-1) versus 0.017 +/- 0.003 mg . kg(-1) . min(-1); P = 0.001) and that, in both sites, patients in the music group required less propofol (P < 0.05). We conclude that when controlling for ambient OR noise, intraoperative music decreases propofol requirements of both Lebanese and American patients who undergo urological surgery under spinal anesthesia.     

Prevention of thromboembolic disease following total knee arthroplasty. Epidural versus general anesthesia

Seventy-two patients were randomized into a prospective clinical trial to evaluate the effects of epidural (EA) versus general anesthesia (GA) on the incidence of thromboembolic disease (TED) following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Males received aspirin 650 mg po bid and females low-dose warfarin daily to maintain the prothrombin time at 15 to 16 seconds for pharmacologic prophylaxis against TED. Thirty-four patients had EA and 38 GA for their primary TKA. Contrast venography and ventilation-perfusion scanning were performed on the sixth, seventh, and eighth postoperative days, and these were interpreted in a blinded fashion. The mean age of the 45 males and 27 females was 64 years (range, 42-84 years). There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to hematocrit, operative time, blood loss, number of units transfused, or hospital stay. Twelve of the 34 patients (35%) receiving an EA and 10 of the 38 patients (26%) receiving GA developed TED, an overall incidence of 31% (p greater than 0.05) Fifty-three percent of the clots were located in the popliteal vein above the trifurcation or more proximal. However, the incidence of proximal vein thrombosis was significantly less in patients receiving an EA (46%) rather than a GA (64%). The incidence and distribution of clots was not affected by the type of pharmacologic prophylaxis, gender, or use of methylmethacrylate. Ten percent of the patients had a positive scan by strict criteria and were thought to have a pulmonary embolism (PE). In patients with a femoral vein clot, the incidence of PE was 67%. One bleeding complication occurred in a patient who took double the appropriate warfarin dose.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Epidural anesthesia and general anesthesia using the cuffed oropharyngeal airway for an obese patient with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy

Duchenne's muscular dystrophy is a genetic disorder whose features include abnormal responses to muscular relaxants and possible respiratory dysfunction after general anesthesia. The purpose of this report is to describe one management strategy used successfully to anesthetize an obese man with this disorder for atypical mastectomy. The anesthetic management during surgery involves epidural anesthesia using 2% mepivacaine and general anesthesia using the cuffed oropharyngeal airway. Postoperatively 0.25% bupivacaine was infused for epidural analgesia. The patient was observed in the intensive care unit until the first postoperative day and showed an uncomplicated intra- and post-operative course.     

腹腔镜胆囊切除术的硬膜外和全身麻醉比较(500例随机对照研究)

目的比较硬膜外麻醉和气管内全麻在腹腔镜胆囊切除术(laparoscopic cholecystectomy,LC)中的应用效果.方法 500例择期LC术随机分为硬膜外麻醉组(E组,n=250)和气管内全麻组(G组,n=250). 结果 1.血流动力学:CO2气腹后两组心输出量均显著下降(P<0.05),10 min后开始回升,30 min后均恢复到气腹前水平(P>0.05),两组间比较无明显差异;气腹后两组中心静脉压均有显著升高(P<0.05),30 min后恢复正常;气腹后G组平均动脉压显著升高(P<0.05),至停气腹后5 min仍未恢复到气腹前水平,而E组整个气腹期间平均动脉压无明显变化或略低(P>0.05),与G组比较有显著差异(P<0.001); E组气腹后5 min心率明显降低(P<0.05),15 min后恢复到气腹前水平,G组气腹前后心率无明显变化(P>0.05),两组间比较无明显差异.2.呼吸参数:整个气腹期间G组平均气道压、气道峰压显著增高(P<0.01),气腹后E组呼吸频率、每分通气量显著增加(P<0.05),潮气量无明显变化或略有升高,停气腹后5 min即恢复正常.3.动脉血气:气腹后两组PaCO2、HCO3-、pH、PaO2的变化在正常值范围,无临床意义.4.费用:E组住院费用明显低于G组(t=127.192,P=0.000). 结论 ASA I级～II级的患者择期行腹腔镜胆囊切除术,选择硬膜外麻醉安全可行且经济.     

Ultra fast-track anesthesia with operating room extubation in a patient undergoing OPCABG by combination of propofol-remifentanil-dexmedetomidine

A 56-year-old man with 3 coronary vessel disease (#5, HL, #13), underwent OPCABG. Anesthesia was induced with propofol (PRO), fentanyl and vecuronium, and maintained with continuous infusion of remifentanil (REM), PRO and vecuronium. After the revascularization of 3 vessels, we changed the infusion anesthetics from REM to dexmedetomidine (DEX), and 40 minutes later we extubated immediately after the operation in the operating room with no problems. Ultra fast-track anesthesia in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting is controversial, largely because of a concern about increased risk of derangement in respiratory mechanics. But this method, general anesthesia by combination of propofol-remifentanil-dexmedetomidine without epidural analgesia, was very stable in the operative period, and respiration was well maintained after extubation in the operating room. There were no critical hypercapnea, hypoxia, ventilatory problems and any cardiac complications. This method provided suitable conditions for maintenance and emergence of anesthesia, and enabled a shorter stay in ICU of below 24 hours.     

Epidural anesthesia for a patient with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, bronchial asthma and hypothyroidism

The patient was a 75-year-old male with a history of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), bronchial asthma and hypothyroidism simultaneously. Epidural anesthesia was planned for the open reduction of a femur fracture. CMT is one of the hereditary motor and sensory neuropathies, and there may be no report in Japan that epidural anesthesia was applied to a patient with CMT. It has been suggested that neuromuscular disease is a contraindication to epidural anesthesia, but the patient had such a severe gait disturbance that he might not be able to walk by himself postoperatively without any aggravation of the neuropathy. In addition, there existed the other simultaneous complications, especially severe respiratory insufficiency. Therefore we dared to administer epidural anesthesia. The epidural anesthesia was safely performed during the operation and there was no untoward effects postoperatively.     

Multicenter study of general anesthesia. I. Design and patient demography

A prospective randomized clinical trial of enflurane, fentanyl, halothane, and isoflurane is described. The 17,201 patients were stratified into two groups (preanesthetic medication and no preanesthetic medication) and were randomized to one of four study agents: enflurane, fentanyl, halothane, and isoflurane. Fifteen university-affiliated hospitals in the United States and Canada participated. All patients were first assessed preoperatively. Data were collected during anesthesia, in the immediate recovery period, and for up to 7 days after anesthesia/surgery. The mean age of the patients was 43 yr, the mean height 167 cm, and the mean weight 68 kg. Sixty-five percent of patients were female. In this study 90.7% of patients were classified as ASA Physical Status 1 or 2, and 34.7% of patients smoked. It is concluded that pooling of data across institutions was valid and does allow determination of the efficacy and relative safety of the four study agents.     

The use of a uniquely designed anesthetic scavenging hood to reduce operating room anesthetic gas contamination during general anesthesia

Numerous studies have suggested that chronic exposure to trace levels of anesthetic gas is harmful to operating room (OR) personnel. In the delivery of pediatric general anesthesia, an uncuffed endotracheal tube (ETT) is normally used which can result in considerable volatile anesthetic and nitrous oxide contamination of the OR. In this report, we present a method to reduce exposure to these anesthetic gases by means of an anesthetic scavenging hood (ASH). The ASH was used on six pediatric patients undergoing general endotracheal anesthesia via an uncuffed ETT. Measurements of all ambient gas levels were made 6 in. horizontally from the patient's ear and 6 in. from the table surface. The application of the vacuum source to the ASH resulted in a very significant (P < 0.01, paired t-test) decrease in levels of ambient anesthetic gas, with no measurable change in ventilatory variables or changes in body temperature (P > 0.05, paired t-test). Discontinuation of the vacuum force to the ASH resulted in a marked increase in ambient levels of anesthetic gas. We conclude that the ASH is extremely effective in reducing waste anesthetic gas associated with anesthesia administered via an uncuffed ETT. The ASH may be a valuable and cost-effective addition in the OR for both reducing ambient anesthetic waste gas levels and conserving patient heat. IMPLICATIONS: Chronic exposure to trace levels of anesthetic gas is harmful to operating room personnel, especially in the delivery of pediatric general anesthesia via an uncuffed endotracheal tube. The anesthetic scavenging hood is a cost-effective and efficient method to reduce these waste anesthetic gases, and it offers patient heat conservation.     

Evaluation of the operating room as a surgical teaching venue.

Surgical educators are facing changes in residency training that have a direct impact on the opportunity that surgeons and residents have for clinical teaching and learning. The knowledge required of residents continues to escalate. Further, as resident positions are reduced, the opportunity for inter-resident education is decreased. Increased service-to-education ratios may result in resident discontent unless surgeons take an active role in the resident's educational experience. The purpose of this study was to examine the educational activities that occur during the operating-room experience. Technical training in the procedure being done was the primary educational activity, but there were long periods when no form of education was taking place. The operating room provides the teacher and learner with uninterrupted time together, and this time can and should be used for clinical teaching and learning.     

Epidural bupivacaine versus epidural sufentanil anesthesia: hemodynamic differences during induction of anesthesia and abdominal dissection in aortic surgery.

The present study was designed to compare the hemodynamic changes of epidural bupivacaine (EB) with epidural sufentanil (ES), supplemented by general anesthesia, in patients scheduled for abdominal aorto-iliac surgery. Twenty-eight ASA Grade 2 patients randomly received bupivacaine 0.5%, 1-1.5 mg kg-1 (n = 14) or sufentanil 150 micrograms (n = 14) epidurally at T12-L1, combined with light general anesthesia. Hemodynamics were measured before (T1) and after (T2) injection of EB or ES, after induction of general anesthesia (T3), and during the aortic dissection period (T4). EB or ES injection both produced a significant decrease in systolic, mean and diastolic blood pressure, left ventricular stroke work index (LVSWI) and coronary perfusion pressure (CPP). The induction of general anesthesia caused a significant fall in heart rate (HR) and cardiac index (CI) in the ES group. Abdominal dissection restored systemic pressure and cardiac index in the ES group. It was concluded that both ES and EB provided adequate analgesia and hemodynamics during tracheal intubation and abdominal dissection for aorto-iliac surgery.