Cardiovascular responses to insertion of the laryngeal mask

We have compared, in 40 healthy patients, the cardiovascular responses induced by laryngoscopy and intubation with those produced by insertion of a laryngeal mask. Anaesthesia was induced with thiopentone and maintained with enflurane and nitrous oxide in oxygen; vecuronium was used for muscle relaxation. Arterial pressure was measured with a Finapres monitor. The mean maximum increase in systolic arterial pressure after laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation was 51.3% compared with 22.9% for laryngeal mask insertion (p less than 0.01). Increases in maximum heart rate were similar, (26.6% v 25.7%) although heart rate remained elevated for longer after tracheal intubation. We conclude that insertion of the laryngeal mask airway is accompanied by smaller cardiovascular responses than those after laryngoscopy and intubation and that its use may be indicated in those patients in whom a marked pressor response would be deleterious.     

Dental mirror for difficult nasotracheal intubation

A patient with a previous surgical history of a cleft lip and palate repair and a pharyngeal flap pharyngoplasty was admitted for repair of mandibular prognathism. Following induction of anaesthesia, it was impossible to advance the nasotracheal tube into the oropharynx. Using a dental mirror and retrograde tracheal intubation equipment, under direct vision, the nasotracheal tube was finally advanced into the oropharynx.     

Influence of anaesthesia and muscle relaxation on intubating conditions and sympathoadrenal response to tracheal intubation

Background : The study aimed to assess the relative influence of anaesthesia and muscle relaxation on intubating conditions and the haemodynamic and catecholamine responses to tracheal intubation.
Methods : Sixty ASA 1 or 2 patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups (15 patients each) that differed in the depth of anaesthesia (thiopentone plus fentanyl 2.5 μg kg^-1 or thiopentone alone) and the degree of vecuronium–induced neuromuscular block (100% or _>: 65%) at intubation. Muscle relaxation was measured at 0.1 Hz by means of mechanomyography. Heart rate (HR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) were measured before and after induction of anaesthesia, and 1 min and 5 min following intubation, while adrenaline (A) and noradrenaline concentrations (NA) were determined from arterial blood samples.
Results : Intubating conditions were improved primarily by providing complete muscle relaxation at the adductor pollicis muscle (P<0.001) and to a lesser extent by adding fentanyl to thiopentone (P=0.04). The response of HR and MAP to tracheal intubation was attenuated mainly by fentanyl (P<0.001). Complete muscle relaxation further diminished the response of MAP to intubation (P=0.03). Changes in A and NA were dependent on the depth of anaesthesia only (P =>0.01).
Conclusion : The results of the study demonstrate that the sympathoadrenal response to intubation is attenuated by adding fentanyl (2.5 kg^-1) to an induction regimen with thiopentone, whereas provision of complete muscle relaxation at the adductor pollicis muscle is necessary to attain smooth intubating conditions.     

Intubating conditions provided by propofol and alfentanil - acceptable, but not ideal

Background: The use of muscle relaxants to facilitate intubation is associated with several side effects regardless of whether depolarizing or non-depolarizing drugs are used. In the present study we compared the intubating conditions, haemodynamic responses and changes in oxygen saturation following induction with alfentanil and propofol or alfentanil, thiopental and suxamethonium.
Methods: Eighty patients (ASA I or II) were in a double-blind manner assigned to receive either of the two induction methods. Intubating conditions were assessed on the basis of jaw relaxation, ease of insertion of the endotracheal tube and coughing on intubation. Heart rate, systolic arterial pressure and oxygen saturation were monitored throughout the procedure.
Results: The use of alfentanil and propofol resulted in significantly lower scored intubation points. Systolic arterial pressure decreased and heart rate increased significantly in the alfentanil-thiopental-suxamethonium group as compared to the alfentanil-propofol group. There were no significant changes in oxygen saturation.
Conclusion: The results show that propofol and alfentanil in combination provides haemodynamic stability and unaltered oxygen saturation but less optimal intubating conditions.     

Accidental bronchial intubation An analysis of AIMS incident reports from 1988 to 1994 inclusive

Accidental bronchial intubation was examined in the first 3947 cases reported to the Australian Incident Monitoring Study and was found to have accounted for 154 (3.7%) of the total incidents reported. Most incidents were detected in the operating theatre (93.5%) and during maintenance of anaesthesia (77.9%), by unexplained oxygen desaturation alone (63.6%). Capnography remained normal or unremarkable during 88.5% of the episodes. One-third of cases were associated with head or neck surgery and possible flexion of the patient's head. A RAE tube was used in 20% of incidents, a greater frequency than occurred in the study overall. A third party was implicated in 36 (23.4%) of cases. Ninety per cent of cases were considered preventable. Major morbidity occurred in three cases and unplanned intensive care admission was required in a further five. Almost two-thirds (61.1%) of the incidents might have been avoided by the proposed markings on the tracheal tube. We conclude that when arterial desaturation occurs at any stage during anaesthesia the possibility of bronchial intubation must be considered. Asymmetrical ventilation may be difficult to detect clinically and in most cases there is no change in capnography.     

Intramuscular dexmedetomidine premedication—an alternative to midazolam-fentanyl-combination in elective hysterectomy?

Sedation, anxiolysis, intubation responses and fentanyl anaesthetic requirements were investigated in a double-blind, randomized study in twenty ASA I-II elective hysterectomy patients. Ten patients received dexmedetomidine 2.5 μg kg^-1 i.m. 60 min before induction and saline placebo i.v. 2 min prior to induction (= DP group). Ten patients received midazolam 0.08 mg kg^-1 i.m. 60 min and fentanyl 1.5 μg kg^-1 i.v. (= MF group) 2 min before induction of anaesthesia with thiopentone 4 mg kg^-1. Anaesthesia was maintained with 70% nitrous oxide in oxygen and with fentanyl 2 μg kg^-1 i.v. increments according to predetermined criteria. Both premedications induced sedation ( P < 0.01 in both groups) and anxiolysis ( P < 0.01 in DP vs <0.05 in MF group) without any differences between the groups. Haemodynamic changes following tracheal intubation did not significantly differ between the groups. Intraoperatively systolic and diastolic arterial pressure were 15% and 13% lower in DP group ( P < 0.01 and P < 0.05 for drug effect), the mean heart rate was approximately 9 beats min^-1 lower in DP group (n.s.). Fentanyl was required more often in MF group: median 3.5 (QD 1.5) vs. 2.5 (QD 0.5) times in DP group ( P < 0.05), the total amount being 57% smaller in DP group: 0.03 (QD 0.01) vs. 0.07 (QD 0.02) μg kg^-1 min^-1 ( P < 0.05). Postoperative course and analgesic requirements were similar in both groups. Dexmedetomidine premedication may offer an alternative to current anaesthesia practice in elective hysterectomy.     

利多卡因对大鼠离体气管平滑肌的作用及机制

目的:研究利多卡因对气管平滑肌的作用及机制.方法:观察利多卡因对乙酰胆碱(ACh)和高钾预收缩大鼠离体气管的作用,对ACh、高钾和CaCl2诱发气管平滑肌收缩作用剂量反应曲线和ACh致两种收缩组分的影响并与维拉帕米进行比较.结果:利多卡因对ACh和高钾诱发的大鼠离体气管平滑肌标本收缩有舒张作用,并不被L-NAME和普萘洛尔阻断.利多卡因浓度依赖性地使ACh、KCl和CaCl2对大鼠离体气管条标本的量效反应曲线右移,最大反应降低.利多卡因0.69和3.45 mmol/L对ACh所致依赖细胞内钙收缩的抑制率及依赖细胞外钙收缩的抑制率差别均十分显著(P＜0.01).结论:利多卡因对离体大鼠气管平滑肌的舒张作用可能是通过非特异性地抑制细胞外钙经电压调节和受体调节钙通道向内流动及抑制细胞内钙释放来实现的.     

重症肌无力术后延长拔管时间的临床价值

目的　探讨重症肌无力 (MG)胸腺切除术后 ,延长气管拔管时间 ,减少气管切开的价值。方法　回顾分析 1978年至 2 0 0 2年 12月行MG胸腺切除 2 36例 ,按时间分A组 :1996年 12月以前手术者116例 ,对术后可能发生肌无力危象的高危因素病人施行预防性气管切开 ;B组 :1997年后手术 12 0例 ,对具发生危象高危因素者采用延长气管拔管时间 ,并对两组危象发生率及气管切开率进行比较。结果　全组发生危象 4 4例 (18 6 % ) ,气管切开 4 6例 (ARDS 1例除外 )占 19 5 %。其中A组发生危象 2 3例(19 8% ) ,气管切开 34例 (2 9 3% ) ;B组发生危象 2 1例 (17 5 % ) ,气管切开 12例 (10 % )。两组危象发生率无明显差异 ,但A组的气管切开率明显高于B组 (P <0 0 0 1)。结论　对MG胸腺切除术后具发生危象高危因素病人 ,采用延长气管插管时间及辅助通气 ,可显著减少气管切开率。     

The infeasibility of using ten-ring irradiated grafts for tracheal allotransplantation even with omentopexy

In our previous study, we demonstrated that high-dose ⁶⁰Co irradiation was able to prevent rejection of canine tracheal allografts. To determine the maximum possible length of these grafts, in the present study we attempted to transplant five-ring and ten-ring tracheal allografts in two groups of five dogs each. Either five or ten rings were excised from donor tracheas and irradiated with 100,000 cGy of ⁶⁰Co. The irradiated tracheal grafts were transplanted to replace either five- or ten-ring sections of the mediastinal tracheas removed from the recipient dogs. The grafts were covered with omental pedicles and no immunosuppressants were used. Graft incorporation was achieved in four of the five dogs in the five-ring group, and three of these dogs survived for more than 700 days. However, four of the five animals in the ten-ring group died from tracheostenosis accompanied by ischemia within 3 weeks. These findings demonstrate the impossibility of performing ten-ring tracheal allotransplantation using irradiated grafts, even with omentopexy.