Cardiovascular collapse during anesthesia in a patient with preoperatively discontinued chronic MAO inhibitor therapy

We describe a patient in whom long-term monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor therapy was discontinued 20 days before surgery with general anesthesia. This patient developed severe perioperative hypotension after administration of 10 mg of bupivacaine through an epidural catheter, which was corrected only after potent vasopressor therapy. We attribute this hemodynamic instability to attenuation of this patient's sympathetic tone based on several mechanisms: (1) residual effect of long-term administration of MAO inhibitor that caused a decrease in the number of β-adrenergic receptors (adrenergic subsensitivity due to receptor down-regulation), (2) recovered MAO activity causing effective degradation of sympathetic amines, and (3) combined attenuating effects of general and epidural anesthesia on sympathetic tone.     

Dendritic arbors of large-field ganglion cells show scaled growth during expansion of the goldfish retina: a study of morphometric and electrotonic properties

The retina of the goldfish grows by a balloon-like expansion and by the addition of new neurons at the margin. It has been proposed that as a consequence of this expansion the dendritic arbors of ganglion cells in central retina grow in a uniform manner without the addition of new branches. In the present study, we have examined this proposal by comparing the geometries of individual dendritic arbors of large-field ganglion cells from the retinas of small/young and large/old fish. These comparisons were based on measurements of several parameters of dendritic morphology, including number of segments and branches, branch angles, changes in diameter at branch points, and proximal versus distal distribution of arbor length. In addition, we used passive, steady-state cable modeling as an independent method of estimating the functional architectures of small and large dendritic arbors. Our morphometric data indicate that, though they are very different in absolute size, dendritic arbors of small and large ganglion cells have remarkably similar architectures. Analysis with steady-state cable equations indicates that the arbors from small and large cells have equivalent electrotonic lengths and show comparable propagation of synaptic currents. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that dendritic arbors of small and large ganglion cells are scaled versions of one another. We conclude that the growth of these cells during the expansion of the retina is the result of the addition of dendritic mass to an arbor whose basic geometry remains unchanged.     

Increased salt retention and hypertension from non-steroidal agents in the elderly

We studied blood pressure and natriuretic responses to acute salt loading, and the effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents on these responses, in five healthy normotensive women aged 65 to 71 years. Five women aged 25 to 31 years acted as controls. Intravenous saline loading, with and without prior ingestion of ibuprofen, was 15 ml/kg/h for 3 h. Baseline blood pressures were higher in the elderly. Saline infusion without ibuprofen raised systolic blood pressure (SBP) by about 25 mmHg in the older group only. Ibuprofen increased baseline SBP in the elderly (129 +/- 6 vs. 116 +/- 5 mmHg, p < 0.05). Saline loading after ibuprofen again raised blood pressure by about 25 mmHg in the elderly only. The elderly group showed markedly increased sodium excretion during saline loading, but this was reduced by ibuprofen. Ibuprofen had no effect on SBP or sodium excretion in controls. Ageing appears to increase susceptibility to salt retention and hypertension from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents.      

Imaging of thoracic aortic dissection

Acute thoracic aortic dissection has a high mortality if untreated, so the diagnosis must be rapidly made if mortality is to be lowered significantly. Multiple imaging techniques are often used. This retrospective study from 1988 to 1993 assesses the usefulness in diagnosis of chest X-rays, computed tomography (CT) scanning, aortography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), trans-thoracic (TTE) and trans-oesophageal (TOE) echocardiography. Forty-two patients with a final clinical diagnosis of dissection were studied. The diagnosis was confirmed in 16 (13 at surgery and three at autopsy). Three died with dissection given as the only cause for death. Chest X-ray abnormalities were seen in all 19 patients with surgery or death from dissection, with a widened mediastinum and/or dilated aorta being present in 17. In the group of 16 patients with surgery or autopsy proof, CT scans found dissections in 9 of 12 patients studied and correctly classified the type in only five. Aortography was performed in five, with accurate depiction of dissection and type in all. TTE found dissections in three of eight patients imaged by this method. MRI and TOE were performed each on two patients, with accurate depiction of dissection and type in each. Because of the relatively low sensitivity of CT scanning in defining aortic dissections Westmead Hospital is currently assessing the use of TOE as the prime imaging modality prior to surgical intervention.     

The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting: a retrospective comparison of alfentanil versus sufentanil.

Postoperative nausea and vomiting have been associated with the use of intravenous narcotics, and nitrous oxide may worsen the emetic effects of narcotics. Alfentanil and sufentanil are two synthetic derivatives of fentanyl; alfentanil has a shorter wake-up time than fentanyl, and sufentanil is equivalent to fentanyl. In order to study comparative emetic properties of these two drugs, patients in two different cities were randomly allocated to two different groups and retrospectively compared. Group I received sufentanil N2O/O2 with 0.25% isoflurane. Group II received alfentanil N2O/O2 with 0.25% isoflurane. With group I, the overall incidence of nausea was 31% and of vomiting was 6.2%. For group II, the overall rate for nausea was 38.2% and 8.8% for vomiting. Statistically, there was no significant difference in nausea or vomiting between groups.