Anesthetic management of parturients with Arnold Chiari malformation-I: a multicenter retrospective study

BackgroundConsensus regarding the safest mode of delivery and anesthetic management for parturients with Arnold Chiari malformation-I (ACM-I) remains controversial. This study assessed their anesthetic management and reported anesthetic complications during hospitalization for delivery.MethodsThis was a multicenter, retrospective, cohort study of patients with ACM-I undergoing vaginal or cesarean delivery. Data were obtained from the electronic databases of four United States academic institutions using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes from 2007–2017 at three sites and 2004–2017 at one site. The primary outcome was anesthetic complications.ResultsData were analyzed for 185 deliveries in 148 patients. Diagnosis of ACM-I was made prior to delivery in 147 (80%) cases. Pre-delivery neurosurgical consultation for management of ACM-I was performed in 53 (36%) patients. Pre-existing symptoms were recorded for 89 (48%) of the deliveries. Vaginal deliveries occurred in 80 (43%) cases, and 62 women (78%) received neuraxial labor analgesia. Cesarean delivery was performed in 105 (57%) cases, of which 70 women (67%) had neuraxial anesthesia and 34 (32%) received general anesthesia. Post-dural puncture headache was reported in three (2%) patients who had neuraxial anesthesia, and in two (12%) patients with syringomyelia. There was one (3%) reported case of aspiration pneumonia with general anesthesia.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that anesthetic complications occur infrequently in patients with ACM-I regardless of the anesthetic management. Although institutional preference in anesthetic and obstetric care appears to drive patient management, the findings suggest that an individualized approach has favorable outcomes in this population.     

Arnold-Chiari畸形合并脊髓空洞症的外科治疗(附32例报告)

目的：探讨Chiari畸形合并脊髓空洞症的手术治疗方法。方法：分析我科收治的32例Chiari畸形合并脊髓空洞症患者进行手术治疗，以后颅窝减压、小脑扁桃体切除、脊髓空洞穿刺、松解四脑室正中孔蛛网膜粘连为主，达到解除后脑受压，解除粘连，恢复枕大孔区CSF循环通畅的目的。结果：随访24例患者中，临床症状完全消失18例，好转2例，术前有头痛、颈痈或肩臂病症状者均有显著减轻，3例自觉症状无变化，复查MRI显示21例空洞明显缩小。结论：后颅窝减压、松解四脑室正中孔蛛网膜粘连，恢复枕大孔区CSF循环通畅是手术治疗Chiari畸形合并脊髓空洞症的关键。     

Transjugular percutaneous inoue balloon mitral commissurotomy in a patient with inferior vena cava obstruction after liver transplantation.

Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy was performed successfully via the transjugular approach in a patient with severe rheumatic mitral stenosis and obstruction of the inferior vena cava due to prior liver transplantation. This case demonstrates the advantage of the jugular approach in patients with difficult anatomy.     

Magnetic resonance imaging of the craniocervical junction

Magnetic resonance imaging has become the study of choice for the majority of abnormalities of the craniocervical junction as well as for demonstration of primary pathology of the spinal cord, and brain stem. Although the applications of MR are currently limited by its high cost, relatively long scan time, and low sensitivity to calcification, new pulse sequences, faster scan strategies, and lower cost MR scanner are changing this situation. MR contrast agents and the use of 3-D imaging techniques combined with gradient echoes promise to play a role in MR of the craniocervical junction in the near future.     

Experimental model of chronic tonsillar herniation associated with early stage syringomyelia

This report describes an experimental model of chronic tonsillar herniation and its effects on the spinal cord. In ten rats, a small piece of chemically induced mammary cancer was transplanted to the supraoccipital bone. In all cases, the transplanted cancers grew into the posterior fossa, destroying the supraoccipital bone and compressing the cerebellum extradurally. In six of the ten rats, tonsillar herniation was observed at 8–14 weeks after transplantation. Transdural infiltration of the tumor cells was not apparent in any animal. In those rats with tonsillar herniation (n=6), the spinal cord from the C5 to the T8 segments showed enlargement of the central canal without exception. Histological examination revealed the following changes: stretching and thinning of the ependymal cells; swelling of the astrocytic processes; and extracellular edema, predominantly in the dorsal gray matter, but also in the ventral inner portion of the dorsal column. In the control group (n=4) and those rats without tonsillar herniation (n=4), such histological changes of the spinal cord were not observed. Although the lesions can not be regarded as representing mature syringomyelia, they most likely constitute an earlier evolutionary stage.     

Transjugular intrahepatic cavoportal shunt for Budd–Chiari syndrome

Budd–Chiari syndrome (BCS) is characterized by obstruction of the hepatic venous outflow tract. Therapeutic options for BCS are limited. We report a case of a 21-year-old woman with protein S and C deficiency with gross ascites. Treatment with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) was attempted, which revealed occluded hepatic veins, so transcaval TIPS was performed. No serious procedure-related complication occurred. After successful shunt creation, the patient's symptoms subsided and she was discharged and followed up for 6 months.     

脑立体定向术临床应用

目的：探讨以脑立体定向术治疗震颤麻痹、癫痫、癌性疼痛、慢性精神病及颅内金属异物的方法和疗效。方法：用多功能脑立体定向仪对不同疾病毁损其不同的核团。结果：震颤麻痹１６６例共１８２次手术中治愈１３例次，显效１４５例次，有效１１例次，无效１２例次，死亡１例，有效率达９２９％；癫痫１８例，显效１１例，有效４例，无效３例，有效率达８３３％；癌性痛疼５例均显效；精神病３例，显效２例，有效１例；颅内异物２例均治愈。结论：脑立体定向术对以上疾病均取得了较为满意及良好的疗效，总有效率达９２４％，并且比传统开颅术简便安全     

腔内血管技术在肝静脉回流障碍综合征治疗中的应用

目的：探索一种简单、安全、有效的治疗肝静脉回流障碍（Budd-Chiari)综合征的新方法。方法：在11例肝静脉回流障碍综合征患中,应用经皮穿刺下腔静脉气囊扩张成形术治疗获得成功后,有9例患同时置入血管内支架。3例肝静脉完全闭塞在下腔静脉腔内治疗术成功后1周内行肠系膜上静脉－下腔静脉间人造血管“H”型分流术。结果：11例患,除1例在腔内治疗后出现轻度心功能不全表现外,无手术并发症,术后随访6－35个月,血管内支架通畅、无移位,分流血管无血栓栓塞,门脉高压症状明显缓解,患生活质量提高。结论：腔内血管技术是肝静脉回流障碍综合征的首选治疗方法。