In a previous study, logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association of independent fixed patient factors with the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Female sex, previous history of PONV, use of postoperative opioids, previous history of motion sickness and an interaction between male sex and previous history of PONV were combined in an equation from which risk of PONV could be estimated. The present study was designed to test this equation in a group of patients with wide selection criteria. Data on 400 patients were collected in relation to pre-, per- and postoperative factors which may influence the incidence of PONV. The equation was used to predict PONV, and actual outcome was compared with that predicted. The overall incidence of PONV was 36%. The equation predicted an overall probability of PONV of 27.4%. If the model was used to define individual patients as predicted to have or not to have PONV, it was correct only 71% of the time. However, there was good agreement between the actual incidences of PONV and those predicted among the 16 risk groups created by the model.
Protein S-100 beta has been suggested as a prognostic marker in traumatic brain injury. However, little is known of its behaviour in the immediate post-injury period. With Ethics Committee approval, we recruited 30 patients with a history of head injury presenting to our Accident and Emergency Department. Blood was taken on arrival and at four hours post-injury. Serum S-100 beta was estimated using an immunoluminometric assay. Levels of S-100 beta were seen to fall rapidly with time. Half-time was distributed non-parametrically with a median of 198 minutes. Using the Mann-Whitney U test we found a statistically significant difference between non-desirable (Glasgow Outcome Score 1-3) and desirable (Glasgow Outcome Score 4-5) outcome on admission (p = 0.0155) but not at four hours (p = 0.1336). Levels of S-100 beta fell rapidly after its release following traumatic brain injury. Time after injury is therefore critical in assessing the significance of levels of S-100 beta, and sampling should be as early as possible to gain maximum information. If S-100 beta is to be assessed as a monitor of ongoing brain injury in the intensive therapy unit sampling must be frequent (e.g. every 4 hours) to be able to detect rises in serum levels before they have decayed to baseline.
Percutaneous cannulation of the internal jugular vein (IJV) in infants and children may be technically difficult and can lead to complications. Various techniques exist to achieve successful cannulation and to reduce the rate of complications. We report the use of the Doppler ultrasound guided vascular access needle (the SMART needle) for IJV cannulation in 10 infants and young children (mean age 3.7 months) weighing less than 10 kg (mean weight 5.5 kg) who were to undergo cardiac surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. Successful cannulation was achieved in six out of 10 patients with haematoma complicating the procedure in two patients. We believe this is the first reported use of this device for cannulation of the IJV in this patient group.
SummaryWe report the occurrence of an accidental pleural puncture by an epidural catheter that happened during the attempted induction of thoracic epidural anaesthesia using a paramedian approach in an awake patient. The incorrect placement of the catheter was recognised while the patient was undergoing thoracoscopic surgery. The possibility of accidental pleural puncture during attempted thoracic epidural catheter placement by either the paramedian or the midline approach should be borne in mind. A misplaced catheter may injure lung tissue and result in a potentially dangerous intra-operative tension pneumothorax.Keywords Anaesthetic techniques, regional; epidural, thoracic. Complications. ...................................................................................... Correspondence to: Dr A. Zollinger Accepted: 23 March 1997 Thoracic epidural anaesthesia is frequently used in combination with general anaesthesia to achieve excellent peri-operative analgesia in patients undergoing upper abdominal and thoracic surgery [1, 2]. The technique may be associated with beneficial respiratory and haemodynamic effects [3][4][5]. However, this procedure is not free from complications, which include dural puncture with high spinal block [6, 7], blood vessel puncture with subsequent formation of an epidural haematoma [8,9], prolonged arterial hypotension, transection and knotting of the catheter [10], infection [11,12] and neurological sequelae [13]. Only a few cases of accidental puncture of the pleural cavity after thoracic epidural anaesthesia have been reported [14][15][16]. We report a case with direct intraoperative visualisation of the thoracic epidural catheter perforating the parietal pleura in a patient undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Case historyA 73-year-old female patient (height: 149 cm, weight: 60 kg) with chronic pneumonia of the right lower lobe was referred for diagnostic thoracoscopic lung biopsy. Her chest X-ray showed an encapsulated pleural effusion in the midzone of the right lung. Pre-operative laboratory data, lung-function tests and electrocardiogram were all normal. The patient had no history of spinal pathology.Routine monitoring was attached to the patient, who was positioned in the right lateral position with her knees bent and her spine flexed. The space between the spinous processes of the sixth and seventh thoracic vertebrae (T 6/7 interspace) was infiltrated with local anaesthetic. A 16G Tuohy needle (Portex Ltd, Hythe, Kent, UK) was inserted into the T 6/7 interspace using a right-sided paramedian approach (2 cm to the right of the midline). The loss-ofresistance technique was used with the aid of a 10-ml saline-filled glass syringe. The needle was advanced perpendicular to the skin until it hit the vertebral lamina on the right side. The tip of the needle was then redirected in the mediocranial direction and the typical loss of resistance was felt 7 cm deep to the skin. The epidural catheter was threaded 3 cm beyond the tip of the needle without any problems...
A 13-year-old boy was admitted to hospital 45 min after the ingestion of approximately 750 mg of chloroquine base. A few minutes after gastric lavage with warm water he developed ventricular fibrillation from which he was promptly resuscitated. The plasma concentration of chloroquine was 4.2 mumol/l; significantly lower than the concentrations previously associated with a fatal outcome in adults. The clinical and electrocardiographic effects of chloroquine poisoning are discussed, and the literature reviewed regarding the role of specific management with diazepam and adrenaline infusions. A period of twenty four hours electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring and pulse oximetry in an intensive care unit is advocated for all patient with ECG changes following chloroquine overdose.
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