Management of a Retained Epidural Catheter in a Pregnant Patient: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Background: Epidural anesthesia is an effective intervention to treat labor pain and provide analgesia for orthopedic procedures. A rare complication of this technique is epidural catheter retention. Case Presentation: In this case report, we present an otherwise healthy 21-year-old G2P0010 woman at 39 weeks and 3 days gestation whose anesthetic management was complicated by a symptomatic retained epidural catheter fragment. Computed tomography (CT) imaging of her spine showed the fractured catheter within her paraspinal muscles and neurosurgery recommended no surgical intervention at that time. The patient reported resolution of back pain while in the postpartum unit which she continues to endorse two weeks after discharge. Conclusion: Retained epidural catheter is a medical emergency that requires immediate imaging and neurological evaluation. While magnetic resonance imaging is typically regarded as the standard imaging modality for this complication, in epidural sets that contain metallic components, we suggest using CT to avoid the risk of thermal nerve damage. In cases where the patient does not report any acute complaints, nonsurgical management may be appropriate but close follow-up is required to monitor for catheter migration.

Neuraxial anesthesia versus general anesthesia in patients undergoing three-dimensional laparoscopic radical prostatectomy:Preliminary results of a prospective comparative study

Objective:Neuraxial anesthesia(NA)showed to reduce both morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery.We aimed to investigate the use of NA in patients undergoing transperitoneal three-dimensional laparoscopic radical prostatectomy(t-3DLRP)and compare the intraoperative and postoperative outcomes with a control group of patients undergoing t-3DLRP under general anesthesia(GA).Methods:A prospective,double-center,double-surgeon study cohort of 84 consecutive patients undergoing t-3DLRP between June 2019 and June 2021 was analyzed.A study group of 42 patients undergoing t-3DLRP under NA was compared with a control group of 42 patients undergoing t-3DLRP under GA.Results:The two group were similar in all demographic,clinical,and pathological variables.Postoperative blood gas parameters were within physiologic limits in both groups.Muscle relaxation was adequate for surgery during both NA and GA.Median length of stay was 1 day shorter for NA group than GA group(5 days vs.6 days,p=0.05).t-3DLRP under NA had a statistically lower rate of minor complications(4.8%vs.19.0%,p=0.03)and less postoperative pain(median numeric rating scale 3 vs.4,p=0.01)compared to GA.No major complications were observed in both groups.Significantly more patients were willing to undergo a similar intervention under NA than GA(p=0.04).Conclusion:t-3DLRP under NA is a feasible and safe procedure,with less postoperative pain and fewer minor complications than the same procedure under GA.NA allows the maintenance of muscle relaxation and respiratory excursions without interfering with surgery.

Prediction of Hypotension During Neuraxial Anesthesia in Patients with Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension Through Subclavian Vein Collapsibility Index

Objective:To explore and evaluate the predictive value of subclavian vein collapsibility index(SCV-CI)on hypotension during neuraxial anesthesia in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension(PIH).Methods:Pregnant women with PIH who underwent elective cesarean section in our hospital from January to July 2021 were selected as the research subjects.Patients who experienced hypotension during anesthesia were included into the hypotension group,whereas patients who had a normal blood pressure during anesthesia were included in the normotensive group.The SCV-CI was then calculated for three respiratory cycles,the average value was taken as the base value,and the patient was monitored for another 20 minutes.The blood pressure,heart rate,blood oxygen saturation,and SCV-CI of the patients were measured,and the incidence of maternal nausea and vomiting and cord blood gas were recorded.Then,a correlation analysis was conducted on the relationship between subclavian vein collapsibility index and hypotension.A receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn to seek the threshold value of subclavian vein collapsibility index for post-anesthesia hypotension.Results:There was no significant difference in systolic blood pressure(SBP),diastolic blood pressure(DBP),and heart rate(HR)between the two groups before anesthesia(P>0.05).After anesthesia,the above indexes(SBP,103.25±12.48 mmHg;DBP,58.94±7.46 mmHg;and HR,52.96±6.48 beats/min)were significantly lower than those of the normal blood pressure group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).In comparison,the SCV-CI in the hypotension group was 35.82±4.93%greater than that in the normal blood pressure group(23.85±5.27%),and the incidence of nausea and vomiting in the hypotension group(40.0%)was significantly higher than that in the normotensive group(10.53%),and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The area under the curve of SCV-CI prediction against hypotension in patients with PIH under neuraxial anesthesia was 0.825(95%CI:0.762-0.893,P<0.001),the cut-off value was 25.68%,the predictive sensitivity was 92.68%,and the specificity was 81.24%.Conclusion:SCV-CI has a good predictive value for the occurrence of hypotension in patients with PIH during neuraxial anesthesia.

New technologies to investigate the brain-gut axis

Functional gastrointestinal disorders are commonly encountered in clinical practice, and pain is their commonest presenting symptom. In addition, patients with these disorders often demonstrate a heightened sensitivity to experimental visceral stimulation, termed visceral pain hypersensitivity that is likely to be important in their pathophysiology. Knowledge of how the brain processes sensory information from visceral structures is still in its infancy. However, our understanding has been propelled by technological imaging advances such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Positron Emission Tomography, Magnetoencephalography, and Electroencephalography （EEG）. Numerous human studies have non-invasively demonstrated the complexity involved in functional pain processing, and highlighted a number of subcortical and cortical regions involved. This review will focus on the neurophysiological pathways （primary afferents, spinal and supraspinal transmission）, brainimaging techniques and the influence of endogenous and psychological processes in healthy controls and patients suffering from functional gastrointestinal disorders. Special attention will be paid to the newer EEG source analysis techniques. Understanding the phenotypic differences that determine an individual＇s response to injurious stimuli could be the key to understanding why some patients develop pain and hyperalgesia in response to inflammation/injury while others do not. For future studies, an integrated approach is required incorporating an individual＇s psychological, autonomic, neuroendocrine, neurophysiological, and genetic profile to define phenotypic traits that may be at greater risk of developing sensitised states in response to gut inflammation or injury.

Perioperative outcomes and type of anesthesia in hip surgical patients: An evidence based review

Over the last decades the demand for hip surgery,be it elective or in a traumatic setting,has greatly increased and is projected to expand even further.Concurrent with demographic changes the affected population is burdened by an increase in average comorbidity and serious complications.It has been suggested that the choice of anesthesia not only affects the surgery setting but also the perioperative outcome as a whole.Therefore different approaches and anesthetic techniques have been developed to offer individual anesthetic and analgesic care to hip surgery patients.Recent studies on comparative effectiveness utilizing population based data have given us a novel insight on anesthetic practice and outcome,showing favorable results in the usage of regional vs general anesthesia.In this review we aim to give an overview of anesthetic techniques in use for hip surgery and their impact on perioperative outcome.While there still remains a scarcity of data investigating perioperative outcomes and anesthesia,most studies concur on a positive outcome in overall mortality,thromboembolic events,blood loss and transfusion requirements when comparing regional to gener-al anesthesia.Much of the currently available evidence suggests that a comprehensive medical approach with emphasis on regional anesthesia can prove beneficial to patients and the health care system.

Neuraxial adjuvants for prevention of perioperative shivering during cesarean section: A network meta-analysis following the PRISMA guidelines

BACKGROUND Perioperative shivering is clinically common during cesarean sections under neuraxial anesthesia,and several neuraxial adjuvants are reported to have preventive effects on it.However,the results of current studies are controversial and the effects of these neuraxial adjuvants remain unclear.AIM To evaluate the effects of neuraxial adjuvants on perioperative shivering during cesarean sections,thus providing an optimal choice for clinical application.METHODS A systematic review and network meta-analysis were conducted following the PRISMA (Preferred Reported Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis) guidelines.Analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 14.0.We searched PubMed,EMBASE,Web of Science,and Cochrane Central databases for eligible clinical trials assessing the effects of neuraxial adjuvants on perioperative shivering and other adverse events during cesarean sections.Perioperative shivering was defined as the primary endpoint,and nausea,vomiting,pruritus,hypotension,and bradycardia were the secondary outcomes.RESULTS Twenty-six studies using 9 neuraxial adjuvants for obstetric anesthesia during caesarean sections were included.The results showed that,compared with placebo,pethidine,fentanyl,dexmedetomidine,and sufentanil significantly reduced the incidence of perioperative shivering.Among the four neuraxial adjuvants,pethidine was the most effective one for shivering prevention (OR = 0.15,95%CI: 0.07-0.35,surface under the cumulative ranking curve 83.9),but with a high incidence of nausea (OR = 3.15,95%CI: 1.04-9.57) and vomiting (OR = 3.71,95%CI: 1.81-7.58).The efficacy of fentanyl for shivering prevention was slightly inferior to pethidine (OR = 0.20,95%CI: 0.09-0.43),however,it significantly decreased the incidence of nausea (OR = 0.34,95%CI: 0.15-0.79) and vomiting (OR = 0.25,95%CI: 0.11-0.56).In addition,compared with sufentanil,fentanyl showed no impact on haemodynamic stability and the incidence of pruritus.CONCLUSION Pethidine,fentanyl,dexmedetomidine,and sufentanil appear to be effective for preventing perioperative shivering in puerperae undergoing cesarean sections.Considering the risk-benefit profiles of the included neuraxial adjuvants,fentanyl is probably the optimal choice.

Neuraxial modulation for treatment of VT storm

In the hyperadrenergic state of VT storm where shocks are psychologically and physiologically traumatizing, suppression of sympathetic outflow from the organ level of the heart up to higher braincenters plays a significant role in reducing the propensity for VT recurrence. The autonomic nervous system continuously receives input from the heart （afferent signaling）, integrates them, and sends efferent signals to modify or maintain cardiac function and arrhythmogenesis. Spinal anesthesia with thoracic epidural infusion of bupivicaine and surgical removal of the sympathetic chain including the stellate ganglion has been shown to decrease recurrences of VT. Excess sympathetic outflow with catecholamine release can be modified with catheter-based renal denervation. The insights provided from animal experiments and in patients that are refractory to conventional therapy have significantly improved our working understanding of the heart as an end organ in the autonomic nervous system.

Thoracic Unilateral Spinal Cord Syndrome Following Neuraxial Anaesthesia for Periprosthetic Knee Fracture: A Case Report

Neuraxial anaesthesia is widely used in surgical procedures;overall, epidural and intrathecal techniques. Nevertheless, several outcomes should be considered. The incidence of neurologic complications after neuraxial anaesthesia is not perfectly clear (0% - 0.08%), although there are several described cases of spinal cord ischemia. We present a case of thoracic unilateral spinal cord syndrome following lumbar spinal anaesthesia for periprosthetic knee fracture. Our patient suffered monoparesis in her left lower limb as well as decreasing of muscle strength and loss of tendon reflexes. The MNR showed left hyperintense intra-cord images from T7 to T12 attributed to spinal cord oedema and a lineal hypointensity related to minimal haematic component. What made this case surprising was the fact that spinal anaesthesia was performed between L3 and L4 and the patient did not suffer paraesthesia associated with local anaesthetic injection. She was treated with glucocorticoids, gabapentin and amitriptyline. She also was checked by physical rehabilitators, neurologists and Pain Unit physicians. We have found another case reported in the literature about thoracic cord injury after lumbar spinal puncture. In this paper, we report possible aetiologies according to a review and neurological evolution of the patient seven months later.

Regional anesthesia for orthopedic procedures:What orthopedic surgeons need to know

Regional anesthesia is an integral component of successful orthopedic surgery.Neuraxial anesthesia is commonly used for surgical anesthesia while peripheral nerve blocks are often used for postoperative analgesia.Patient evaluation for regional anesthesia should include neurological,pulmonary,cardiovascular,and hematological assessments.Neuraxial blocks include spinal,epidural,and combined spinal epidural.Upper extremity peripheral nerve blocks include interscalene,supraclavicular,infraclavicular,and axillary.Lower extremity peripheral nerve blocks include femoral nerve block,saphenous nerve block,sciatic nerve block,iPACK block,ankle block and lumbar plexus block.The choice of regional anesthesia is a unanimous decision made by the surgeon,the anesthesiologist,and the patient based on a risk-benefit assessment.The choice of the regional block depends on patient cooperation,patient positing,operative structures,operative manipulation,tourniquet use and the impact of postoperative motor blockade on initiation of physical therapy.Regional anesthesia is safe but has an inherent risk of failure and a relatively low incidence of complications such as local anesthetic systemic toxicity(LAST),nerve injury,falls,hematoma,infection and allergic reactions.Ultrasound should be used for regional anesthesia procedures to improve the efficacy and minimize complications.LAST treatment guidelines and rescue medications(intralipid)should be readily available during the regional anesthesia administration.

Resuscitative cardiac arrest during a Caesarean section-When every second counts:A case report

Rationale:Cardiac pulmonary arrest is the most challenging and dreaded complication of neuraxial blockade.Patient’s concern:A 21-year-old patient at 37 weeks of gestation,with previous lower segment Caesarean section pregnancy presented for elective Caesarean section.Diagnosis:Cardiac arrest after performing a subarachnoid block.Intervention:Maternal resuscitation.Outcome:Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved within 4-5 min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.A single live healthy male baby was delivered.Lesson:A careful preoperative evaluation,adequate preload,constant vigilant monitoring to recognize vasovagal response at the earliest,and immediate initiation of resuscitative measures play the most important role in saving the precious lives in case of pregnant patients undergoing Caesarean section under subarachnoid block.

Uneventful Spinal Anesthesia in a Patient with Precipitous Drop of Platelet Secondary to HELLP Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of Literatures

Thrombocytopenia caused by Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelet count (HELLP) syndrome in pre-eclampsia parturients can be associated with substantial maternal and neonatal morbidity. Data on the issue of the safety of neuraxial anesthesia with thrombocytopenia in HELLP syndrome is limited. A lower limit of 100,000 per microliter for platelet count was suggested as “safe” for performing neuraxial anesthesia, however there is no supporting data. This lower limit is challenged lately. We present a case of uneventful spinal anesthesia for urgent Cesarean section in a patient with severe pre-eclamsia, HELLP syndrome and precipitous platelet drop from 230,000 to 42,000 per microliter.

Confirmation of Epidural Catheter Location by Epidural Pressure Waveform Recordings by the Compuflo^&reg;Cath-Checker System

Background: Pulsatile waveforms originating from the spinal cord and transmitted through the dura in synchrony with heart rate have been used to confirm the epidural location of the catheter. Lumbar epidural space identification using the CompuFlo? instrument has been reported and validated. The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the new CompuFlo instrument which allows the identification of pulsatile waveform recordings. Methods: We tested 30 epidural catheters previously successfully used for post cesarean analgesia and about to be removed. All patients were given 5 mL 2% lidocaine to test the catheter before its removal. After priming with 5 mL saline, the catheter was connected to CompuFlo? to record the occurrence of pulsatile waveforms and/or their disappearance during its removal. Results: Pulsatile waveforms were observed in all the catheters properly located in the epidural space and disappeared when the catheter was extracted from the epidural space. No waveforms were recorded in 2 cases in which no sensory block occurred after the test dose (catheter dislodgement). The pressure waveform analysis through the epidural catheter had a sensitivity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100%, a specificity of 100% and a negative predictive value of 100%. Conclusions: In this preliminary trial pulsatile pressure waveform recording with CompuFlo? CathCheck? System through the epidural catheter resulted in high sensitivity and positive predictive value.

Subarachnoid and Peripheral Nerve Block in a Patient with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a hereditary peripheral neuropathy characterized by progressive distal muscle weakness and wasting. If conservative treatment fails, or is not appropriately initiated, deformity, immobility and chronic pain may result. In severe cases, surgical intervention may be required. With the exception of case reports and case series, limited safety and efficacy data exists regarding the use of neuraxial and regional anesthesia for patients with CMT. This paper describes an anesthetic case report of a patient with CMT, and also provides a review of general and regional anesthetic considerations for this cohort. The purpose of this report is to highlight the potential benefits of neuraxial and regional anesthesia in patients with neuromuscular disorders, especially in settings where intra- and post-operative resources may be limited.

Acquired Chiari Malformation: Safety of Neuraxial Anesthesia?

Chiari malformation is a congenital anomaly that primarily involves the downward displacement of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum and elongation of forth ventricle and lower brainstem. Patients with Chiari I (congenital or acquired) malformation are asymptomatic or may presents with neurologic signs and symptoms. It is always a question of safety of neuraxial anesthesia in these patients. There is potential risk of dural puncture that can initiate the neurologic symptoms or worsen the existing symptoms due to CSF leakage or tonsillar herniation. Other side, performance of neuraxial anesthesia can cause acquired Chiari I type malformation due to CSF leak and intracranial hypotension. We reviewed the case reports and articles regarding safety of neuraxial anesthesia in the setting of Congenital or Acquired Chiari malformation.

Turner-Kieser Syndrome or Iliac Horn Syndrome, a Challenge for the Anesthesiologist: A Case Report and a Literature Review

Turner-Kieser syndrome is a rare genetic disorder, autosomal dominant, which is related to variable gene expression and high penetrance, due to mutations in the LMX1B gene that affects connective tissue. The clinic has characteristics with alterations in nails, knees, elbows, and presence of iliac horns that makes the anesthetic difficult. However, data in the literature needs more research on this area. The present report is a cesarean section under general intravenous anesthesia performed on a 32-week pregnant woman due to the maternal risk of full-term evolution and aims to contribute to the anesthetic management of patients with this syndrome as there are few descriptions in the literature regarding the anesthetic management in Turner-Kieser syndrome. Even being a case report, the syndrome is rare and it is important to be reported to all anesthesiologists becoming aware of its management and to choose the best technique and anticipate possible complications. During general anesthesia, the technique chosen for the case reported here, we emphasize the risks of possible difficulty in intubating and positioning the patient, as well as renal impairment caused by changes in the cardiovascular autonomic response due to the choice of some drugs. Therefore, in the present report, our option was intravenous general anesthesia because of maternal complications, where fast acting drugs without renal metabolism or excretion were selected, resulting in an uneventful anesthetic procedure.

Refractory hypotension under neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean delivery

Aortocaval compression syndrome is also known as a supine hypotensive syndrome, it is very common in late pregnancy especially in supine positioning under neuraxial anesthesia. It is occurred when the inferior vena cava and the aorta were compressed by the uterus, and often manifested as hypotension, tachycardia, nausea, dizziness, and syncope. Besides, reducing of uteroplacental perfusion may result in morbidity or even mortality to the fetus. It is critical to recognize the cause of hypotension in the pregnant patient, and it is necessary to alleviate the compressing pressure of uterus on the inferior vena cava immediately if suspected of aortocaval compression. We report a pregnant woman with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who experienced refractory hypotension resistant to large doses of vasopressor therapy when undergoing cesarean delivery with combined spinal-epidural anesthesia.