Utilization of deep neuromuscular blockade combined with reduced abdominal pressure in laparoscopic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer:An academic perspective

BACKGROUND Few studies have examined the specific efficacy of deep neuromuscular blockade(NMB)combined with pneumoperitoneal pressure reduction in laparoscopic radical gastrectomy(LRG)in the elderly.AIM To investigate the application effect of deep neuromuscular blockade(NMB)combined with reduced pneumoperitoneum pressure in LRG for gastric cancer(GC)in elderly patients and its influence on inflammation.METHODS Totally 103 elderly patients with GC treated in our hospital between January 2020 and January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.Among them,45 patients treated with surgery based on deep NMB and conventional pneumoperitoneum pressure were assigned to the control group,while the rest of the 58 patients who underwent surgery based on deep NMB and reduced pneumoperitoneum pressure were assigned to the observation group.The two groups were compared in the changes of the Leiden-surgical rating scale score,serum tumor necrosis fact-α(TNF-α)and interleukin 6(IL-6)before and after therapy.The visual analogue scale(VAS)was adopted for evaluating the shoulder pain of patients at 8 h,24 h and 48 h after the operation.The driving pressure of the two groups at different time points was also compared.Additionally,the operation time,pneumoperitoneum time,infusion volume,blood loss,extubation time after surgery,residence time in the resuscitation room,TOF%=90%time and post-anesthetic recovery room(PACU)stay time were all recorded,and adverse PACU-associated respiratory events were also recorded.The postoperative hospitalization time and postoperative expenses of the two groups were counted and compared.RESULTS No significant difference was found between the two groups at the time of skin incision,60 minutes since the operation and abdominal closure after surgery(P>0.05).The observation group exhibited significantly lower VAS scores than the control group at 24 and 48h after surgery(P<0.05).Additionally,the observation group had significantly lower driving pressure than the control group at 5 min and 60 min after the establishment of pneumoperitoneum(P<0.05).Additionally,the two groups were similar in terms of the operation time,pneumoperitoneum time,infusion volume,blood loss,extubation time after surgery,residence time in the resuscitation room and TOF%=90%time(P>0.05),and the observation group showed significantly lower TNF-αand IL-6 Levels than the control group at 24 h after therapy(P<0.05).Moreover,the incidence of adverse events was not significantly different between the two groups(P>0.05),and the observation group experienced significantly less hospitalization time and postoperative expenses than the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Deep NMB combined with reduced pneumoperitoneum pressure can decrease the VAS score of shoulder pain and inflammatory reaction,without hindering the surgical vision and increasing adverse PACU-associated respiratory events,and can thus shorten the hospitalization time and treatment cost for patient.

Unexpected delayed reversal of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade by sugammadex:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Rocuronium,a nondepolarizing muscle relaxant,is usually administered during general anesthesia to facilitate endotracheal intubation and keep patients immobile during the surgery.Sugammadex,the selective reversal agent of rocuronium,fully reverses the neuromuscular blockade(NMB)at the end of surgery.Most reports show that sugammadex rapidly achieves a ratio of train-offour(TOF),a quantitative method of neuromuscular monitoring,of 0.9 which ensures adequate recovery for safe extubation.However,very rare patients with neuromuscular diseases may respond poorly to sugammadex.CASE SUMMARY A 69-year-old female presented with abdominal fullness and nausea,and was diagnosed with gastroparesis.She underwent gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy under general anesthesia with rocuronium(0.7 mg/kg).At the end of surgery,sugammadex 3.6 mg/kg was administered when TOF showed 2 counts.Afterward,the TOF ratio recovered to 0.65 in 30 min.She was awake but could not fully open her eyelids.The tidal volume during spontaneous breathing was low.After additional doses of sugammadex(up to 7.3 mg/kg)in the following 3 h,the TOF ratio was 0.9,and the endotracheal tube was smoothly removed.After excluding possible mechanisms underlying the prolonged recovery course,we speculated our patient may have had an undiagnosed neuromuscular disease,hinted by her involuntary movement of the tongue and mouth.Furthermore,her poor renal function and history of delayed recovery from general anesthesia may be related to the long duration of rocuronium.CONCLUSION In our case,both prolonged rocuronium-induced NMB and poor response to sugammadex were noted.To optimize the dose of rocuronium,perioperative TOF combined with other neuromuscular monitoring is suggested.

Sugammadex is associated with better respiratory recovery than neostigmine following reversal of anaesthesia-associated neuromuscular blockade in the morbidly obese patients following elective laparoscopic surgery

Complete and reliable neuromuscular reversal is important to successful anaesthetic recovery in the morbidly obese patient undergoing laparoscopic surgery.Our goal was to determine whether sugammadex,a selective reversal agent is associated with better respiratory recovery than neostigmine following the reversal of anaesthesia-associated neuromuscular blockade by rocuronium in the morbidly obese.Peak Expiratory Flow Rate a surrogate marker for respiratory function,was the primary outcome measured and secondary outcome measures included post-operative nausea and vomiting,pain and head lifting.We found that patients reversed with sugammadex had a significantly higher post-operative PEFR as compared to those reversed with neostigmine and glycopyrrolate group.

Electromyographic monitoring of facial nerve under different levels of neuromuscular blockade during middle ear microsurgery

Background The evoked electromyography （EMG） is frequently used to identify facial nerve in order to prevent its damage during surgeries. Partial neuromuscular blockade （NMB） has been suggested to favor EMG activity and insure patients＇ safety. The aim of this study was to determine an adequate level of NMB correspondent to sensible facial nerve identification by evaluating the relationship between facial EMG responses and peripheral NMB levels during the middle ear surgeries. Methods Facial nerve evoked EMG and NMB monitoring were performed simultaneously in 40 patients who underwent tympanoplasty. Facial electromyographic responses were recorded by insertion of needle electrodes into the orbicularis otis and orbicularis oculi muscles after electrical stimulation on facial nerve. The NMB was observed objectively with the hypothenar muscle＇s twitching after electrical stimulation of ulnar nerve, and the intensity of blockade was adjusted at levels of 0, 25%, 50%, 75%, 90%, and 100% respectively with increased intravenous infusion of Rocuronium （muscle relaxant）. Results All of the patients had detectable EMG responses at the levels of NMB 〈50%. Four out of forty patients had no EMG response at the levels of NMB 〉75%. A significant linear positive correlation was present between stimulation thresholds and NMB levels while a linear negative correlation was present between EMG amplitudes and NMB levels. Conclusions The facial nerve monitoring via facial electromyographic responses can be obtained when an intraoperative partial neuromuscular blockade is induced to provide an adequate immobilization of the patient. The 50% NMB should be considered as the choice of anesthetic management for facial nerve monitoring in otologic microsurgery based on the relationship of correlation.

The Safe Use of Sugammadex “Rescue” after Neostigmine: 2 Case Reports

With the introduction of the rocuronium and vecuronium binding agent sugammadex into clinical practice in the United States, its use for reversal of neuromuscular blockade will likely start in some institutions as a “rescue” after failed reversal with neostigmine. However, sugammadex after neostigmine has not been extensively studied. Therefore, there is a question as to its effectiveness when used in this way especially in the airway compromised patients that the anesthesia provider will commonly face in this situation. Furthermore, there is a possibility of hemodynamic compromise. These two case reports demonstrate the safe and effective use of sugammadex after failed reversal with neostigmine.