Circulatory Depression Research Articles

The efficacy and safety of remimazolam tosilate compared with propofol for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography under monitored anesthesia care: A single-center randomized controlled clinical trial

BackgroundAlthough remimazolam tosilate is an ultra-short-acting benzodiazepine that causes less respiratory and circulatory depression than propofol, studies evaluating its efficacy and safety during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) are limited. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of remimazolam and propofol for ERCP performed under monitored anesthesia care (MAC). MethodsThis study is a randomized controlled clinical trial featuring a noninferiority design. A total of 102 eligible patients undergoing ERCP under MAC were randomly assigned to either the remimazolam tosilate group (R group) or the propofol group (P group) in a 1:1 ratio. Patients in the R group were sedated with remimazolam tosilate, while those in the P group received propofol, both under MAC. The primary efficacy endpoint was the success rate of ERCP completion under MAC. Secondary outcomes included the time to loss of consciousness, sedative effects, and perioperative adverse events at various time points for patients in both groups. ResultsBaseline characteristics of both groups were similar. The successful completion rate for ERCP under MAC was 100 % in the R group and 96.1 % in the P group, resulting in a difference of 3.92 % (95 % CI: −2%, 10 %). This difference met the pre-established criterion of being greater than −8%. The total number of norepinephrine infusions, as well as the incidence of intravenous injection pain, post-induction hypotension, post-induction bradycardia, intraoperative hypotension, respiratory depression, and hypoxemia, were significantly lower in the R group compared to the P group. Conversely, the total number of phloroglucinol uses, body movements, and instances of rapid gastrointestinal peristalsis were significantly higher in the R group than in the P group. DiscussionRemimazolam-based MAC for ERCP exhibited non-inferior efficacy compared to propofol-based MAC, while also resulting in fewer circulatory and respiratory adverse events during the procedures. Nevertheless, future studies with larger sample sizes are required to evaluate the utility of remimazolam in elderly patients.

Anesthesia management for percutaneous mitral valve repair in a patient with mitochondrial cardiomyopathy and low cardiac function: a case report

BackgroundMitochondrial cardiomyopathy occurs when impaired mitochondrial energy production leads to myocardial dysfunction. Anesthetic management in such cases is challenging due to risks of circulatory depression associated with anesthesia and mitochondrial dysfunction induced by anesthetics. Although there are reports of anesthetic management for patients with mitochondrial diseases, there are few reports specifically addressing cardiac anesthesia for patients with mitochondrial cardiomyopathy. We present a case where percutaneous mitral valve repair with MitraClip™ was successfully performed under remimazolam anesthesia in a patient with mitochondrial cardiomyopathy who developed functional mitral valve regurgitation due to low cardiac function and cardiomegaly.Case presentationA 57-year-old woman was diagnosed with chronic cardiac failure, with a 10-year history of dilated cardiomyopathy. She was diagnosed with mitochondrial cardiomyopathy 8 years ago. Over the past 2 years, her cardiac failure worsened, and mitral valve regurgitation gradually developed. Surgical intervention was considered but deemed too risky due to her low cardiac function, with an ejection fraction of 26%. Therefore, percutaneous MitraClip™ implantation was selected. After securing radial artery and central venous catheterization under sedation with dexmedetomidine, anesthesia was induced with a low dose of remimazolam 4 mg/kg/h. Anesthesia was maintained with remimazolam 0.35–1.0 mg/kg/h and remifentanil 0.1 μg/kg/min. Noradrenaline and dobutamine were administered intraoperatively, and the procedure was completed successfully without circulatory collapse. The patient recovered smoothly from anesthesia and experienced no complications. She was discharged on the eighth day after surgery.ConclusionAnesthesia management with remimazolam appears to be a safe and effective for MitraClip™ implantation in patients with mitochondrial cardiomyopathy.

Comparison of bispectral index-guided endoscopic ultrasonography with continuous versus intermittent infusion of propofol: a retrospective study in Japan.

This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of continuous propofol infusion for anesthesia during endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). A total of 427 consecutive patients who underwent EUS between May 2018 and February 2019 were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two propofol infusion groups: continuous (n=207) and intermittent (n=220). The following parameters were compared: (1) propofol dose, (2) respiratory and circulatory depression, (3) body movement requiring discontinuation of the examination, (4) awakening score, and (5) patient satisfaction. The median total maintenance dose of propofol was significantly higher in the continuous group than in the intermittent group (160.0 mg vs. 130.0 mg, respectively); however, the reduction in SpO2 was significantly lower in the continuous group (2.9% vs. 13.2%). Body movements occurred less frequently in the continuous group than in the intermittent group (40.1% vs. 49.5%, respectively). The rate of complete awakening was significantly higher in the continuous group than in the intermittent group. Finally, there was a significant difference in the percentage of patients who answered "absolutely yes" when asked about receiving EUS again: 52.7% in the continuous group vs. 34.3% in the intermittent group. Continuous infusion resulted in stable sedation and reduced propofol-associated risks.

Remimazolam in perioperative management of Eisenmenger syndrome: a case report.

Eisenmenger syndrome (ES) is characterized by severe and irreversible pulmonary hypertension stemming from an uncorrected intracardiac shunt of significant size. The imbalance between systemic and pulmonary artery pressures predisposes patients with ES to the risk of cardiac arrest. Remimazolam has caused less circulatory depression, which may be advantageous for ES. However, no studies reported the use of remimazolam in perioperative ES management. A 45-year-old female patient with ES derived from a ventricular septal defect was scheduled to undergo bilateral adnexectomy for an ovarian tumor. Her oxygen saturation was 80% with 3 L/min oxygen at rest, and her pulmonary and systemic flow ratio was 0.53. She underwent general anesthesia with remimazolam, and intraoperative hemodynamics was stable without hypotension or reduced oxygen saturation. Our successful management of ovarian tumor surgery in a patient with ES using remimazolam reveals its potential effectiveness in perioperative care.

Anesthetic management with remimazolam in very elderly patients undergoing hybrid surgery of transcatheter aortic valve implantation plus off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: report of two cases

BackgroundRemimazolam is a short-acting benzodiazepine with small circulatory depression. We used remimazolam for general anesthesia management in two very elderly patients undergoing hybrid surgery of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) plus off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG).Case presentationA 96-year-old man (case 1) and a 92-year-old woman (case 2) had complex coronary artery disease (CAD) and severe aortic stenosis (AS) and were scheduled for TAVI plus OPCAB. Anesthesia in both patients was induced with 6 mg/kg/h remimazolam and fentanyl and maintained with 0.3 mg/kg/h and 0.5 mg/kg/h remimazolam and fentanyl, respectively. Although catecholamines were required, we successfully maintained circulation during the induction of anesthesia and the procedures of OPCAB and TAVI. Both patients were discharged without complications.ConclusionRemimazolam can be a useful option for safe general anesthesia in very elderly patients when performing hybrid surgery.

Comparison of Sedation With Ketamine-Propofol Versus Propofol-Fentanyl for Elderly Patients Undergoing Prostate Biopsy: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Procedural sedation is increasingly used for elderly patients, but there is no established ideal method for elderly patients who are prone to respiratory and circulatory depression. This study aims to investigate the association of respiratory complications and the combination of ketamine-propofol versus fentanyl-propofol in elderly patients undergoing prostate biopsy requiring deep sedation. This was a single-center, retrospective, observational study conducted from April 2020 to March 2021. We included male patients aged 65 years and older scheduled for prostate biopsy under procedural sedation. Ketamine-propofol and fentanyl-propofol were administered at the discretion of the anesthesiologist. The primary outcome was the need for assisted ventilation. The secondary outcome was the duration ofoxygen saturation (SpO2)below 90%. We enrolled 120 patients over 65 years, and 92 patients were included in the final analysis. The anesthesiologist administered an initial dose of ketamine and propofol of 1:1 to 1:4 of 1.0 mg kg-1 (interquartile range: 0.98 to 1.17) or administered an initial dose of fentanyl of 0.05 to 0.1 mg and a target-controlled infusion of propofol of 2.8 μg ml-1 (interquartile range: 2.0 to 3.0) followed by additional doses at the discretion of the anesthesiologist. Ketamine-propofol was associated with a reduced need for assisted ventilation and a shorter duration of SpO2 below 90% than propofol-fentanyl (95.7% vs. 4.3%, P < 0.05; 0.64 minutes vs. 0.17 minutes, P = 0.26). Ketamine-propofol is associated with a significantly reduced need for assisted ventilation compared topropofol-fentanyl during procedural sedation and analgesia for procedures requiring deep sedation for the elderly.

Analysis of the efficacy of subclinical doses of esketamine in combination with propofol in non-intubated general anesthesia procedures - a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThe number of non-intubated general anesthesia outside the operating room is growing as the increasing demand for comfort treatment. Non-intubated general anesthesia outside the operating room requires rapid onset of anesthesia, smoothness, quick recovery, and few postoperative complications. Traditional anesthetic regimens (propofol alone or propofol and opioids/dezocine/midazolam, etc.) have severe respiratory and circulatory depression and many systemic adverse effects. In this paper, we compare the effectiveness and safety of propofol and subclinical doses of esketamine with other traditional regimens applied to non-intubated general anesthesia through a systematic review and meta-analysis.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and Sinomed databases for the period from January 2000 to October 2022. We rigorously screened the literature according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, while risk assessment of the studies was performed using The Cochrane Collaboration’s tool, and statistical analysis of the data was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. The main outcome indicators we evaluated were the various hemodynamic parameters and incidence of various adverse effects between the experimental and control groups after induction of anesthesia.ResultsAfter a rigorous screening process, a total of 14 papers were included in the final meta-analysis. After risk bias assessment, three of the papers were judged as low risk and the others were judged as having moderate to high risk. Forest plots were drawn for a total of 16 indicators. Meta-analysis showed statistically significant differences in HR’ WMD 3.27 (0.66, 5.87), MAP’ WMD 9.68 (6.13, 13.24), SBP’ WMD 5.42 (2.11, 8.73), DBP’ WMD 4.02 (1.15, 6.88), propofol dose’ SMD -1.39 (-2.45, -0.33), hypotension’ RR 0.30 (0.20, 0.45), bradycardia’ RR 0.33 (0.14, 0.77), hypoxemia or apnea’ RR 0.45 (0.23, 0.89), injection pain’ RR 0.28 (0.13, 0.60), intraoperative choking’ RR 0.62 (0.50, 0.77), intraoperative body movements’ RR 0.48 (0.29, 0.81) and overall incidence of adverse reactions’ RR 0.52 (0.39, 0.70).The indicators that were not statistically different were time to wake up’ WMD − 0.55 (-1.29, 0.19), nausea and vomiting 0.84’ RR (0.43, 1.67), headache and dizziness’ RR 1.57 (0.98, 2.50) and neuropsychiatric reaction’ RR 1.05 (0.28, 3.93). The funnel plot showed that the vast majority of studies fell within the funnel interval, but the symmetry was relatively poor.ConclusionIn non-intubated general anesthesia, the combination of subclinical doses of esketamine and propofol did reduce circulatory and respiratory depression, injection pain, and other adverse effects, while the incidence of esketamine’s own side effects such as neuropsychiatric reactions did not increase, and the combination of the two did not cause the occurrence of new and more serious adverse reactions, and the combination of the two was safe and effective.Trial registrationPROSPREO registration number: CRD 42022368966.

Sedation in Palliative Care—a Clinically Oriented Overview of Guidelines and Treatment Recommendations

The appropriate provision of sedation as a last resort for the relief of suffering in palliative care is dealt with variably in actual practice. This article is intended as an overview of practically relevant information found in treatment recommendations and guidelines. A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases, and a manual search was carried out online. Recommendations that were not available in either German or English, or that were specific to pediatric practice, were excluded. Publication quality was assessed with the AGREE II instrument (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II). The recommendations in the documents were qualitatively evaluated. 29 publications (11 journal articles, 18 other) of varying quality according to AGREE II were included. All recommendations and guidelines were essentially based on expert consensus. The common indications for sedation are otherwise intractable delirium, dyspnea, and pain, in patients with a life expectancy of no more than two weeks. Existential distress is a controversial indication. The drug of first choice is midazolam. As the sedating effect of opioids is hard to predict, they should not be used as sedatives. The risks of sedation include respiratory and circulatory depression, as well as the loss of communicative ability, control, and autonomy. It is generally recommended that the patient's symptom burden and depth of sedation should be monitored; clinical and technically supported monitoring are recommended in some publications as well, depending on the situation. There is a broad consensus in favor of sedation to relieve suffering in the last days and hours of life. Recommendations vary for patients with a longer life expectancy and for those with existential distress, and with respect to monitoring.

Anesthesiological and postinterventional management in percutaneous hepatic melphalan perfusion (chemosaturation)

Percutaneous hepatic melphalan perfusion (PHMP) is alast-line treatment of inoperable primary or secondary liver tumors. Selective perfusion and saturation (chemosaturation) of the liver with the chemotherapeutic agent melphalan is performed via catheterization of the hepatic artery without affecting the rest of the body with its cytotoxic properties. Using an extracorporeal circulation and balloon occlusion of the inferior vena cava, the venous hepatic blood is filtered and returned using abypass procedure. During the procedure, considerable circulatory depression and coagulopathy are frequent. The purpose of this article is to review the anesthesiological and postprocedural management of patients undergoing PHMP with consideration of the pitfalls and special circumstances.

Effect of different doses of esketamine compared with fentanyl combined with propofol on hypotension in patients undergoing painless abortion surgery: a prospective, randomized, double-blind controlled clinical trial

BackgroundOpioids analgesics commonly used in abortion procedures are associated with respiratory and circulatory depression. Esketamine is a N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA) antagonist and a common analgesic. The drug has several advantages including rapid onset and offset and it causes minimal cardiorespiratory depression. However, studies have not explored the effects of esketamine in patients undergoing painless abortion surgery. Therefore, the present study sought to evaluate the effect of different doses of esketamine compared with the effect of fentanyl on incidence of perioperative hypotension in patients undergoing painless abortion surgery and to explore the optimal esketamine dose for this population.MethodsA total of 178 female patients undergoing painless abortion surgery were enrolled to the current study. The patients were aged 18–45 years, had a body mass index (BMI) of 18–28 kg m− 2 and a class I or II physical status as determined using the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) system. Patients were randomly assigned to four groups as follows: group F (n = 45) in which patients underwent intravenous (IV) administration of 1 μg kg− 1 fentanyl followed by IV administration of 2 mg kg− 1 propofol, and group EL, group EM and group EH (n = 45, 44, 44) with patients receiving IV administration of 0.2 mg kg− 1, 0.25 mg kg− 1, 0.3 mg kg− 1 esketamine, respectively, followed by IV administration of 2 mg kg− 1 propofol. The primary outcome of the study was the incidence of hypotension whereas secondary outcomes included incidence of adverse events, perioperative changes of vital signs, anesthesia induction time, recovery time and dischargeable time, propofol addition, as well as patient, surgeon and anesthesiologist satisfaction levels.ResultsThe findings showed that the incidence of hypotension was significantly lower in subjects in group EL, group EM and group EH (0, 0, 0%) relative to the incidence in patients in group F (20%) (χ2 = 19.648; P = 0.000). In this study, the incidence of hypoxia of subjects in group EL, group EM and group EH (0, 2.3, 2.3%) was significantly lower compared with that of patients in group F (11.1%) (χ2 = 8.622; P = 0.035). The findings indicated that the incidence of somatic motor reactions was significantly lower in participants in group EM and group EH (9.1, 4.5%) relative to that of patients in group F and group EL (26.7, 15.6%) (χ2 = 10.254; P = 0.016). The results showed that the incidence of nausea and vomiting and potential psychiatric symptoms were significantly higher in patients in group EH (15.9, 11.4%) compared with that of participants in group F (2.2, 0%), group EL (4.4, 0%) and group EM (2.3, 2.3%) (χ2 = 7.493; P = 0.038 and χ2 = 8.248; P = 0.003). In this study, the mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) of subjects in group EL, group EM and group EH were more stable compared with that of patients in group F. Frequency of the additional propofol dose was markedly less in group EM and EH (26.7%, 17,8%) compared with that in group F and EL (9.1, 4.5%) (χ2 = 10.254; P = 0.016). The findings indicated that the dischargeable time was significantly shorter for patients in group EM compared with that of subjects in group F, group EL and group EH.ConclusionsThe findings of the present study showed that single-dose esketamine (0.25 mg kg− 1) effectively decreased incidence of hypotension and total adverse events and reduced the frequency of additional propofol dose required for patients undergoing painless abortion with preservation of physician-patient satisfaction.

Sevoflurane analysis in forensic cases using headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: A case study

The objective is to present a case study related to forensic analysis of Sevoflurane Using Head Space (HS)-GCMS. For qualitative detection of volatile substances, this methodology might be helpful in conducting forensic analysis of such substances. Sevoflurane is an ether inhalation general anaesthetic agent. Sevoflurane is a volatile nonflammable fluorinated methyl isopropyl ether inhaled anaesthetic, chemically related to desflurane and isoflurane (C. M. Rosales, J. Forensic Sci., 2007, 52, 1408–1410). The low solubility and the absence of pungency facilitate rapid mask induction. It has been used as an inhaled anaesthetic since 1985. Its major distribution is initially to areas of high blood flow (brain, heart, liver and kidney) and later to less perfused organs. Sevoflurane can cause cardio-respiratory depression, hypotension, and malignant hyperthermia (M. Adachi, J. Anaesth., 1992, 68, 214–215). Seizures (convulsions) can occur during anaesthesia with Sevoflurane but Sevoflurane related deaths are rare. Various studies have been conducted for detection and quantification of Sevoflurane in postmortem and toxicological studies. The case was submitted at PFSA (Punjab Forensic Science Agency) for analysis consisting of bottle of suspected narcotics. The bottle was recovered from accused committing offence of criminal intimidation, life threat and physically assaulting his ex-wife and children. He trespassed into house and sprayed her with some bottle in order to molest her. He also threatened her children and his father in-law with pistol. The suspected bottle of spray was analyzed qualitatively using HS-GC-MS with slight modification in already validated method. About 1–2 mL of liquid was taken in headspace vial and heated up to 50–60oC (for vaporization) and about 1–2 μL of headspace sample was injected manually in GC. A gas chromatographic system 7890B series (Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, CA, USA) coupled to MS detector. Agilent HP-5MS Ultra Inert column (30 m length, 250 μm ID, with film thickness of 0.25 μm) (D. Bourdeaux, J. Chromatogr. B. Analyt. Technol. Biomed. Life Sci., 2010, 878, 45–50). was used for the separation of constituents. Injection volume of 1 μL was used in split mode in 20:1 ratio at 250 °C. Helium gas was used as carrier gas with 1 mL/min flow rate with inlet pressure 12.051 psi. Oven temperature for GC column at 50 °C upheld for 2 min and then gradually increased to 150 °C at 50 °C/min for 1 minute. The total run time was set up for 5 min. The temperature for MS source and MS Quad were 230 °C and 150 °C respectively. Scan mode for m/z from 43–220 was done. Agilent GC Chemstation was used for data analysis. Results were compared with reference book (C. Maffat, Clark's Analysis of Drug and Poisons. 3rd. London-Chicago: Pharmaceutical Press, 2004, 2, 1558–1559). This exceptional crime case of using sevoflurane bottle for threatening and attacking received in our lab was evaluated for the presence of suspected drug. The sample analyzed using HS-GCMS showed a single peak on chromatogram at 1.282 + 0.01 minutes and the MS ions were matched with reference MS spectrum showing Sevoflurane which is being used as inhalation anaesthetic. Various studies suggested that Sevoflurane could possible cause irreversible circulatory depression and hypoxia and may cause death. It is the new case of decapitation with sevoflurane. The reported method is quite short and efficient in detection of Sevoflurane using HS-GCMS.

Bispectral index-guided propofol sedation during endoscopic ultrasonography.

Background/AimsBispectral index (BIS) monitors process and display electroencephalographic data are used to assess the depth of anesthesia. This study retrospectively evaluated the usefulness of BIS monitoring during endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). MethodsThis study included 725 consecutive patients who underwent EUS under sedation with propofol. BIS monitoring was used in 364 patients and was not used in 361. The following parameters were evaluated: (1) median dose of propofol; (2) respiratory and circulatory depression; (3) occurrence of body movements; (4) awakening score >8 at the time; and (5) awakening score 2 hours after leaving the endoscopy room. ResultsThe BIS group received a significantly lower median dose of propofol than the non-BIS group (159.2 mg vs. 167.5 mg; p=0.015) in all age groups. For patients aged ≥75 years, the reduction in heart rate was significantly lower in the BIS group than in the non-BIS group (1.2% vs. 9.1%; p=0.023). Moreover, the occurrence of body movements was markedly lower in the BIS group than in the non-BIS group (8.5% vs. 39.4%; p<0.001). ConclusionsDuring EUS examination, BIS monitoring is useful for maintaining a constant depth of anesthesia, especially in patients 75 years of age or older.

Effect of wrist-ankle acupuncture on propofol dosage during painless colonoscopy: A randomized controlled prospective study

BACKGROUNDThe clinical advantages of painless colonoscopy can reduce the fear and discomfort of patients and increase the detection rate of diseases. Propofol has the characteristics of fast effect and short action time. It is a common choice for painless endoscopic sedation and anesthetics. However, propofol can cause severe respiratory and circulatory depression. Therefore, it is important to find a way to reduce the dose of propofol.AIMTo explore the effect of wrist-ankle acupuncture on propofol dose during colonoscopy. METHODSTwo hundred patients who were going to receive selective painless colonoscopy in Hebei Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were selected and divided into wrist-ankle acupuncture group (WAA group, n = 100) and control group (CON group, n = 100). After entering the operation room, patients were given 0.025 mg/kg nabufine intravenously and propofol at the initial dose of 0.5 mg/kg. In patients who did not fall asleep, propofol (10 mg/time) was given until loss of consciousness. Prior to anesthesia, patients in WAA group were punctured by specialist in the inferior 1, 2 and 3 regions according to the zoning principle of wrist-ankle acupuncture. The primary endpoint was required dose of propofol, and the secondary endpoints were the incidence of hypoxemia and hypotension. Furthermore, the following data were recorded: The operation time, wake-up time, incidence of nausea and vomiting, incidence of abdominal distention, post-colonoscopy pain, examiners' satisfaction, patients' satisfaction and Borg fatigue index. This study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration Code: ChiCTR1900022177).RESULTSThe induced dose of propofol and the total dose of propofol in WAA group were 80 mg and 110 mg, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in CON group (P < 0.05). The incidences of hypoxemia and hypotension in the WAA group were 2.2% and 3.3%, respectively, significantly lower than those in the CON group (P < 0.05). The incidence of abdominal distension in the WAA group was 8.8%, which was significantly lower than that in the CON group (P < 0.05, 28.9%). The waking time of WAA group was 3.26 ± 0.87 min, which was significantly lower than that of CON group (6.06 ± 0.88 min, P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONWrist-ankle acupuncture can reduce the induction dose and total dose of propofol as well as the incidence of adverse reactions in painless colonoscopy without affecting the satisfaction of examiners and patients. This procedure is simple in operation and easy to promote in clinical practice.

Respiration and circulation affected by gas leakage into the abdominal cavity during endoscopic esophageal submucosal dissection after gastrostomy: a case report

BackgroundPneumoperitoneum is a common complication of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). We report a case of circulatory and respiratory depression due to pneumoperitoneum caused by PEG dislodgement during endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) surgery.Case presentationA 46-year-old man with PEG for dysphagia underwent ESD for esophageal cancer under general anesthesia. The patient developed a gradual increase in peak inspiratory pressure, followed by a decrease in peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) and blood pressure, as well as an increase in heart rate (HR) during endoscopic submucosal ESD for esophageal cancer. We suspected mediastinal emphysema due to esophageal perforation, but the surgery was successfully completed. Postoperative computed tomography (CT) revealed that the abdominal and gastric walls, which had been fixed by PEG, were detached, resulting in a large amount of intra-abdominal gas and mediastinal emphysema.ConclusionsESD in patients with PEG should be performed carefully because of the possibility of intraoperative PEG dislodgement and pneumoperitoneum caused by insufflation gas leakage.

Effects of thoracolumbar epidural anesthesia with lidocaine on the systemic hemodynamics and hepatic blood flow in propofol anesthetized dogs.

General anesthesia reduces hepatic blood flow (HBF) from circulatory depression. Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) is associated with decreased circulatory depression compared to inhalation anesthesia, and epidural anesthesia using local anesthetics increases blood flow by blocking the sympathetic nerves and expanding blood vessels. We investigated the effects of thoracolumbar epidural anesthesia with TIVA on HBF in dogs. Six Beagle dogs had epidural catheters placed between T13 and L1 and were anesthetized with propofol and vecuronium. Physiological saline (control) or 2% lidocaine (0.2 ml/kg, followed by 0.2 ml/kg/hr) was administered at 1–2 weeks intervals. Heart rate (HR), cardiac index (CI), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI) were recorded at 10-min intervals from before epidural injections (T0) to 110 min. Indocyanine green test was used to measure HBF during the awake state and until 90 min after epidural injections. HR and CI did not differ between treatments. MAP and SVRI after lidocaine were significantly lower than those of controls, and the lowest MAP value was 65 ± 11 mmHg at T10. Compared to T0, after lidocaine treatment, HBF was significantly higher at T30, T60 and T90 (P<0.05); while, after control treatment, no significant change was evident at any time point. Despite a decrease in MAP by this technique, HBF was either maintained at pre-anesthetic levels or increased in comparison to controls, probably due to vasodilation of the hepatic artery induced by the selective blockade sympathetic ganglia.

Evaluating physiology of a human heart during ventricular tachycardia: new insights of mechanical alterations via beat to beat strain analysis-case report.

BackgroundVentricular tachycardia can be triggered by myocardial ischaemia. These often fatal events are nearly always accompanied by a significant circulatory depression. However, the exact mechanical alterations and mechanisms of adaption during such arrhythmia episodes are still unknown.Case summaryWe report on a 71-year-old male patient with a distinct cardiovascular risk profile, recurrent incidences of dizziness and palpitations. A Holter electrocardiogram was performed showing multiple episodes of ventricular tachycardia. He was immediately transferred to our hospital for further monitoring and diagnostics. During echocardiography, one of these episodes could be recorded with a four-dimensional (4D) probe in triplane acquisition mode and strain analysis was done. Afterwards, a heart catheter examination was performed. A one-vessel coronary heart disease was diagnosed and treated with three drug-eluting stents. The burden of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (nsVT) significantly reduced post-procedure. During the follow-up, new episodes of nsVT occurred after 6 weeks, which were treated by electrophysiological examinations.DiscussionModern 4D echocardiography machines offer the possibility to visualize the entire heart simultaneously. Thus ventricular arrhythmias can be evaluated using off-line strain analysis. This technology allows new real-time insights into the human heart showing compensatory mechanisms to overcome stressful episodes, such as ventricular tachycardia.

Radioprotective Activity of the Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitor T1023. Toxicological and Biochemical Properties, Cardiovascular and Radioprotective Effects.

In this work, studies were performed to investigate the toxicological, biochemical, vasotropic and radiomodifying properties of the new nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, compound T1023. Toxicological studies included the estimation of acute toxicity in mice after i.p. administration of T1023. Radiometric analysis and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy were used to study NOS-inhibitory properties of T1023 in vitro and in vivo, respectively. T1023 vasoactive properties were studied in rat central hemodynamics. Radiobiological experiments were performed using endogenous and exogenous spleen colony formation as well as 30-day survival tests. The morphological changes in peripheral blood and bone marrow (BM) induced with T1023 were analyzed in mice during hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS). It was shown that T1023 is a sufficiently safe compound (LD10 of 317 mg/kg; LD50 of 410 mg/kg). It is an effective competitive NOS-inhibitor that is 10-to-15-fold selective to endothelial and inducible NOS (IC50 for nNOS, iNOS, eNOS: 52.3, 3.2 and 5.1 µM, respectively). Its NOS-inhibitory activity is realized in vivo and is accompanied by an increase in vascular tone. Its single i.p. administration in doses greater than 1/8 LD10 provides significant (40-50%) and long-lasting (more than 90 min) weakening of cardiac output, which can cause transient hypoxia. In radiobiological studies, T1023 proved to be a hypoxic radioprotector. Its radioprotective effect was observed only when administered prophylactically [single i.p dose, 5-120 min before total-body irradiation (TBI)] and only in doses that reduced cardiac output (1/8 LD10 and more, 40 mg/kg for mice), and was correlated in time with the dynamics of circulatory depression. Its radioprotective effect was not observed when administered in vitro and in the first 4 h after TBI. The optimal radioprotective doses of T1023 are relatively safe (1/ 5-1/4 LD10). In addition, T1023 effectively prevents H-ARS and gastrointestinal acute radiation syndrome (G-ARS) in experimental animals in vivo: dose modifying factor of 1.6-1.9. In the H-ARS mouse model, the prophylactic effect of T1023 (75 mg/kg, single i.p. injection) was accompanied by clinically significant effects. There was an express decrease in the degree of indicators of early BM devastation (by 40%) and maximal neutropenia and thrombocytopenia (2-2.5 times), in addition to a reduction in recovery time (by 30-40%). The obtained experimental results and literature data indicate that NOS inhibitors are an independent class of vasoactive radioprotectors with a specific hypoxic mechanism of action. NOS inhibitors provide new opportunities for developing effective and safe tools for the prevention of ARS.

Predicting the Risk of Developing Silicosis in Refractory Workers

We conducted a study of refractory workers exposed to multiple occupational hazards, the most important of which being dust aerosols of predominantly fibrogenic action. Our objective was to identify the spectrum of predictors of the occupational disease in refractory workers and to build a predictive mathematical model using multivariate analysis to assess the likelihood of developing silicosis. Materials and methods: The case reports of 172 refractory production workers were analyzed. The main group consisted of 75 silicosis patients and the control cohort consisted of 97 experienced workers without this occupational disease. The groups were comparable in gender (p=0.052), dust exposure (p=0.862), and the severity of the work process (p=0.147). We assessed a wide specter of factors related to refractory workers’ health and occupational conditions significantly affecting the timing of developing occupational pulmonary fibrosis. Results: In the silicosis patients, arterial hypertension (p=0.005), left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy (p=0.002), coronary heart disease (p=0.010), chronic circulatory depression (p=0.010), low hemoglobin level (p=0.022), and low speed and volume criteria of external respiration function were significantly more prevalent. We established four important independent factors associated with the development of silicosis in refractory workers including age, time-weighted average and maximum one-time dust concentrations, and the forced expiratory volume in the first second. Conclusions: We observed a medium work-relatedness of hypertension, a strong work-relatedness of left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy, sinus node tachycardia syndrome and obesity, and a very strong work-relatedness of impaired fasting glycemia. Using a logistic regression, we built a silicosis development predictive model having high predictive ability (82.8 %), sufficient sensitivity (85.2 %) and specificity (80.0 %). The model was tested and verified on clinical examples and can be used to predict the probability of silicosis in refractory workers.

Focused Transthoracic Echocardiography in the Perioperative Setting

With focused transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) we rapidly and non-invasively receive up-to-date information on a patient's hemodynamic status. These can subsequently influence our therapy and thus our risk management. Postoperatively, TTE has proved its worth as an examination method in the recovery room and in the intensive care unit to promptly diagnose life-threatening causes of circulatory depression. Acute pathology such as a pericardial tamponade or fulminant pulmonary artery embolism can be detected quickly and thus possibly time-consuming transport to a CT can be avoided. Also, preoperatively, the use of TTE may be useful for assessing volume status, pumping function, or hemodynamically relevant heart defects. Especially in surgical interventions with a high perioperative risk of complications, these findings can be incorporated into a goal-directed therapy. Corresponding algorithms for enhanced hemodynamic monitoring and volume management already exist in many areas, but they are often not consistently implemented in the processes of their own clinic. In this article, we demonstrate the utility and relevance of TTE hemodynamic evaluation at every stage of patient care. We also present a possible algorithm for the care of critically ill patients, based on the main transthoracic and hemodynamic measurements. It is intended to provide assistance in the meaningful use of TTE in everyday clinical practice and especially for those on on-call duty.

Sedative and physiological effects of low-dose intramuscular alfaxalone in rabbits.

To evaluate sedative and physiological effects of low dose intramuscular (IM) alfaxalone, six healthy rabbits were administered single IM doses of alfaxalone at 1mg/kg (IM1), 2.5 mg/kg (IM2.5), or 5 mg/kg (IM5) with a minimum of 7-day washout period. Sedative effects were subjectively evaluated using a composite measure scoring system (maximum sedation score of 16) and pulse rate, respiratory rate, non-invasive blood pressure, and percutaneous oxygen-hemoglobin saturation were measured before and after IM alfaxalone. Loss of righting reflex (LRR) was achieved in all rabbits after IM2.5 and IM5 treatments but in only three rabbits after IM1 treatment. Median (interquartile range) times to LRR were 16 min (15–17), 6 min (6–6), and 4 min (4–4), and median durations of LRR were 0.5 min (0–7), 22.5 min (19–27), and 53 min (48–58) after IM1, IM2.5, and IM5 treatments, respectively. The duration of LRR after IM5 treatment was significantly longer than those after IM1and IM2.5 treatments (P<0.01). Median value of total sedation scores peaked at 10 min [score 3.5 (3–4)], from 10 min [score 13.5 (12–14)] to 15 min [score 13.5 (12–14)], and from 10 min [score 15 (12–15)] to 15 min [score 15 (14–15)] after IM1, IM2.5, and IM5 treatments, respectively. No rabbit showed circulatory depression and apnea although respiratory rate decreased after IM 2.5 and IM5 treatments. In conclusion, alfaxalone produced a dose-dependent sedative effect and a deep sedation was achieved by alfaxalone at 2.5 mg/kg IM in rabbits.