High Risk For General Anesthesia Research Articles

Use of Spinal Anesthesia during Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair

The purpose of this study was to assess outcomes after spinal anesthesia (SA) versus general anesthesia (GA) in patients undergoing thoracic endograft placement and to evaluate the adjunctive use of cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CSFD) placement. A single-center retrospective review of patients that underwent thoracic endograft placement from 2001 to 2019 was performed. Patients were stratified based on the type of anesthesia they received: GA, SA or epidural, GA with CSFD, and SA with CSFD. Primary outcomes included 30-day mortality and length of stay (LOS). Baseline characteristics were analyzed with Student's t-test and Pearson's chi-squared test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for 30-day mortality and longer LOS. A total of 333 patients underwent thoracic endograft placement; 104 patients received SA, 180 patients received GA, 30 patients received GA and CSFD, and 19 patients received SA and CSFD. Of the total patients, 16.2% underwent thoracic endograft placement for type B aortic dissection, 3.3% for type A aortic dissection, and 12.3% for penetrating ulcer. The mean age of the study population was 68.7years old. Patients undergoing SA were older with a mean age of 73.4years versus 64.7years for patients undergoing GA (P<0.001). Spinal anesthesia (SA) was preferred in patients at high risk for GA (>75years old: 52.9% vs. 33.3%, P<0.001; renal comorbidities: 20.6% vs. 10.6%, P=0.03, and current smokers: 26.7% vs. 9.6%, P<0.001). Length of stay (LOS) was decreased in the SA group (4.29days vs. 9.70days, P<0.001). There was a lower incidence of spinal cord ischemia in the SA group (1.0% vs. 2.2%, P=0.44), as well as significantly decreased 30-day mortality (0% vs. 5.6%, P=0.01), reintervention (19.2% vs. 26.8%, P=0.02), and return to the operating room (6.8% vs. 12.7%, P=0.02). Of the 19 patients that had SA+CSFD, there were no signs and symptoms of spinal cord ischemia and decreased incidence of perioperative complications (0% vs. 33.3%, P=0.01). There was no difference in the risk for intraoperative complications, neurologic complications, or 30-day mortality between GA+CSFD patients versus SA+CSFD patients. Age >75 (P=0.002), intraoperative complications (P<0.001), and perioperative complications (P=0.02) were associated with increased mortality after thoracic endograft placement per multivariate logistic regression analysis. Spinal anesthesia (SA) in select high-risk patients was associated with reduced 30-day mortality, neurologic complications, and LOS compared to GA. The concurrent use of spinal drainage and SA had satisfactory results compared to spinal drainage and GA.

Does interscalene block increase intracranial pressure?

Interscalene brachial plexus (ISB) block is widely used in shoulder and humerus surgeries, especially in patients that have high risk for general anesthesia. Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is not among the complications of this block because there is no data about this issue in the literature. In this traumatic case report, a patient with headache and with a known meningioma in his right temporo occipital region is gonna have a proximal humerus fracture surgery with ISB block under repetitive optic nerve sheath diameter measurements. The result of this case report can add a unique information to the ISB literature.

(287) Office-Based Epididymectomy and Spermatocelectomy Under Local Anesthesia – An Excellent Option to Avoid General Anesthesia and Increase Access to Timely Care

Abstract Introduction Epididymectomy is indicated for patients with focal epididymal pain and bothersome epididymal cysts or masses. Similarly, spermatocelectomy is indicated for spermatoceles that have becomes symptomatic due to size or pain. The majority of scrotal surgeries are performed in the operating room (OR) using general or monitored anesthesia. Here, we sought to evaluate our experience with office-based epididymectomy and spermatocelectomy using only local anesthesia. Objective To evaluate post-procedural complications and pain resolution following epididymectomy or spermatocelectomy, comparing procedures performed in the clinic with only local anesthesia, compared to the OR. Methods We identified patients who underwent epididymectomy or spermatocelectomy at our institution from 2018-2021. A chart review was performed to identify pertinent information including whether the procedure was performed in the OR under monitored/general anesthesia versus in the clinic using only local anesthesia. Post-procedural outcomes including pain resolution (if applicable) and 30-day complications were compared between those who underwent epididymectomy or spermatocelectomy in the OR versus the office. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-squared test. Results A total of 112 patients were identified, including 23 (20.5%) who underwent epididymectomy and 89 (79.5%) who underwent spermatocelectomy. Mean patient follow-up was 14.8 months (SD 11.6). Indications for epididymectomy or spermatocelectomy included pain (n= 50, 44.6%), epididymal cyst/mass (n=6, 5.4%), and mass effect secondary to spermatocele (n=56, 50.0%). Fifty-seven procedures (50.9%) were performed in the office under local anesthesia. Nitrous oxide was used in 21 (36.8%) of these cases. Thirty-four patients (30.3%) were on anticoagulation/antiplatelet therapy prior to surgery including 22 (64.7%) who continued anticoagulation/antiplatelet therapy due to high-risk comorbidities. The adverse event rate within 30 days was similar between patients who underwent surgery in clinic versus OR (p=0.67). Specifically, adverse events occurred in 9 patients (8.0%), of whom 4 had their procedure performed in the clinic (7.0% of clinic procedures) and 5 had their procedure performed in the OR (9.1% of OR procedures). Specific adverse events included postoperative hematoma in 6 patients (66%) and a single case of each of the following: infection, inability to void postoperatively, and intestinal obstruction. Hematoma rates did not differ significantly between those who were or were not on anticoagulation perioperatively (p=0.057). In patients with reported adverse events, 3 (33.3%) required reoperation. Of the 50 patients who underwent epididymectomy or spermatocelectomy for scrotal content pain, 39 had sufficient documentation available to evaluate pain resolution. 82% (n=32) reported 50% improvement in pain. There was no statistically significant difference in the likelihood of reporting significant pain reduction based on the location of the procedure (OR versus clinic). Conclusions Epididymectomy and spermatocelectomy can be successfully carried out in the office using only local anesthesia, including in those patients who are high risk for general anesthesia or require maintenance of anticoagulation perioperatively. Pain improvement may be anticipated in the majority of appropriately selected patients following treatment in either the clinic or OR. Disclosure No

Feasibility of fine needle aspiration for diagnosis of b-cell lymphoma of the thyroid: a case series and review of the literature

BackgroundPrimary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) is a rare cancer accounting for approximately 5% of thyroid malignancies. Historically, incisional biopsy has been the gold standard for definitive diagnosis of PTL, however, the use of cell block as an adjunct to fine needle aspiration (FNA) provides a high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis and classification.MethodsThree patients presented with a symptomatic enlarging thyroid mass. Patient 1 underwent incisional biopsy under general anesthesia, Patient 2 underwent core needle biopsy to avoid high risk intubation, and Patient 3 underwent fine needle aspiration alone with the use of cell block.ResultsAll patients were diagnosed with a fully classified non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma using immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis.ConclusionsFNA for diagnosis of some subtypes of PTL is feasible and preferred in cases that are particularly high risk for general anesthesia. This minimally invasive technique is safe and cost effective as it avoids expenses associated with operative intervention.

Gangrenous Bowel Obstruction Managed With Local Tumescent Anesthesia and MAC

Since the mid-1980s, Klein’s tumescent anesthesia has been used routinely in different surgical specialties such as cosmetic surgery, dermatology, vascular surgery, reconstructive plastic surgery, and breast surgery. The tumescent anesthesia technique was developed by Dr Jeffrey Klein, a board-certified dermatologist. The technique was first published in 1987. Tumescent means “swelling.” This technique involves injection of an ultra-dilute lidocaine and epinephrine solution into the surgical planes offering multiple advantages including, but not limited to, postoperative analgesia, reduced blood loss, and avoidance of general anesthesia. The standard liter of Klein’s solution contains lidocaine 1 g, epinephrine 1 mg, and sodium bicarbonate 12.5 mg. Multiple modifications and variations have been implemented and used over the years, an evolution from Klein’s original description. While tumescent anesthesia started in liposuction procedures, its application has now extended into a wider variety of procedures and specialties. In this article, we present a case of tumescent anesthesia in a critically ill general surgery patient who presented with an acute life-threatening surgical emergency. The patient was assessed to be a very high risk for general anesthesia, and after collaborative discussion between the surgical and anesthesia teams and taking informed consent from the patient, the decision was made to proceed with surgery under monitored intravenous sedation with tumescent anesthesia. The patient had an uneventful recovery and survived a very high mortality surgical emergency. He was subsequently discharged back to his nursing home in stable condition. Tumescent anesthesia has become tremendously popular in cosmetic surgery. Tumescent anesthesia allows patients to have surgical procedures in an ambulatory setting, avoid general anesthesia, and allow for better pain control postoperatively. While tumescent anesthesia is used in other specialties, the field of general surgery has not widely adopted tumescent anesthesia. Many general surgeons and anesthesiologists are not familiar with the technique and how to implement it in their practice. It is of utmost importance to understand the pharmacokinetics of tumescent solution and safe implementation. Tumescent anesthesia with monitored anesthesia care is here reported as an alternative to general anesthesia in the care of a moribund patient with multiple comorbidities requiring open abdominal surgery. Close cooperation between the surgeon and the anesthesiologist made the successful conduct of this case possible.

The criminal offense of counterfeiting money in France from the revolution to the end of the 19th century

Introduction. General anesthesia is frequently employed in neck surgery procedures. However, in patients at high risk for general anesthesia, regional anesthesia options, such as the superficial cervical plexus block, warrant careful consideration. Patients with mediastinal lymph node enlargement face an elevated risk of airway obstruction and hemodynamic mediastinal instability during anesthesia induction. In selected neck surgeries, including thyroglossal cyst excision, thyroglossal fistula repair, bronchial cyst removal, thyroidectomy, and lymph node excision, the superficial cervical plexus block presents a viable and secure alternative to general anesthesia. Case report. This report details the case of a patient with mediastinal lymphadenopathy and multiple brain metastases who underwent cervical lymph node excision. Given the patient?s severe comorbidities, pronounced risk of complete distal airway obstruction, hemodynamic instability, and the potential for compression effects from mediastinal mass, a superficial cervical block was administered. This block facilitated effective perioperative analgesia without inducing respiratory or cardiovascular instability. Conclusion. The superficial cervical plexus block emerges as a prudent alternative to general anesthesia in high-risk patients necessitating cervical lymph node excision procedures. Its utilization should be considered in such cases to enhance patient safety and perioperative management.

Cervical plexus block - safe anesthesia for the patients with massive mediastinal lymphadenopathy

Introduction. General anesthesia is frequently employed in neck surgery procedures. However, in patients at high risk for general anesthesia, regional anesthesia options, such as the superficial cervical plexus block, warrant careful consideration. Patients with mediastinal lymph node enlargement face an elevated risk of airway obstruction and hemodynamic mediastinal instability during anesthesia induction. In selected neck surgeries, including thyroglossal cyst excision, thyroglossal fistula repair, bronchial cyst removal, thyroidectomy, and lymph node excision, the superficial cervical plexus block presents a viable and secure alternative to general anesthesia. Case report. This report details the case of a patient with mediastinal lymphadenopathy and multiple brain metastases who underwent cervical lymph node excision. Given the patient?s severe comorbidities, pronounced risk of complete distal airway obstruction, hemodynamic instability, and the potential for compression effects from mediastinal mass, a superficial cervical block was administered. This block facilitated effective perioperative analgesia without inducing respiratory or cardiovascular instability. Conclusion. The superficial cervical plexus block emerges as a prudent alternative to general anesthesia in high-risk patients requiring cervical lymph node excision procedures. Its utilization should be considered in such cases to enhance patient safety and perioperative management.

989 ANAESTHESIOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING TEER: A NEW APPROACH IMPROVES CV OUTCOMES

Abstract Background Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) with the MitraClip system is an alternative procedure for the treatment of severe mitral regurgitation (MR) in high-risk patients who are not suitable for conventional surgery and is usually performed under general anaesthesia (GA). GA may be associated with potential haemodynamic complications. A new alternative approach is deep sedation (DS) with spontaneous breathing using a target-controlled infusion (TCI). The aim of this study is to compare TCI during DS with manual administration of total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) during GA in patients undergoing TEER evaluating the impact of these approaches on anaesthesia time, remifentanil dose administered, haemodynamic profile, vasopressor requirements, adverse events and postoperative hospital stay. Methods The study population included 90 consecutive patients treated with MitraClip (mean age 73.5 ± 9.54 years). 65 patients (72%) suffered from functional MR. Mean LVEF was 35 ± 13% and logistic EuroSCORE was 23 ± 19%. 24 patients received GA and TIVA; 66 patients underwent DS and TCI, consisting of administration of midazolam and fentanyl citrate as induction of anaesthesia followed by continuous infusion of remifentanil hydrochloride. Results Acute procedural success was 100%, with no major complications during the procedure. No statistical differences were found between the GA-TIVA and the DS-TCI group in terms of demographics and surgical risk profile. Anaesthesia time was significantly shorter in the DS-TCI group (71 ± 30 vs. 118 ± 35 minutes; p &amp;lt; 0.0001), as was procedure duration (54 ± 29 vs. 99 ± 74 minutes; p = 0.00007). In addition, there was a significant reduction in the remifentanil dose administered (249 µg vs. 2865 µg, p &amp;lt; 0.01), the incidence of hypotension (p = 0.08) and the need for vasopressors (29.6% vs. 63%, p = 0.03) in the DS-TCI group. There were no differences in days of hospital stay after the procedure (5.4 days vs. 5.8 days, p = 0.4). Conclusions DS with spontaneous breathing using TCI could be a valid alternative during TEER which can ensure stable anaesthetic conditions, less drug administration, higher haemodynamic stability and fewer side effects, with particular advantages in patients at high risk for general anaesthesia.

Evaluating the Association of Anesthesia Type with Postoperative Complications in Patients Undergoing Ankle Fracture Repair

Category: Ankle Introduction/Purpose: General and neuraxial anesthesia are both successful anesthesia techniques used in many orthopaedic procedures. Neuraxial anesthesia involves local anesthetics placed around the central nervous system (CNS) and spinal anesthesia is a subtype where the anesthetic is injected into intrathecal space. General anesthesia is usually recommended in ambulatory surgeries for its rapid onset of action. However, current literature shows contradicting complication profiles between these two anesthesia types. The purpose of this study was to compare the complications and length of hospital stay between patients who underwent general anesthesia versus neuraxial anesthesia during the repair of ankle fractures. Methods: Patients undergoing open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for ankle fracture from 2014 to 2018 were identified in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Patients were stratified into 2 cohorts: general anesthesia and neuraxial anesthesia. In this analysis, demographics data, comorbidities, and postoperative complications were collected and compared between the two cohorts. Bivariate analyses and multivariable logistical regression were performed. Results: Of 3,585 patients who underwent operative treatment for ankle fracture, 3,315 patients (92.5%) had general anesthesia and 270 (7.5%) had neuraxial anesthesia. Compared to patients who had general anesthesia, those who had neuraxial anesthesia were more likely to be older (58.0 vs 49.6 years old; p&lt;0.001), Caucasian (80.0% vs 71.9%; p=0.001), and have an ASA classification of III (38.1% vs 25.0%; p&lt;0.001). On bivariate analyses, patients who had neuraxial anesthesia were more likely to develop pulmonary complications (p=0.173) or extended length of stay more than 5 days (p=0.342) compared to the general anesthesia group. Following adjustment on multivariate analyses, the neuraxial anesthesia cohort no longer had increased likelihood of pulmonary complications or extended length of stay compared to the general anesthesia group. Conclusion: Prior studies have shown that neuraxial anesthesia methods are as effective as general anesthesia with fewer short- term outcomes. When compared to patients who underwent general anesthesia during ORIF for ankle fracture, neuraxial anesthesia patients experienced no significant increases in postoperative complications or extended length of hospital stay. In terms of the variables we explored in the NSQIP database, healthy ankle fracture patients could also benefit from neuraxial anesthetic methods, and they should be considered for this anesthetic type regardless of their lack of comorbidities that would make them high risk for general anesthesia.

Awake Sternal Fixation Using the Ultrasound-Guided Superficial Parasternal Intercostal Plane Block in a Patient With Cervical Spine Fracture

We present the use of a bi-level, bilateral ultrasound-guided (US-guided) superficial parasternal intercostal plane block (S-PIP) for main anesthetic method in a 71-year-old patient with a C2 vertebral fracture undergoing repair of a sternal fracture. Conscious sedation was provided using midazolam and a remifentanil infusion. The patient had an uneventful recovery and was discharged from the hospital on the first postoperative day without complications. An US-guided S-PIP should be considered when patients are deemed at high risk for general anesthesia, especially in trauma patients with a cervical spine fracture.

Ultrasound-Guided peripheral nerve blocks for major amputation in critically ill patients with peripheral artery disease

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of major amputation under ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks in critical peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients. Methods We reviewed the medical records of consecutive patients who underwent major amputation at our center between December 2012 and December 2020. The patients’ baseline demographics and comorbidities were collected. The primary outcomes were 30-day and 12-month mortality. The secondary outcomes were intraoperative events, complications and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Results Fifteen patients classified as American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) III and 13 ASA IV (mean age: 76.07 ± 11.78 years) were included in the study. These patients were critically ill and had many comorbidities, such as coronary artery disease. All amputations were successfully performed under ultrasound-guided PNB without conversion to GA, but intravenous analgesia was given in 7 patients during the operation. The majority of the patients had stable hemodynamics except for 2 patients who had hypoxia, so none of the patients were transferred to the ICU postoperatively. None of the patients suffered from acute cardio-cerebral events. However, 5 patients had wound infections, and 4 of 5 patients had to receive reamputation. None of the patients died within 48 h after amputation. However, the 30-day mortality was 3.57%, and the 12-month mortality was up to 35.71%. Conclusion This study demonstrates that major amputation could be safely and effectively performed under ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks for critically ill patients, and ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks could be an alternative for patients at high risk of general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia.

Is Prostate Urethral Lift Effective in Patients with Multiple Comorbidities?

A prostatic urethral lift (PUL) can be performed under local anesthesia in patients normally at high risk for general anesthesia due to multiple comorbidities. However, the clinical efficacy of PULs in patients with multiple comorbidities remains unknown. Therefore, in this this study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the PUL in patients with a high number of comorbidities by comparing its clinical efficacy in these patients with that in healthy individuals. We performed a retrospective observational cohort study, in which patients who underwent a PUL between December 2016 and January 2019 at a single tertiary care center were categorized into two groups: healthy individuals who wanted to preserve sexual function (Group 1) and patients with a high number of comorbidities who were at high risk for general anesthesia, based on an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score of ≥3 (Group 2). The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), and post-void residual urine (PVR) were obtained preoperatively and compared throughout the 2-year follow-up. A total of 66 patients were enrolled, of whom 36 patients were included in Group 1 and 30 in Group 2. In Group 1, IPSS, IPSS quality of life (QoL), and Qmax significantly improved and were then maintained during follow-up, whereas, in Group 2, improvements in these parameters were not maintained during follow-up, except for IPSS QoL. Eleven patients (36%) in Group 2 required additional treatment for the recurrence of lower urinary tract symptoms. In conclusion, patients with a high number of comorbidities had a low therapeutic effect after PUL, suggesting a high rate of treatment failure. Therefore, comorbidity status should be considered when evaluating the potential benefits of the PUL procedure during preoperative counseling.

Management of a Case of Excision of Tongue Lesion with Neck Dissection under Regional Anesthesia in a Patient with High Risk for General Anesthesia

Management of a Case of Excision of Tongue Lesion with Neck Dissection under Regional Anesthesia in a Patient with High Risk for General Anesthesia

EDITORIAL COMMENT

For decades, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) was the gold standard surgical management for bladder outlet obstruction secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Spinal anesthesia was often favored in order to monitor for TURP (or TUR) syndrome, a major risk of monopolar TURP.1,2 Currently, with many surgical options available for BPH that can be performed with saline irrigation, the incidence of TUR syndrome has drastically decreased. Accordingly, use of spinal anesthesia for outlet procedures is now more dependent on practice patterns, provider preference, or reserved for patients at high risk for general anesthesia.

Anaesthetic considerations for high-risk patient kyphoplasty.

Patients with vertebral compression fractures are often indicated for balloon kyphoplasty. Many of them are elderly with severe comorbidities, which puts them at high risk for general anaesthesia. Surgery under infiltration of local anaesthetic with or without mild sedation is therefore the preferred technique used by many surgeons. However, patients reported moderate‑to‑severe pain during the procedure. A combination of regional anaesthesia with analgo-sedation offers an interesting alternative to general anaesthesia as well as infiltration administered by the surgeon. In this article we present, apart from general anaesthesia, various regional anaesthetic techniques suitable for high-risk patients, including neuraxial anaesthesia, paravertebral block as well as a novel "erector spinae plane block" at the level of the fractured vertebra. We explore their effectiveness and safety profile, as well as advantage of supplementation of adequate analgo-sedation (Ref. 40). Keywords: erector spinae plane block, kyphoplasty, regional anaesthesia, paravertebral block, neuraxial anaesthesia.

Comparison of variants of anesthesia for left atrial appendage occlusion in patients with atrial fbrillation

Objective: comparison of general anesthesia (GA) and intravenous conscious sedation during left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO).Materials and Methods. The study included 120 patients from LAAO Register at the National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, who were divided into GA (n = 100) and intravenous sedation (n = 20) groups. In-hospital outcomes were assessed, as well as outcomes and data of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) at 45 days and 6 months.Results. 3 patients required intraoperative conversion of the anesthetic method to GA. The duration of the procedure, the time of fluoroscopy, the amount of contrast medium, and the technical success did not differ signifcantly between the two groups. The incidence of in-hospital complications in the GA group was 10%, and 15% in the intravenous sedation group (p = 0.453). There were no statistically signifcant differences between the groups in long-term outcomes and TEE data after 45 days and 6 months.Conclusion. Combined intravenous sedation with local anesthesia is an effective and fairly safe method of anesthesiological support for implantation of the occluder of the left atrial auricle. It can be used in patients with a high risk of GA, with predictable difculties of tracheal intubation, as well as if the patient wishes accordingly. The limitations of the use of intravenous sedation in combination with local anesthesia are anatomical variants of SFM that are difcult for occluder implantation, as well as the patient's low tolerance to ECG in consciousness.

EP.TH.961Meta-analysis of Spinal Anaesthesia Versus General Anaesthesia During Laparoscopic Total Extraperitoneal Repair of Inguinal Hernia

Abstract Objectives To evaluate comparative outcomes of spinal anaesthesia (SA) and general anaesthesia (GA) during laparoscopic total extraperitoneal (TEP) repair of inguinal hernia. Methods We systematically searched MEDLINE; EMBASE; CINAHL; CENTRAL, and bibliographic reference lists. Post-operative pain assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS), individual and overall perioperative morbidity, procedure time and time taken to normal activities, were the outcome parameters. Combined overall effect sizes were calculated using fixed-effect or random-effects models. Results We identified 5 studies enrolling 1,518 patients (2,134 hernia) evaluating outcomes of laparoscopic TEP repair under SA (n = 1,277 patients, 1,877 hernia) or GA (n = 241 patients, 257 hernia). SA was associated with significantly lower post-operative pain assessed by VAS at 12 hours (MD: - 0.32, P &amp;lt; 0.0001) and shorter time to normal activities (MD: -0.30, P = 0.002) compared to GA. However, it significantly increased risk of urinary retention (OR:4.02, P = 0.01), hypotension (OR:3.97, P = 0.004), headache (OR:7.65, P = 0.003), and procedure time (MD: 3.82, P = 0.004) There was no significant difference in VAS at 24 hours (MD:0.06, P = 0.34), seroma (OR:1.54, P = 0.26), wound infection (OR:1.03, P = 0.94), and vomiting (OR:0.84, P = 0.66) between two groups. There was a non-significant decrease in overall morbidity in favour GA (OR:1.84, P = 0.17) which became significant following sensitivity analysis (OR:2.59, P = 0.01). Conclusions Although TEP inguinal hernia repair under SA may reduce pain in early postoperative period, it seems to be associated with increased postoperative morbidity and longer procedure time. It may be an appropriate anaesthetic modality in selected patients who are considered high risk for GA. Higher level of evidence is needed.

The elastic stable intramedullary nails as an alternative treatment for adult humeral shaft fractures.

Plate and locked intramedullary nailing for humeral fractures are golden standard procedure, but the humerus is a nonweight-bearing bone and can tolerate a larger range of acceptable alignment. We believe the elastic stable intramedullary nails (ESINs) can provide enough relative stability for humeral shaft fractures in certain adult patients. There are four new indications for using ESINs: (1) patient could not tolerate a sugar-tong splint but was a high risk for general anesthesia, (2) intramedullary canal narrowing (<7 mm), (3) long spiral or oblique fracture over the metadiaphyseal junction, and (4) obesity. All patients received retrograde fixation with two titanium elastic nails, except for one patient with a long spiral fracture over the proximal metadiaphysis. Patients had routine follow-up plain radiographs until bone union, and we evaluated functional results of patients by Mayo Elbow Performance Score and asked to complete Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score at the last outpatient clinic visit. A total of 16 patients with a mean age of 54.4 years were included. The mean follow-up time was 14 ± 2.5 months, and the average time to bone union was 16 ± 4.3 weeks. There were no wound infections, loss of reduction, fracture nonunion, implant failure, or skin irritation expect for one nail back-out because of osteoporosis. We have reported good results using ESINs for the displaced fractures of the humerus in the four indication adults who would not be able to tolerate plate fixation or intramedullary nailing. The ESINs fixation method is a simple procedure that provides a small incision, minimal blood loss, short surgical time, and relative stability fixation.

Uniportal VATS pleural biopsy in the diagnosis of exudative pleural effusion: awake or intubated?

BackgroundThe aim of this study is to compare the diagnostic efficacy and safety of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) with awake VATS (AVATS) pleural biopsy in undiagnosed exudative pleural effusions.MethodsThe diagnostic efficacy of pleural biopsy by uniportal VATS under general anesthesia or AVATS under local anesthesia and sedation performed by the same surgeon in patients with undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion between 2007 and 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. Test sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were compared as well as age, gender, comorbidities, procedure safety, additional pleural-based interventions, duration time of operation and length of hospital stay.ResultsOf 154 patients with undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion, 113 (73.37%) underwent pleural biopsy and drainage with VATS, while 41 (26.62%) underwent AVATS pleural biopsy. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 92, 100, 100, and 85.71% for VATS, and 83.3, 100, 100, and 78.9% for AVATS, respectively. There was no significant difference in diagnostic test performance between the groups, (p = 0.219). There was no difference in the rate of complications [15 VATS (13.3) versus 4 AVATS (9.8%), p = 0.557]. Considering additional pleural-based interventions, while pleural decortication was performed in 13 (11.5%) cases in the VATS group, no pleural decortication was performed in AVATS group, (p = 0.021). AVATS group was associated with shorter duration time of operation than VATS (22.17 + 6.57 min. Versus 51.93 + 8.85 min., p < 0.001). Length of hospital stay was relatively shorter in AVATS but this was not statistically significant different (p = 0.063).ConclusionsOur study revealed that uniportal AVATS pleural biopsy has a similar diagnostic efficacy and safety profile with VATS in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with undiagnosed pleural effusion who have a high risk of general anesthesia due to advanced age and comorbidities. Accordingly, uniportal AVATS pleural biopsy may be considered in the diagnosis and treatment of all exudative undiagnosed pleural effusions.

Laryngofissure in comorbid patient under ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia of the neck

BackgroundMajor neck surgery is done typically under general anesthesia (GA). The neural blocks of the neck include blocking of the cervical plexus, superior laryngeal nerve, trans-laryngeal, block of the glossopharyngeal nerve, and local anesthetic infiltration. In patients with a high risk of GA, including those with pulmonary dysfunction, and prior myocardial ischemia or infarction, regional anesthesia is mainly indicated.Case presentationWe record a case of a comorbid geriatric patient with dysphonia and left glottic mass that was diagnosed as squamous cell papilloma by transoral biopsy using curved biopsy forceps under local spray anesthesia, and after 6 months, this patient developed stridor for which tracheostomy, laryngofissure, and left cordectomy were then performed solely under neck blocks. Surgery was performed while the patient remained pain-free and stable without any morbidity throughout the operation.ConclusionsIn high-risk patients and low-resource health systems, regional anesthesia in neck surgery can be a reasonable and cheap alternate to general anesthetics.