A&A practice
-
Case Reports
Life-Threatening Tracheal Tube Obstruction by Vernix Caseosa in a Newborn: A Case Report.
Accurate diagnosis and optimal management of sudden intraoperative ventilatory failure is crucial in children. Herein, we report the case of a newborn who underwent pacemaker implantation immediately after birth via cesarean delivery. ⋯ Diagnosis of tracheal tube obstruction was challenging because the obstruction occurred immediately after airway suctioning, which is performed to rule out tracheal tube obstruction. Anesthesiologists must consider airway obstruction from high-viscosity vernix caseosa as a possibility immediately after airway suctioning in newborns.
-
Case Reports
Hypoxemic Cardiac Arrest from Aspiration of a Cracker in the Postanesthesia Care Unit: A Case Report.
A 71-year-old woman with coronary artery disease presented for carotid artery revascularization. After general anesthesia, the patient arrived in stable condition to the postanesthesia care unit. While awaiting transfer to her inpatient room, telemetry alarms alerted her nurse, who found the patient unresponsive, cyanotic, and pulseless. ⋯ On oropharyngeal examination, food particles were observed and suctioned. The patient then coughed up additional cracker pieces. This case highlights the risk of aspiration from dry, solid foods in the elderly during the postanesthesia recovery period.
-
Case Reports
Lumbar Sympathetic Block for Treatment of Knee Pain From Synovial Plica Syndrome: A Case Report.
Lumbar sympathetic blocks (LSBs) are used to treat sympathetically mediated pain in the lower extremities, kidneys, ureters, and genitals. LSBs use local anesthetic to block the sympathetic system to modulate pain response. ⋯ He received 3 rounds of LSB resulting in significant and sustained pain relief. This case suggests that LSB successfully treated knee pain from synovial plica syndrome and there may be a sympathetic component to this disease state.
-
Fewer than 30% of all medical schools have programs that encourage medical design innovation or entrepreneurship at the trainee level. This is particularly evident in the fields of anesthesiology and pain medicine, where utilizing medical devices constitutes a significant part of a clinician's daily practice. To fix this gap, our institution has developed an incubator club where trainees can learn about medical devices and entrepreneurship. Our goal is to present how this can be incorporated at other institutions because these clubs are a low resource utilization investment that can teach trainees valuable skills in innovation and entrepreneurship.
-
Case Reports
Adductor and Sciatic Peripheral Nerve Catheters for Schatzker VI Tibial Plateau Fracture: A Case Report.
Peripheral nerve blocks are typically avoided for high-speed tibial plateau fractures due to their ability to mask the paresthesias and pain associated with the feared complication of acute compartment syndrome (ACS). We present a case in which sciatic nerve and adductor canal catheters were placed utilizing low-volume infusions allowing for neurovascular assessment. These catheters served as a valuable portion of the multi-modal pain regimen in this patient with a Schatzker VI tibial plateau fracture.