A&A practice
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Intercostal neuralgia can be debilitating and extremely difficult to treat despite multi-modal therapies. The literature describing the role of neuromodulation in patients with intercostal neuralgia is scarce. In this medically challenging case report, we describe a 56-year-old male with a near complete resolution of intractable chronic intercostal neuralgia, secondary to traumatic rib fractures and multiple surgical interventions, with a single lead thoracic spinal cord stimulator (SCS) implant. Neuromodulation therapies should be considered as a viable option for this patient population.
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Accurate self-assessments enhance learning and patient care, yet resident physicians self-assess poorly. We therefore tested the effects of a consider-the-opposite (CTO) cognitive debiasing technique on self-assessment accuracy among anesthesiology residents. ⋯ Communication/leadership self-assessment accuracy improved by 5.63% (95% CI 0.001%-16.9%), but this did not meet our prespecified threshold for a meaningful effect. These findings do not suggest a compelling effect of this CTO intervention on self-assessment accuracy among trainees.
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Case Reports
Digital Ischemia Secondary to Ulnar Artery Puncture Successfully Treated by Brachial Plexus Block: A Case Report.
After vascular puncture and catheterization, arteries can have many complications that impede blood flow such as vasospasm, thrombosis, and emboli generation, among other complications. Treatment depends on severity of ischemic symptoms and can range from as mild as applying local heat packs to surgical thrombectomy. We present a case of digital ischemia secondary to vascular puncture that was successfully treated with a supraclavicular nerve block, resulting in the vascular surgery team canceling an emergent surgery.
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Case Reports
Does the Diagnosis of Intraoperative Malignant Hyperthermia Require Case Termination? A Case Report.
Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a rare genetic disorder triggered by inhalational anesthetics or depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents that carries significant mortality if not promptly treated. The following case presents a healthy 39-year-old man who developed MH several hours into an anesthetic exposure. Rapid intraoperative stabilization tactics that paralleled intensive care unit (ICU) level care allowed for continuation of operative management as opposed to case termination given the patient was at high risk for permanent nerve palsy if the case were to be aborted during dissection.
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Case Reports
Prolonged Treatment of Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia with Continuous Stellate Ganglion Blockade: A Case Report.
Inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST) presents challenges in diagnosis and treatment due to its unclear etiology and limited therapeutic options. This case report explores the use of continuous stellate ganglion block (CSGB) as a potential treatment avenue. ⋯ Despite the eventual recurrence of symptoms, the sustained effects of CSGB suggest its efficacy in managing IST. This report underscores the potential of CSGB as a promising therapeutic approach for IST, offering longer-lasting symptom control compared to single-injection stellate ganglion block (SGB) interventions.