Anesthesia and analgesia
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Dexmedetomidine has become a popular sedative in the intensive care unit for patients undergoing mechanical ventilation because of its highly selective α-2 agonism, which exerts a combination of anesthetic, analgesic, and anxiolytic effects. Bradycardia and hypotension have been reported as the most common side effects of its use in large studies. Dexmedetomidine has been reported to induce polyuria by suppressing vasopressin secretion and increasing permeability of the collecting ducts in a dose-dependent fashion. We report a case of dexmedetomidine-related polyuria that occurred with a high-dose continuous infusion and subsequently resolved with discontinuation of the drug. (Anesth Analg 2013;117:150-2).
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jul 2013
Case ReportsSpecial article: retained guidewires after intraoperative placement of central venous catheters.
Guidewire retention is a rare complication of central venous catheter placement, and has been related to operator fatigue, inexperience, and inattention, and inadequate supervision of trainees. The true incidence of guidewire loss after intraoperative placement of central venous catheters is unknown. ⋯ Worsening of patients' clinical condition during catheter placement and complex procedures necessitating more than one guidewire insertion are recurring scenarios in cases involving guidewire loss. Over 6 years at our institution, intraoperative wire loss occurred at a rate of 1:3291 procedures (95% confidence interval of 1/10,000 to 8/10,000).
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jul 2013
Special article: airway management in reconstructive surgery for noma (cancrum oris).
Noma (cancrum oris) is a disease of poverty and malnutrition, which predominantly affects children younger than 10 years in developing countries. Although the majority of sufferers die of sepsis at the time of the initial infection, or of subsequent starvation due to severe trismus and an inability to eat, a small minority of patients survive and require reconstructive surgery for severe facial scarring and deformity. ⋯ We show that airway management, while challenging, can be performed safely and successfully by using individualized airway plans but may require advanced techniques and equipment. Traditional tests focusing on the anterior/superior airway are helpful in assessing patients with facial deformity due to noma.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jul 2013
Review Meta AnalysisThe facilitatory effects of intravenous dexmedetomidine on the duration of spinal anesthesia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Central mechanisms have been proposed to explain the prolongation of effect reported with the off-label use of dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant in local anesthetic admixtures. We evaluated whether IV dexmedetomidine can prolong the duration of sensory block associated with spinal anesthesia. ⋯ IV dexmedetomidine can prolong the duration of sensory block, motor block, and time to first analgesic request associated with spinal anesthesia.