Annales françaises d'anesthèsie et de rèanimation
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Oct 2011
Case Reports[Two cases of chronic pain after regional anaesthesia].
We are reporting two cases of chronic neuropathic pain after traumatism during regional anaesthesia (RA). Nerve injury is a rare complication of RA and it is the neurogical deficit, which is the most often quoted in medical literature. ⋯ The reunion of the clinical element, which incorporates possible traumatism during regional anaesthesia, characteristics of pain and unusual painful localization of surgery, should have allowed a more early diagnostic and treatment. In both cases, persistent neuropathic pain incapacitates the patient several years after the traumatism.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Oct 2011
Case Reports[Acute valproic acid intoxication: interest of a treatment by extracoporeal elimination combined with L-carnitine].
We present the case of a 24-year-old-female patient, who made an attempt to autolysis with valproic acid, benzodiazepines and neuroleptic. The valproic acid plasma level was very high (1437 μg/mL), confirming it was a severe intoxication. ⋯ The evolution was favourable despite the occurrence of a nosocomial ventilation acute lung injury. The patient had motor sequelae of cranial nerves following status epilepticus extended, which disappeared spontaneously after several days.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Oct 2011
Review[Post-surgery cognitive disorders: prevention, diagnosis and treatment strategies].
Hip fracture is an important step in the autonomy evolution in elderly. As gait is particularly jeopardised after such a traumatism, cognition may also be acutely impaired. Elderly post-surgery delirium is frequent, but chronic progression of cognitive impairment and dementia may occur. ⋯ A neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease may be clinically silent prior the traumatic event, and may decompensate soon after as the cognitive reserve is not sufficient anymore. Dementia may then lead to progressive autonomy loss. A systematic interdisciplinary approach is needed to prevent frail patients from delirium, and to early cure it to decrease the risk of long-term autonomy loss.