Annales françaises d'anesthèsie et de rèanimation
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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.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Oct 2011
Review[Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD): strategy of prevention, assessment and management].
The femoral neck fracture is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. The etiology of cognitive impairment observed in this population of aged patient seems to be multifactorial. In the strategy of prevention, elderly patient must have the clearer information dealing with the postoperative cognitive dysfunction. ⋯ During the anaesthesia consultation, it seems important to assess the cognitive function of this elderly patient (like using neuropsycholgical scale as the MMSE) and to identify associated risk factors of cognitive dysfunction. The management of cognitive disorders should be multidisciplinary, the anesthesiologist being the main referent, in collaboration with the geriatrician and the surgeon. In the clinical setting of femoral neck fracture in the elderly, this multimodal management (pain, nutrition, functional rehabilitation to make these patients autonomous as quickly as possible), seems to improve the functional prognosis and to have the observed POCD decreased.