Journal of clinical anesthesia
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To compare the characteristics of NMDR induced muscle paralysis in breast cancer patients with and without a history of recent chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and 5-fluorouracil (CAF) regimen. ⋯ This research demonstrated that in patients having undergone chemotherapy, the effect of NDMRs starts with a longer lag time and finishes earlier too. Thus, these patients are ready for intubation after a longer time. Moreover, we have to repeat cisatracurium injections after shorter intervals to maintain the desired level of blockade.
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Movement disorders following heart surgery are very unusual. Post-pump chorea is mainly a pediatric complication of heart surgery, typically manifesting after a latent period of normality and is usually related with long extracorporeal circulation time and deep hypothermia. We report a 73-year-old woman, without risk factors predisposing to paroxysmal movement disorders, presenting acute choreoathetoid movements 5 days after aortic valvular replacement with normal extracorporeal circulation time and perioperative normothermia.
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Observational Study
Sonoanatomic indices of lumbar facet joints in patients with facetogenic back pain in comparison to healthy subjects.
Nowadays, ultrasound is increasingly used with a great accuracy in performing nerve blocks for facet joint disease. ⋯ Interfacet distances of the lumbar vertebras are smaller in patients suffering from degenerative FJD compared with HVGs. Degenerative changes of intervertebral discs and partial reduction of space between 2 adjacent vertebras may contribute to this observation.
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Difficult intubation is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity related to anesthesia. We decided to evaluate the value of Modified Mallampati Score, Upper Lip Bite Test and Facial Angle in the prediction of difficult intubation. ⋯ Facial Angle has a high sensitivity, NPV and Youden index for the prediction of difficult intubation, but the best result is achieved when Facial Angle is used in combination with either the Modified Mallampati Score or Upper Lip Bit Test.
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Observational Study
Factors associated with blood transfusion during intracranial aneurysm surgery.
The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors associated with intraoperative blood transfusions in patients presenting for intracranial aneurysm surgery in the current era of more restrictive transfusion guidelines. ⋯ The incidence of intraoperative red blood cell transfusion in intracranial aneurysm surgery in our patient cohort was 9.5%, and the most significant factors associated with transfusion were presenting hemoglobin level less than 11.7 g/dL and age greater than 52 years. It would seem advisable that these patients undergo routine type and cross-matching of red blood cells before intracranial aneurysm surgery.