Journal of neurosurgical anesthesiology
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Jan 1996
Comparative StudyImportant aspects in the treatment of severe accidental hypothermia: the Innsbruck experience.
The purpose of this paper is to review important aspects in the treatment of accidental hypothermia, based on our own experience in rewarming 55 patients with severe accidental hypothermia and a core temperature < 30 degrees C. We used three different methods of rewarming, adjusted to the patients' hemodynamics: airway rewarming, warmed fluids and insulation in patients with stable hemodynamics (group 1, n = 24), peritoneal dialysis in patients with unstable hemodynamics (group 2, n = 7) and extracorporeal circulation in patients with cardiocirculatory arrest (group 3, n = 24). ⋯ The method used to rewarm a patient with severe accidental hypothermia should be adjusted to the hemodynamic status. The prognosis is excellent in patients in whom no hypoxic event precedes hypothermia and no serious underlying disease exists.
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Jan 1996
Comparative StudyA comparison of the electrophysiologic characteristics of EEG burst-suppression as produced by isoflurane, thiopental, etomidate, and propofol.
Electroencephalogram (EEG) burst-suppression can be produced with several anesthetic agents. Discussions of burst-suppression suggest that it has been viewed by many as a relatively uniform physiologic state independent of the agent used to produce it. This view may be an oversimplification. ⋯ The cortical versus subcortical comparison revealed, for all agents, greater peak-to-peak voltage and area under the curve in the subcortex. The data indicate that the electrophysiologic characteristics of burst-suppression vary among the four agents, with the possible exception of etomidate and propofol. The data suggest that the neurophysiologic states associated with burst-suppression produced by various anesthetics should not be assumed to be uniform.
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Jan 1996
Case ReportsCerebral ischemia after venous air embolism in the absence of intracardiac defects.
Cerebral air embolism occurred in a patient undergoing posterior fossa surgery performed in the sitting position for acoustic neuroma removal. The patient experienced two episodes of venous air embolism, as evidenced by precordial Doppler, end-tidal carbon dioxide reduction, and oxygen desaturation. In both cases, air was aspirated from the central venous catheter; during the second episode there was arterial hypotension and electrocardiogram changes, and air bubbles were visualized in the cerebellar arteries. ⋯ Intracardiac septal defects were not detected by transesophageal echocardiography, and computerized tomography of the brain demonstrated multifocal discrete ischemic areas in the cerebral hemispheres. The patient died 6 days after surgery without having regained consciousness. This case appears to represent the occurrence of transpulmonary passage of venous air embolism.
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Jan 1996
Case ReportsLimitations of jugular bulb oxyhemoglobin saturation without intracranial pressure monitoring in subarachnoid hemorrhage.
We report a case of subarachnoid hemorrhage in which, even after having obtained a normal jugular bulb oxyhemoglobin saturation, cerebrovenous desaturation developed, and brain death occurred. The limitations of jugular bulb oxyhemoglobin saturation without intracranial pressure monitoring are discussed. We conclude that if increased intracranial pressure is suspected, use of jugular bulb oxyhemoglobin saturation monitoring alone would appear to be substantially limited.