Revista española de anestesiología y reanimación
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Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim · Feb 2009
Review[Implantable pacemakers and defibrillators: implications for anesthesia and perioperative management].
The technological complexity of implantable devices for managing arrhythmias, specifically pacemakers and defibrillators, has increased spectacularly since their introduction a few decades ago. A growing number of patients with these devices are undergoing surgery and it is therefore essential to understand how they work and what the real associated risks are. ⋯ It is no longer satisfactory to place a magnet over these devices during surgery and assume that this action will protect the patient from the possible effects of electromagnetic interference. This review examines the basic principles and operation of implantable pacemakers and defibrillators, the relevant nomenclature, and the sources and effects of electromagnetic interference; the current recommendations for the perioperative management of patients fitted with these devices are also discussed.
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Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim · Feb 2009
Review Case Reports[Acute renal failure secondary to hemolytic uremic syndrome in a pregnant woman with pre-eclampsia].
Acute renal failure is a serious complication of pregnancy associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality; the incidence is currently 1 per 10,000 pregnancies. The most common causes are gestational hypertension, bleeding, sepsis, and intrinsic renal disease. ⋯ The classic symptoms are fever, hemolytic microangiopathic anemia, thrombopenia, neurologic dysfunction, and kidney abnormalities. When renal involvement is the predominant manifestation, the diagnosis is usually hemolytic uremic syndrome.