A & A case reports
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We documented brachial plexus injury by electromyography and magnetic resonance imaging secondary to needle sticks for central line insertion. This type of complication is rare in the literature, as few case reports exist. Brachial plexus injury can happen because of anatomic variations. ⋯ Pain that emerges in the ipsilateral arm after subclavian catheter placement should be taken into serious consideration. It is important to identify the cause of pain as soon as possible so that the correct treatment can be efficiently provided. Use of an ultrasound-guided catheterization may be a better choice for preventing complications.
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Transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange has been shown to improve oxygenation and increase apnea time in difficult airway cases. It may also be beneficial in patients vulnerable to rapid desaturation due to limited pulmonary reserve. We report the use of transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange for preoxygenation before a cesarean delivery under general anesthesia in a patient with respiratory distress because of pneumonia and heart failure from severe mitral stenosis. To our knowledge, the use of this technique has not been previously reported in pregnant patients.
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We report the case of 2 pediatric patients with coexisting diagnoses of malignant hyperthermia susceptibility and mitochondrial disease in 2 different surgical settings. Due to the rare occurrence of each disorder, and even more so together, we reviewed evidence-based anesthetic concerns and described our perioperative management, with the goal of aiding future practitioners in safely caring for these patients. Consent was obtained for both patients, as well as IRB approval before publication.
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A 28-year-old man presented with a penetrating injury by a nail gun to the head. Imaging revealed a nail abutting the superior sagittal sinus without active extravasation. ⋯ In the operating room, the nail was removed under general anesthesia, with blood products and equipment for craniotomy readily available, and imaging modalities reserved for immediate use. This case highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to challenging penetrating head injuries and the crucial role anesthesiologists have as leaders in perioperative care.
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A 25-year-old Caucasian man with a history of spherocytosis, splenectomy, recurrent blood transfusion, and no cardiopulmonary disease presented for an emergent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a baseline pulse oximetric saturation (SpO2) of 88% while breathing room air. The SpO2 increased to only 89% during preoxygenation with an FIO2 1.0. ⋯ He was subsequently diagnosed with a dyshemoglobin, hemoglobin Köln. The simultaneous presentation of a stable patient from a cardiopulmonary perspective with normal arterial oxygen tension and saturation in the blood gas analyses despite a low SpO2 measurement outlines the importance of integrating the history of present illness and both the importance and the limitation of the pulse oximetry.