A & A case reports
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Case Reports
Sciatic (Popliteal Fossa) Catheter for Pediatric Pain Management of Sickle Cell Crisis: A Case Report.
Sickle cell crisis, or vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC), is a major cause of hospitalizations for adults and children with sickle cell disease, and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Despite prompt pharmacological treatment and multimodal pain management, acute pain during a VOC is often not adequately controlled in the pediatric population. We placed a continuous popliteal sciatic nerve block under ultrasound guidance in a pediatric patient for localized refractory pain during a VOC, resulting in improved pain control with preserved sensorimotor function.
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Cardiopulmonary resuscitation has a low success rate both in and out of the hospital setting. Return of spontaneous circulation, however, is considerably higher for intraoperative cardiac arrests. Chest compressions remain of utmost importance. ⋯ However, this depth is often not achieved. We describe a case in which the adequacy of chest compressions, based on hemodynamic monitoring, was achieved with 2 persons simultaneously providing a compressive force. This hemodynamic-directed care resulted in return of spontaneous circulation on 2 separate occasions.
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Case Reports
Stepwise Rostrocaudal Brainstem Anesthesia as a Complication of Local Anesthesia: A Case Report.
Iatrogenic cranial nerve palsies can rarely complicate neurosurgical, oral maxillofacial, and otolaryngological procedures. Among the most serious complications of cranial nerve palsy is upper airway obstruction, which is life threatening. ⋯ This led to hypoxic respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation before resolving spontaneously. This is the first known case of accidental brainstem anesthesia secondary to lidocaine infiltration at an occipital craniectomy site and serves to caution clinicians who manage similar patients.
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Case Reports
Epidural Injections Contraindicated for Lumbar Radiculopathy in May-Thurner Syndrome: A Case Report.
A 59-year-old patient presented to the chronic pain clinic with a 6-week history of worsening lumbar back pain, bilateral thigh pain, and unilateral radiculopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed mild discogenic and facetogenic disease, but significant epidural venous plexus engorgement compressing the thecal sac. ⋯ A discussion with the radiologist confirmed worsening of the patient's May-Thurner Syndrome was the likely cause of the patient's symptoms. The patient was referred back to the surgeon to relieve the venous obstruction because routine injection therapy would be ineffective.
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Case Reports
Brachiocephalic Vein Perforation During Cannulation of Internal Jugular Vein: A Case Report.
We report a rare complication of right brachiocephalic vein perforation during ultrasound-guided cannulation of the right internal jugular vein (IJV) in a patient with a tortuous common carotid artery (CCA). We suspect that the tortuous CCA displaced the IJV, which caused misplacement of the J-tip guidewire into the subclavian vein. ⋯ This was diagnosed by videothoracoscopy. Anesthesiologists should be aware of the possibility of guidewire malposition during IJV catheterization in patients with a tortuous CCA.