A & A case reports
-
Case Reports
Temporary Decompression of Symptomatic Epidural Hematoma via an In Situ Epidural Catheter: A Case Report.
Spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) following neuraxial anesthesia needs prompt recognition and early decompressive measures to prevent long-term neurologic injury. We report a case of SEH presenting on the second postoperative day during an ongoing epidural infusion. ⋯ We describe the timeline of the presentation of SEH and the subsequent clinical course in our patient. Aspiration of blood through an in situ epidural catheter may not only point toward the possibility of SEH but may also temporarily decompress the spinal canal.
-
Case Reports
Unique Considerations in Spinal Cord Stimulator Placement in Pediatrics: A Case Report.
Spinal cord stimulation can be a valuable treatment option in the management of neuropathic pain in select pediatric patients. We present a unique case of a 16-year-old girl with Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome and scoliosis who required the placement of a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) for severe sciatic nerve neuropathic pain after a right above-knee amputation. Several attempts at lead placement were required before successful pain coverage was achieved because of late recognition of significant vertebral body rotation. This case highlights important considerations in pediatric SCS placement including a careful review of the spinal cord anatomy before the placement of an SCS.
-
Case Reports
Dexmedetomidine as a Supplement to Spinal Anesthesia Block: A Case Report of Three Infants.
We report a novel use for dexmedetomidine as a supplemental intravenous or intranasal sedative for spinal anesthesia in infants. The children were 1, 2, and 9 months old having either inguinal hernia repair or circumcision. None of them experienced clinically relevant hemodynamic changes or apnea. Pain scores were zero throughout the postoperative period.
-
Acquired tracheoesophageal fistula is a rare and devastating complication of lung cancer. The diagnosis is typically confirmed on barium esophagram. We report a case of a patient with lung cancer status after palliative chemoradiotherapy and esophageal stenting for malignant stenosis who presented with signs and symptoms suggestive of tracheoesophageal fistula; however, no evidence of fistula was found on barium esophagram. During subsequent esophagogastroduodenoscopy, the presence of a fistula was verified by capnography, given extreme elevations in end-tidal CO2 concentrations during endoscopic CO2 insufflation.
-
Hypnosis has been proven to be a powerful tool in the management of anxiety and pain. It allows for an increase of pain threshold, which can reach the level of surgical analgesia. Recently injection of local anesthetics around the serratus muscle has been presented as an alternative to paravertebral block for cancer breast surgery. We report the successful use of hypnosis in combination with an axillary compartment block for lumpectomy and axillary lymph node dissection.