A & A case reports
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Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is a debilitating side effect of chemotherapy, which manifests as paresthesias, dysesthesias, and numbness in the hands and feet. Numerous chemoprotective agents and treatments have been used with limited success to treat chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. We report a case in which a patient presenting with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy received an IV lidocaine infusion over the course of 60 minutes with complete symptomatic pain relief for a prolonged period of 2 weeks.
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A 15-year-old girl diagnosed with erythromelalgia was admitted to the hospital with severe pain in her feet associated with burning, pruritus, erythema, and swelling. She had not responded to conventional management and received some relief only from cold bath immersions, which resulted in chronic blistering and multiple episodes of superinfection. ⋯ However, this pain resolved after she started daily mexiletine. This case demonstrates that erythromelalgia sometimes can be managed successfully with a combination of pharmacologic and interventional procedures.
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Case Reports
Methylene Blue for Vasoplegia When on Cardiopulmonary Bypass During Double-Lung Transplantation.
Vasoplegia syndrome, characterized by hypotension refractory to fluid resuscitation or high-dose vasopressors, low systemic vascular resistance, and normal-to-increased cardiac index, is associated with increased morbidity and mortality after cardiothoracic surgery. Methylene blue inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase and guanylyl cyclase, and has been used to treat vasoplegia during cardiopulmonary bypass. However, because methylene blue is associated with increased pulmonary vascular resistance, its use in patients undergoing lung transplantion has been limited. Herein, we report the use of methylene blue to treat refractory vasoplegia during cardiopulmonary bypass in a patient undergoing double-lung transplantation.
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A 43-year-old woman with a history of the Cushing syndrome secondary to adrenocortical carcinoma presented to the operating room for right adrenalectomy, hepatectomy, nephrectomy, and inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombectomy. Initial intraoperative transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) confirmed the presence of an IVC tumor below the hepatic veins. ⋯ The remainder of the procedure finalized uneventfully. The case highlights the importance of TEE monitoring for noncardiac surgery with thrombotic involvement of the IVC.
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Case Reports
Atrioventricular Sequential Pacing for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy During Liver Transplantation.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a myocardial disorder that carries an increased risk of morbidity and mortality during liver transplantation. We describe the use of atrioventricular sequential pacing, placed preoperatively, to assist with intraoperative management of a patient with severe refractory hypertrophic cardiomyopathy undergoing orthotopic piggyback liver transplantation. We discuss the pathogenesis and treatment of this infrequent but serious comorbidity.