Warner, Lindsay L.

AbstractBackgroundThe use of spinal anesthesia in infants is seeing resurgence as an alternative to general anesthesia.AimsOur primary aims are to describe our institution's experience introducing a spinal anesthesia and sedation protocol for infants undergoing urologic surgery, to describe methods of improving prolonged anesthesia, and to describe the failure rate of spinal anesthesia in these patients. Sedation was provided for some infants with intranasal dexmedetomidine ± fentanyl.MethodsThis is a retrospective case series examining infants aged 1‐<14 months who received spinal anesthesia for circumcision, orchiopexy, orchiectomy, hypospadias repair, or epispadias repair. The electronic medical record was reviewed and compared with unmatched historical controls who received general anesthesia.ResultsA total of 230 patients underwent a urologic procedure; 102 patients received spinal anesthesia and 128 received general anesthesia. Length of surgical time with spinal anesthesia ranged from 4 to 189 minutes. The hospital length of stay was shorter in the spinal anesthesia group (median [IQR] of 5.3 hours [4.3, 7.2]) compared to the general anesthesia group (17.1 hours [15.6, 17.5]).The median bupivacaine dose was 0.75 mg/kg [0.67, 0.85]. There was one case in which cerebral spinal fluid was unable to be obtained, and one case that required conversion to general anesthesia after surgery had started. There were no cases of apnea, bleeding, infection, or neurologic compromise.ConclusionsWe describe the successful implementation of an infant spinal anesthesia and sedation protocol and a technique that uniquely provides prolonged surgical anesthesia with a low failure rate. We also report shorter anesthesia time, surgical time, and recovery room length of stay in patients who received spinal anesthesia compared to general anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients are at increased risk for pulmonary and cardiovascular complications; perioperative mortality risk is unclear. This report analyzes cases submitted to the OSA Death and Near Miss Registry, focusing on factors associated with poor outcomes after an OSA-related event. We hypothesized that more severe outcomes would be associated with OSA severity, less intense monitoring, and higher cumulative opioid doses. METHODS: Inclusion criteria were age ≥18 years, OSA diagnosed or suspected, event related to OSA, and event occurrence 1992 or later and <30 days postoperatively. Factors associated with death or brain damage versus other critical events were analyzed by tests of association and odds ratios (OR; 95% confidence intervals [CIs]). RESULTS: Sixty-six cases met inclusion criteria with known OSA diagnosed in 55 (83%). Patients were middle aged (mean = 53, standard deviation [SD] = 15 years), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) III (59%, n = 38), and obese (mean body mass index [BMI] = 38, SD = 9 kg/m 2 ); most had inpatient (80%, n = 51) and elective (90%, n = 56) procedures with general anesthesia (88%, n = 58). Most events occurred on the ward (56%, n = 37), and 14 (21%) occurred at home. Most events (76%, n = 50) occurred within 24 hours of anesthesia end. Ninety-seven percent (n = 64) received opioids within the 24 hours before the event, and two-thirds (41 of 62) also received sedatives. Positive airway pressure devices and/or supplemental oxygen were in use at the time of critical events in 7.5% and 52% of cases, respectively. Sixty-five percent (n = 43) of patients died or had brain damage; 35% (n = 23) experienced other critical events. Continuous central respiratory monitoring was in use for 3 of 43 (7%) of cases where death or brain damage resulted. Death or brain damage was (1) less common when the event was witnessed than unwitnessed (OR = 0.036; 95% CI, 0.007–0.181; P < .001); (2) less common with supplemental oxygen in place (OR = 0.227; 95% CI, 0.070–0.740; P = .011); (3) less common with respiratory monitoring versus no monitoring (OR = 0.109; 95% CI, 0.031–0.384; P < .001); and (4) more common in patients who received both opioids and sedatives than opioids alone (OR = 4.133; 95% CI, 1.348–12.672; P = .011). No evidence for an association was observed between outcomes and OSA severity or cumulative opioid dose. CONCLUSIONS: Death and brain damage were more likely to occur with unwitnessed events, no supplemental oxygen, lack of respiratory monitoring, and coadministration of opioids and sedatives. It is important that efforts be directed at providing more effective monitoring for OSA patients following surgery, and clinicians consider the potentially dangerous effects of opioids and sedatives—especially when combined—when managing OSA patients postoperatively.

5577 Background: Perioperative red blood cell transfusion (PRBCT) may be a negative prognostic marker in surgical oncology. We assessed PRBCT as an independent risk factor for recurrence and death from epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) in the largest cohort to date. Methods: Patient characteristics and process-of-care variables (NSQIP-defined, >130 variables) were retrospectively abstracted from 587 women who underwent primary staging and cytoreduction for EOC (1/1/03-12/29/08). Evaluated using propensity scoring with univariate logistic regression and odds ratios (OR) and Cox proportional hazards regression and hazard ratios (HR). Factors with p<0.1 used in multivariate models. Results: Rate of PRBCT was 77.0% (452/587). In univariable analysis, PRBCT was associated with older age (OR 1.25[95% CI 1.06, 1.48]/10yr increase), stage≥IIIa (4.66[3.04, 7.13]), splenectomy (26.63[3.67, 193.17]), higher surgical complexity (1.86[1.17, 2.95] score 2; 21.48 [7.37, 62.59] 3; referent 1), serous histology (2.36[1.57, 3.55]vs non-serous), longer operating time (1.58[1.36, 1.83]/hr increase), and residual disease (3.26[1.97, 5.41]≤1cm; 1.97[1.09, 3.56]>1cm), and lower preop hemoglobin (Hb) (1.89[1.59, 2.27]per 1g/dL decrease). In univariable analysis, PRBCT was associated with a higher risk of recurrence (HR 1.96[95% CI 1.43, 2.68]) and death (1.71[1.28, 2.28]). However, in multivariable analysis, stage≥IIIa (4.03[2.05, 6.49]), splenectomy (1.41[1.02, 1.95]), residual disease (1.86[1.41, 2.46]≤1cm; 2.91[2.02, 4.18]>1cm), and lower preop Hb (1.09[1.01, 1.19]) were associated with higher risk of recurrence. Older age (1.24[1.12, 1.37]), stage≥IIIa (3.07[1.93, 4.90]), albumin ≤3 g/dL (2.06[1.28, 3.31]), residual disease (1.63[1.22, 2.19]≤1cm; 3.03[2.19, 4.18]>1cm), and low Hb (1.08[1.00, 1.19]) were associated with higher risk of death. Serous histology (0.70[0.52, 0.95]) associated with lower risk of death. Conclusions: PRBCT does not appear to be directly associated with disease-free and overall survival in EOC. Lower preoperative Hb was associated with a higher risk of both recurrence and death. The need for PRBCT appears to be a stronger prognostic indicator than the receipt of PRBCT.

Pain is one of the most commonly experienced and feared symptoms faced by patients with a serious illness. For these patients, intrathecal drug delivery systems (IDDSs) provide greater potency and/or few systemic side effects. However, despite these benefits, the integration and management of IDDS for patients receiving hospice care has not been previous studied. An electronic, 18-question survey was sent to 200 hospice practitioners (physicians, nurse practitioners and nurses) in the state of Minnesota to explore their experience, confidence, and the perceived barriers to caring for patients with IDDS while being cared for on hospice. Providers were identified though mailing lists from the Minnesota Network of Hospice and Palliative Care organization. The survey was administered by the Mayo Clinic Survey Research Center with institutional review board approval. Slightly more than 50% of respondents have ever cared for a patient with an intrathecal pump. If a patient had a pump in place, only 28% of providers expressed confidence in managing their pain. Additionally, only 3 of 10 respondents felt that adjusting an intrathecal pump should be the first option when a patient with an IDDS in place had increased pain. Indeed, the vast majority (over 80%) of respondents preferred the use of systemic therapies for primary pain management. Access to IDDS vendors for changes/refills in the home is identified as another barrier with over 50% of respondents either unaware of an available vendor or reporting no vendor available. There are numerous self-reported barriers to ongoing use of IDDS with patients receiving hospice care.

SummaryBackgroundDe Barsy syndrome is a rare, autosomal recessive syndrome characterized by cutis laxa, progeroid appearance, ophthalmic opacification, skeletal malformations, growth delays, and intellectual disability.AimsThe aim of this case series is to identify the anesthetic considerations in the clinical management of patients with de Barsy syndrome.MethodsA retrospective case review from 1968 to 2016 was performed at a single tertiary medical center to identify patients with de Barsy syndrome who underwent anesthesia for diagnostic and surgical procedures. We collected and analyzed the perioperative records and following data: age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, relevant comorbidities, surgical procedures, anesthesia management, and observed complications.ResultsThree patients underwent 64 unique anesthetics for a diverse collection of diagnostic and surgical procedures. An array of anesthetics and techniques were successfully used. Observations of the perioperative period found 7 episodes of intraoperative hyperthermia (>38.3°), a single difficult airway requiring fiberoptic bronchoscopic‐guided intubation, and repeatedly difficult intravenous access.ConclusionThis expanded case series suggests that providers caring for patients with de Barsy syndrome should be aware of potential challenges with airway management, vascular access, and temperature monitoring.

Epicardial pacing wires are routinely used to avoid hemodynamic instability due to perioperative arrhythmias after cardiac surgery. In rare cases, pacing wires themselves can be associated with potentially life-threatening complications. Herein, we present a novel case of hemorrhagic shock and hemoperitoneum after temporary epicardial pacing wire removal.