1/159. Fatal cardiac ischaemia associated with prolonged desflurane anaesthesia and administration of exogenous catecholamines.PURPOSE: Four cardiac ischaemic events are reported during and after prolonged anaesthesia with desflurane. CLINICAL FEATURES: We have evaluated desflurane in 21 consecutive patients undergoing advanced head and neck reconstructive surgery. Four deaths occurred which were associated with cardiac ischaemic syndromes either during or immediately after operation. All patients in the study received a similar anaesthetic. This comprised induction with propofol and maintenance with alfentanil and desflurane in oxygen-enriched air. Inotropic support (either dopamine or dobutamine in low dose, 5 micrograms.kg.min-1) was provided as part of the anaesthetic technique in all patients. Critical cardiovascular incidents were observed in each of the four patients during surgery. These were either sudden bradycardia or tachycardia associated with ST-segment electrocardiographic changes. The four patients who died had a documented past history of coronary heart disease and were classified American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) II or III. One patient (#2) did not survive anaesthesia and surgery and the three others died on the first, second and twelfth postoperative days. Enzyme increases (CK/CK-MB) were available in three patients and confirmed myocardial ischaemia. CONCLUSION: These cases represent an unexpected increase in the immediate postoperative mortality for these types of patients and this anaesthetic sequence.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = long (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/159. nicorandil, a potassium channel opener, abolished torsades de pointes in a patient with complete atrioventricular block.TdP is a serious complication of AV block. We report a case of complete AV block with QT prolongation who had bouts of TdP resistant to lidocaine and isoproterenol. Temporary pacing could not be performed, because insertion of a pacing lead triggered TdP that deteriorated into ventricular fibrillation. nicorandil, a potassium channel opener, shortened the QT interval and abolished TdP. This may suggest that potassium channel opening drugs are clinically effective against TdP associated with bradycardia-dependent QT prolongation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.4keywords = long (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/159. Accurate diagnosis of convulsive syncope: role of an implantable subcutaneous ECG monitor.Convulsive syncope due to transient bradycardia is recognized as a cause of treatment-resistant seizures. However, the diagnosis may be difficult to make with conventional electrocardiographic devices if attacks are infrequent. We present a case of apparent epilepsy in which a new implantable electrocardiographic event recorder (the 'Reveal' insertable loop recorder) was used to show that attacks were caused by prolonged asystole of up to 36 s in duration. The insertable loop recorder may have an important role in the investigation of patients with treatment-resistant seizures, particularly where there is a strong suspicion of an underlying cardiac arrhythmia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = long (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/159. Accidental hypothermia in a child.We report a case of severe accidental hypothermia (24.8 degrees C) in a seven-year-old child due to prolonged exposure to low temperatures and temporary contact with river water. When the patient was seen in hospital, bradycardia (30.min-1), bradypnoea (5. min-1), scarcely reacting pupils, and glasgow coma scale=3 were noted. For rewarming minimally invasive techniques (humidified warmed gases and intravenous solutions at 40 degrees C) were employed with a very successful outcome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = long (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/159. Atrial standstill in a case of Kugelberg-Welander syndrome with cardiac involvement: an electrophysiologic study.A patient with Kugelberg-Welander syndrome associated with junctional rhythm and restrictive cardiomyopathy is presented. An electrophysiologic study was performed. Persistent atrial standstill was demonstrated by detailed right atrium and coronary sinus mapping and failure of capture of both right atrium and coronary sinus pacing. A prolonged junctional recovery time, normal HV interval and normal pacing threshold of the right ventricle were also noted. The patient was successfully treated with cardiac pacing and diuretics.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = long (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/159. Fetal presentation of congenital long qt syndrome.Thirty-two-week prenatal ultrasound revealed a fetal heart rate of 100 bpm with decreased variability on the heart rate tracing. Echocardiogram documented normal anatomy and sinus bradycardia. Newborn electrocardiogram revealed sinus rhythm at 100 bpm with a QTc of 0.657. Follow-up electrocardiogram revealed a QTc interval of 0.568, 2:1 atrioventricular block with a ventricular rate of 60 bpm, and ventricular ectopy. The infant received a pacemaker and beta-blocker therapy. long qt syndrome should be in the differential diagnosis of the fetus with bradycardia and decreased heart rate variability in the absence of distress. early diagnosis allowed for preventative care in the infant and identification of family members at risk.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.8keywords = long (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/159. syncope caused by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.A 85-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus and prior myocardial infarction was transferred to the emergency room with loss of consciousness due to marked bradycardia caused by hyperkalemia. The T wave during right ventricular pacing was tall and tent-shaped while the concentration of serum potassium was high, and its amplitude during pacing was decreased after correction of the serum potassium level. Simultaneously with the correction, normal sinus rhythm was restored. The cause of hyperkalemia was considered to be several doses of loxoprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for her lumbago by an orthopedic specialist, in addition to the long-term intake of imidapril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), prescribed for her hypertension by a cardiologist. This case warns physicians that the combination of NSAID and ACEI can produce serious side effects in aged patients who frequently suffer from hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and degenerative joint disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = long (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/159. syncope after effort.A 29-year-old man developed recurrent syncope following exertion. Cardiac investigations revealed no evidence of structural heart disease, but during exercise testing, in the recovery phase, he sustained a bradycardia and then asystole for a prolonged period. Before cardiac massage could be instituted a tonic-clonic fit occurred, and this initiated a return to sinus rhythm. His symptoms were abolished following the implantation of a dual-chamber pacemaker.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = long (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/159. Liquid ammonia injury.The toxic effects of a gas depend on the time of exposure, concentration and its chemical nature. Pressurized liquids and gases exert an additional cold thermal injury and this may complicate the clinical picture. A patient who had an accidental exposure to liquid ammonia over a prolonged period, manifesting in cutaneous, respiratory and ocular damage in addition to a severe cold thermal injury (frostbite) with a fatal outcome is presented. The patient had flaccid quadriparesis and episodes of bradycardia, which has not been reported previously. These manifestations raise the possibility of the systemic toxicity in patients with prolonged exposure to ammonia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.4keywords = long (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/159. Bilateral basal ganglia-thalamic lesions subsequent to prolonged fetal bradycardia.We report two infants with bilateral basal ganglia-thalamic lesions subsequent to prolonged fetal bradycardia. Cardiotocogram revealed severe bradycardia lasting for more than 20 min in both. They demonstrated a significant encephalopathy, abnormal muscle tones and signs of brainstem injury. Clinical or electrical seizures were not observed in either of them. CT during early neonatal period demonstrated decreased tissue attenuation in basal ganglia and thalami in the absence of extensive cortical changes. Both of them developed severe mental retardation and quadriplegia. MRI in late infancy demonstrated abnormal high intensity areas in bilateral basal ganglia, thalami and around central sulci on T2-weighted image. Close correlation between prolonged fetal bradycardia and basal ganglia-thalamic lesion was suggested.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.2keywords = long (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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