Immobilization during anesthesia for vitrectomy using a laryngeal mask without neuromuscular blockade versus endotracheal intubation and neuromuscular blockade.

Background: For intraocular surgery, most authors recommend general anesthesia including intubation and neuromuscular blockade to avoid complications by patient movements. However, anesthesia using a laryngeal mask and avoidance of muscle relaxants is common clinical practice. Purpose of this prospective observational study was to compare the incidence of eye movement and deviation of the eye axis during general anesthesia adjusted to minimal alveolar concentration (MAC) for pars plana-vitrectomy (PPV) using a laryngeal mask without neuromuscular blockade (LM) versus endotracheal intubation and neuromuscular blockade (INT).

Effect of ischemic and pharmacological preconditioning of lower limb muscle tissue on tissue oxygenation measured by near-infrared spectroscopy--a pilot study.

Background: Ischemic or volatile anesthetic preconditioning is defined as tissue protection from impending ischemic cell damage by repetitive short periods of tissue exposure to ischemia or volatile anesthetics. Objective of this study was to elucidate, if ischemic preconditioning and pharmacological preconditioning with sevoflurane have effects on muscle tissue oxygen saturation in patients undergoing surgical revascularization of the lower limb.

Methods: In this prospective randomized pilot study ischemic and pharmacological (sevoflurane) preconditioning was performed in 40 patients with lower limb arterial occlusive disease undergoing surgical revascularization.