Detection of right to left shunt by transesophageal echocardiography in a patient with postoperative hypoxemia.

Intracardiac right to left shunt through a patent foramen ovale (PFO) may result in the development of hypoxemia after cardiac surgery. Cardiac tamponade and mechanical ventilation with high positive endexpiratory pressure are the most common factors responsible for enhancing intracardiac right to left shunt through a PFO. We report an 83-year-old woman with Stanford type A dissecting aneurysm who developed hypoxemia and paradoxical air embolism after reconstruction of ascending aorta and Bental's procedure.

Factors influencing time of intubation with a lightwand device in patients without known airway abnormality.

Study Objective: To evaluate the correlation between accepted screening tests for difficult tracheal intubation and ease of intubation with a lightwand blind technique.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Anesthetic rooms of a university hospital.

Caudal epidural block for minor gynecologic procedures in outpatient surgery.

Background: Caudal epidural block (CEB) has become increasingly important for pediatric analgesia in recent years. However, data regarding CEB in adult ambulatory surgery are scarce. The aim of this study was to verify whether CEB could be applied as a simple, safe and economic method of anesthesia for adult patients undergoing minor gynecologic procedures (MGP).

Epidural anesthesia does not increase the incidences of urinary retention and hesitancy in micturition after ambulatory hemorrhoidectomy.

Background: This randomized, prospective study was designed to evaluate the role of various anesthesias in postoperative urinary retention and hesitancy in micturition in patients receiving hemorrhoidectomy on ambulatory basis.

Methods: In a randomized order, 128 ambulatory patients, ASA physical status I or II, were divided into two groups to receive hemorrhoidectomy under epidural or local anesthesia. In all patients, the intraoperative intravenous fluid given was limited to 200 ml +/- 2 ml/kg/h of Ringer's lactate solution.