[Combined General and Spinal-Epidural Anesthesia under Spontaneous Breathing in a Patient with a Giant Bulla].

This paper reports the successful perioperative management of a patient with a giant bulla, who underwent radical prostatectomy under general anesthesia performed under combinet spinal-epidural anesthesia while maintaining spontaneous respiration. A 61-year-old man was scheduled for radical prostatectomy. He had undergone conservative treatment using a drainage tube for right-sided pneumothorax at the age of 23.

[Influence of epidural lidocaine injection on vecuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade].

Background: We investigated vecuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade in patients with continuous epidural lidocaine injection and those without epidural lidocaine.

Methods: Lower thoracic epidural injection of lidocaine was commenced at a rate of 2-3 mg x kg(-1) x h(-1) following its bolus injection (1.5-2 mg x kg(-1)) only in epidural group.

[A retrospective study in spinal anesthesia for sumo-wrestlers].

Background: Spinal anesthesia for the Sumo-wrestler is thought to be difficult because of following reasons. 1. Sumo-wrestlers are so fatty and weighty that piercing spinal needle into the subarachnoid space is technically difficult.

[The effects of intrathecally administered neostigmine on somato-sympathetic reflex potentials].

Background: Antinociceptive effect of intrathecal neostigmine has been investigated using withdrawal responses in laboratory experiments. However, neostigmine administered in this route can induce muscle weakness or sedation. As a result, these effect can modify withdrawal responses.