The bilateral superficial cervical plexus block with 0.75% ropivacaine administered before or after surgery does not prevent postoperative pain after total thyroidectomy.

Background And Objectives: Patients undergoing thyroid surgery need postoperative pain management. Bilateral superficial cervical plexus block by administration of 0.25% bupivacaine with 1:200000 epinephrine at the end of surgery has been shown to improve postoperative analgesia.

Infected mediastinitis secondary to perforation of superior vena cava by a central venous catheter.

We describe the first case of infected mediastinitis associated with central venous catheter insertion. The rare occurrence of this complication may be explained by the fact that it results from central venous catheter-related bloodstream infection and catheter perforation of superior vena cava. The symptoms of this complication (chest pain, dyspnoea) are not specific.

Esophageal perforation: life threatening complication of endotracheal intubation.

Objective: To raise awareness of this complication of tracheal intubation, to emphasize the gravity due to delayed diagnosis, and to advocate a surgical treatment.

Methods: Between April 1980 and January 2000, 97 patients were treated for esophageal perforation in our department. We reviewed the cases of perforation occurring after attempted tracheal intubation.

[Recovery of neuromuscular block after continuous infusion of cisatracurium in patients with renal dysfunction].

Objective: Study of the recovery of neuromuscular block after continuous infusion of cisatracurium in patients with renal dysfunction.

Study Design: Prospective case-control study.

Patients: Forty adult patients scheduled for urological surgery were assigned to two groups according to the creatinine clearance (CC) as a measure of the renal function: group IR (CC < 60 mL.

[Thymectomy in myasthenia gravis. A series of 68 patients].

Since January 1988 to December 1998, by the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Haut-Lévêque Hospital, University of Bordeaux, 68 consecutive patients were operated for myasthenia gravis. The aim of our study was to evaluate the results obtained in a group of patients who underwent a thymectomy for myasthenia gravis, in order to contribute for the determination of the prognostic factors which can influence the post-operative course. This series consists on 68 patients.