[Effect of dexmedetomidine on intraoperative somatosensory evoked potential monitoring].

Background: Intraoperative somatosensory-evoked potential (SEP) monitoring has become a part of neurosurgical procedures. In this study, we evaluated the effect of dexmedetomidine on SEP monitoring during neurosurgical anesthesia.

Methods: Eight patients scheduled for neurosurgery were studied.

[Preoperative hypercoagulopathy in patients undergoing orthopedic lower extremity surgery].

Background: Plasma levels of D-dimer, soluble fibrin monomer complex (SFMC) and FDP were measured in 40 patients for orthopedic lower extremity surgery, using a recently established monoclonal antibody to clarify if these markers are good indicator of deep vein thrombosis(DVT).

Methods: Subjects were 20 patients for total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) (group A) and 20 patients for hip fracture surgery (group F). D-dimer, SFMC and FDP were measured at induction of anesthesia.

[Use of gum elastic bougie for tracheal intubation: comparison of different tracheal tubes].

Background: Gum elastic bougie (GEB) is one of the most useful devices for patients whose tracheas are difficult to intubate during anesthetic induction. But no previous study has evaluated the effects of the types of the tracheal tube. We hypothesized that wire-reinforced tracheal tubes were superior to standard tracheal tubes in the success rate of tracheal intubation when using GEB.

[Perioperative changes of the coagulation markers in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery].

Background: Plasma levels of D-dimer, fibrin monomer complex (FMC) and FDP were measured in 10 patients who underwent hip fracture surgery, using a recently established monoclonal antibody to clarify if these markers are good indicators of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Methods: Subjects were 10 (4 male and 6 female) hip fracture patients, aged 87 +/- 6 years. D-dimer, FMC and FDP were measured at induction of anesthesia and 24 hours as well as 6 days after operation.

[Effects of sevoflurane and propofol on evoked potentials during neurosurgical anesthesia].

Background: The effect of anesthetics on somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) and auditory brain stem response (ABR) has been a subject of intense reseach over the last two decades. In fact, volatile anesthetics have been repeatedly shown to decrease cortical amplitude in a dose-dependent fashion but the information regarding the effect of propofol is incomplete. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of sevoflurane and propofol on evoked potentials during comparable depth of anesthesia guided by bispectral index (BIS).

[Mouth opening in relation to the craniocervical position during induction of general anesthesia].

Background: Decreased mouth opening and limited neck mobility sometimes make direct laryngoscopy or tracheal intubation difficult and compromise the safety in establishing the airway during induction of general anesthesia. Recent report indicated that mouth opening was related to the craniocervical position in awake subjects. The query about whether the neck position modulate the mouth opening during anesthetic induction under paralyzed condition is not clarified.

Comparison of the effects of propofol and midazolam on the cardiovascular autonomic nervous system during combined spinal and epidural anesthesia.

Study Objective: To investigate the effect of propofol and midazolam on cardiac autonomic nervous system (CANS) activity during combined spinal-epidural anesthesia.

Design: Prospective, clinical study.

Setting: Operating room of a university hospital.

Positive end-expiratory pressure depressed cardiovascular autonomic nervous system activity in acute brain damaged rabbits under general anesthesia.

Artificial ventilation with positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is commonly applied for brain damaged patients. However, the effect of the ventilation on brain function, including cardiovascular autonomic nervous system (CANS) activity, is not well elucidated. In order to investigate the effect of 5 cmH2O PEEP on CANS activity in brain damaged rabbits under general anesthesia, we produced acute brain damage by intracranial balloon inflation.