BackgroundFor patients suspicious of cervical spine injury, a Philadelphia cervical collar is usually applied. Application of Philadelphia cervical collar may cause difficult airway. The aim of this study was to evaluate the laryngeal view and the success rate at first intubation attempt of the Airtraq and conventional laryngoscopy in patients with simulated cervical spine injury after application of a Philadelphia cervical collar.MethodsAnesthesia was induced with propofol, remifentanil, and rocuronium. After a Philadelphia cervical collar applied, patients were randomly assigned to tracheal intubation with an Airtraq (Group A, n = 25) or with conventional laryngoscopy (Group L, n = 25). Measurements included intubation time, success rate of first intubation attempt, number of intubation attempts, and percentage of glottic opening (POGO) score. Mean blood pressure and heart rate were also recorded at baseline, just before and after intubation.ResultsThe success rate of the first attempt in Group A (96%) was significantly greater than with the Group L (40%). POGO score was significantly greater in Group A (84 ± 20%) than in Group L (6 ± 11%). The duration of successful intubation at first tracheal intubation attempt and hemodynamic changes were not significantly different between the two groups.ConclusionsThe Airtraq offers a better laryngeal view and higher success rate at first intubation attempt in patients who are applied with a Philadelphia cervical collar due to suspicion of cervical spine injury.

PurposeWe evaluated the incidence and risk factors of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients with fentanyl-based intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) and single antiemetic prophylaxis of 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5 HT3)-receptor antagonist after the general anesthesia.Materials and MethodsIn this retrospective study, incidence and risk factors for PONV were evaluated with fentanyl IV-PCA during postoperative 48 hours after various surgeries.ResultsFour hundred-forty patients (23%) of 1878 had showed PONV. PCA was discontinued temporarily in 268 patients (14%), mostly due to PONV (88% of 268 patients). In multivariate analysis, female, non-smoker, history of motion sickness or PONV, long duration of anesthesia (>180 min), use of desflurane and intraoperative remifentanil infusion were independent risk factors for PONV. If one, two, three, four, five, or six of these risk factors were present, the incidences of PONV were 18%, 19%, 22%, 31%, 42%, or 50%. Laparoscopic surgery and higher dose of fentanyl were not risk factors for PONV.ConclusionDespite antiemetic prophylaxis with 5 HT3-receptor antagonist, 23% of patients with fentanyl-based IV-PCA after general anesthesia showed PONV. Long duration of anesthesia and use of desflurane were identified as risk factors, in addition to risk factors of Apfel's score (female, non-smoker, history of motion sickness or PONV). Also, intraoperative remifentanil infusion was risk factor independent of postoperative opioid use. As the incidence of PONV was up to 50% according to the number of risk factors, risk-adapted, multimodal or combination therapy should be applied.

Maintenance of remifentanil at Ce 1.5 and 2 ng/mL suppressed coughing without serious adverse events during emergence from anesthesia with propofol and remifentanil in patients undergoing laryngomicrosurgery.

Summary Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system associated with tracheal intubation causes corrected QT (QTc) interval prolongation. We postulated that the use of remifentanil during induction of anaesthesia might prevent this. Sixty unpremedicated, ASA grade 1 patients were selected and randomly allocated to receive either saline (group S), remifentanil 0.5 μg.kg−1 (group R 0.5) or remifentanil 1.0 μg.kg−1 (group R1.0) 1 min before laryngoscopy. The QTc interval was significantly prolonged immediately following intubation in group S and group R0.5, but it remained stable in group R1.0, compared with the QTc interval just before laryngoscopy. It is concluded that the administration of remifentanil 1.0 μg.kg−1 before intubation can prevent the prolongation of the QTc interval associated with tracheal intubation during induction of anaesthesia with sevoflurane.