This preliminary study has shown that segmental spinal anaesthesia can be used successfully and effectively for laparoscopic surgery in healthy patients. However, the use of an anaesthetic technique involving needle insertion into the vertebral canal above the level of termination of the spinal cord requires great caution and should be restricted in application until much larger numbers of patients have been studied.

: Background and Objectives : Anesthesiologists are reluctant to consider higher levels for spinal anesthesia, largely due to direct threats to the spinal cord. The goal of this study is to investigate, with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the distances between the relevant structures of the spinal canal (spinal cord, thecal tissue, etc.) to determine modal anatomical positions for neuraxial anesthesia. Method : A group of 19 patients were imaged with an MRI scanner in supine position. Medial sagittal slices of the thoracic and lumbar spine were measured for the relative distances between anatomical structures, including epidural space, dura, and spinal cord. Results : The posterior dura -spinal cord distance is significantly greater in the middle thoracic region than at upper and lower thoracic levels (e.g. T6 9.5 ± 1.8 mm, T12 3.7 ± 1.2 mm, p < 0.001, T1 4.7 ± 1.7 mm, p < 0.001). There is variation in modal distances between the structures important for neuraxial anesthesia, at different levels of the spinal canal. Conclusions :The spinal cord tends to follow the straightest line through the imposed geometry of the spine. Considering the necessary angle of entry of the needle at mid-thoracic levels, there is relatively (more than at upper thoracic and lumbar levels) substantial separation of cord and surrounding thecal tissue. Anesthesiologists perform spinal blockades up to the L2-L3 interspace, but avoid higher levels for fear of neurological damage. The information that there is substantially more space in the dorsal subarachnoid space at thoracic level, might lead to potential applications in regional anesthesia. In contrast, the cauda equina sits more dorsally in the lumbar region.

Chronic pancreatitis is defined as a progressive inflammatory response of the pancreas that has lead to irreversible morphological changes of the parenchyma (fibrosis, loss of acini and islets of Langerhans, and formation of pancreatic stones) as well as of the pancreatic duct (stenosis and pancreatic stones). Pain is one of the most important symptoms of chronic pancreatitis. The pathogenesis of this pain can only partly be explained and it is therefore often difficult to treat this symptom. The management of pain induced by chronic pancreatitis starts with lifestyle changes and analgesics. For the pharmacological management, the three-step ladder of the World Health Organization extended with the use of co-analgesics is followed. Interventional pain management may consist of radiofrequency treatment of the nervi splanchnici, spinal cord stimulation, endoscopic stenting or stone extraction possibly in combination with lithotripsy, and surgery. To date, there are no randomized controlled trials supporting the efficacy of radiofrequency and spinal cord stimulation. The large published series reports justify a recommendation to consider these treatment options. Radiofrequency treatment, being less invasive than spinal cord stimulation, could be tested prior to considering spinal cord stimulation. There are several other treatment possibilities such as endoscopic or surgical treatment, pancreatic enzyme supplementation and administration of octreotide and antioxidants. All may have a role in the management of pain induced by chronic pancreatitis.

As part of a clinical trial, we evaluated the effects of the hemoglobin-based oxygen-carrier (HBOC) HBOC-201 (an ultrapurified, stroma-free bovine hemoglobin product, Biopure, Cambridge, MA, USA) on our routine clinical chemistry analyzer (Cobas Integra, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland ), blood gas analyzer (Chiron 840, Chiron Diagnostics Corporation, East Walpole, MA, USA), routine hemocytometry analyzer (Sysmex SE-9000, TOA Medical Electronics Co Ltd., Kobe, Japan), hemostasis analyzer (BCT, Dade-Behring, Marburg, Germany) and bloodbanking system (Dia-Med-ID Micro Typing System, DiaMed AG, Cressier, Switzerland). The maximum tested concentration of HBOC-201 was 65 g/l. Of the 27 routine clinical chemistry tests challenged with HBOC-201, bilirubin-direct, creatine kinase MB-fraction (CK-MB), creatine kinase (CK), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), magnesium and uric acid were influenced by even low concentrations of HBOC-201. These tests were excluded from use on the plasma of patients treated with HBOC-201. Since the non-availability of the cardiac marker CK-MB may lead to problems in acute situations, we introduced the qualitative Trop T-test (Boehringer Mannheim), which was not influenced. The applicability of another nine tests was limited by the concentration of the HBOC-201 in the patients' plasma. No interference of HBOC-201 in routine hemocytometry, hemostasis-analysis and red-blood cell agglutination detection (blood-bank tests) was observed. Although immediate patient-care was not compromised, routine use of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers will have a strong impact on logistical management. The development of robust laboratory tests free from the interference of the pigmented oxygen carriers should therefore precede its introduction into routine transfusion medicine.

Involvement of the pleural cavity by pseudomyxoma peritonei is rare and carries an unfavorable prognosis. Whenever possible, the same guidelines as for intra-abdominal disease should be followed: extensive cytoreductive procedures with local and/or systemic chemotherapy. In our patient we hope to achieve a prolonged palliation with systemic chemotherapy.