BackgroundAlthough sevoflurane and propofol are commonly used anesthetics in rabbits, optimal doses of remain unclear. We thus assessed the optimal hypnotic doses of sevoflurane and propofol, and evaluated the influence of dexmedetomidine on sevoflurane and propofol requirements.MethodsTwenty-eight Japanese white rabbits were randomly assigned to one of four groups (n = 7 each). Rabbits were given either sevoflurane, propofol, sevoflurane + dexmedetomidine, or propofol + dexmedetomidine (injected 30 μg∙kg-1∙hr-1 for 10 min followed by an infusion of 3.5 μg∙kg-1∙hr-1). Hypnotic level was evaluated with Bispectral Index (BIS), a well-validated electroenchalographic measure, with values between 40 and 60 representing optimal hypnosis. BIS measurements were made 10 minutes after the adjustment of target end-tidal sevoflurane concentration in the sevoflurane group and sevoflurane + dexmedetomidine group, and at 10 min after the change of infusion rate in the propofol group and propofol + dexmedetomidine group.ResultsBIS values were linearly related to sevoflurane concentration and propofol infusion rate, with or without dexmedetomidine. Sevoflurane concentration at BIS = 50 was 3.9 ± 0.2% in the sevoflurane group and 2.6 ± 0.3% in the sevoflurane + dexmedetomidine group. The propofol infusion rate to make BIS = 50 was 102 ± 5 mg∙kg-1∙hr-1 in the propofol group, and 90 ± 10 mg∙kg-1∙hr-1 in the propofol + dexmedetomidine group.ConclusionsThe optimal end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane alone was thus 3.9%, and optimal infusion rate for propofol alone was 102 mg∙kg-1∙hr-1. Dexmedetomidine reduced sevoflurane requirement by 33% and propofol requirement by 11%.

We present the case of cardiac arrest in a patient with neurally mediated syncope (NMS). A 66-year-old male patient was scheduled to undergo right inguinal hernioplasty. He had a history of syncope, which occurred a few times a year in childhood and once a year recently. One minute after the second spinal injection, cardiac arrest (asystole) developed. Sinus rhythm was restored by cardiac massage and intravenous administration of atropine and ephedrine. The operation was cancelled. The patient was diagnosed as NMS by a cardiologist. Four months later, right inguinal hernioplasty was performed, uneventfully, under general anesthesia. High sympathetic blockade due to spinal anesthesia and transient withdrawal of sympathetic tone and increase in vagal discharge due to NMS could be the main causes of the cardiac arrest. If the patient has any possibility of NMS, anesthesiologists should consider the possibility of cardiac arrest after spinal anesthesia.

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SummaryWe studied whether delivering postoperative analgesia, using a patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) device was effective and safe in elderly patients. We enrolled 40 patients aged > 65 years (elderly group) and 40 patients aged 20-64 years (young group) scheduled for elective major abdominal surgery. PCEA infusion was started following completion of surgery. Mean (SD) fentanyl consumption (10.7 (3.7) compared with 10.5 (2.7) lg.kg, p = 0.76) and number of times patients pressed the bolus switch (32 (36) compared with 44 (38), p = 0.16) during the first 24 h postoperatively were similar in the two groups. Pain scores, which were similar in both groups at rest, were significantly lower in the elderly on coughing (at 24 h, p < 0.05). In addition, average pain scores were similar at the time of PCEA bolus demands in the two groups. Elderly and young adult patients therefore required similar amounts of patient-controlled epidural fentanyl to produce satisfactory pain relief.

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