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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE To evaluate the use of remifentanil-propofol administered as target-controlled infusion during awake fibreoptic intubation for anticipated difficult tracheal intubation in acromegalic patients. METHOD In all, 20 consecutive acromegalic patients underwent elective endonasal endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. After premedication with midazolam 0.03 mg kg(-1), initially a target-controlled infusion of remifentanil 1.0 ng mL(-1) and propofol 1.5 microg mL(-1) was started. The fibreoptic intubation was performed by the same physician experienced with the fibreoptic technique. During the fibreoptic procedure the target concentrations of remifentanil and propofol ranged between 1.0 and 5.0 ng mL(-1), and between 1.5 and 3.5 microg mL(-1), respectively. Changes in heart rate and mean arterial pressure were recorded during airway manipulation, during tracheal intubation, and at 1 and 3 min after. On the first postoperative day, patient recall and level of discomfort during fibreoptic intubation were evaluated. RESULTS Endotracheal intubation was efficaciously and quickly secured in all patients. A significant increase in mean arterial pressure and heart rate was recorded only during tracheal intubation (P < 0.05). Oxygenation was sufficient and no bradypnea or apnoea was recorded. All patients later described their anaesthetic experience as satisfactory. During fibreoptic intubation, remifentanil (ng mL(-1)) and propofol (microg mL(-1)) mean effect-site concentrations were 3.2 +/- 0.3 and 2.0 +/- 1.0, respectively. CONCLUSION Remifentanil and propofol target-controlled infusion provided satisfactory conscious sedation allowing for successful oral fibreoptic intubation in acromegalic patients with no recall.

Background Endoscopic endonasal transphenoidal surgery has been recently proposed as a minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of pituitary adenomas. The main objective of the anaesthesiologist is to induce sufficient haemodynamic control together with rapid recovery at the end of surgery. The aim of this study was to examine recovery profile, surgical operative conditions and haemodynamic differences using remifentanil infusion with either propofol target controlled infusion system or sevoflurane. Method Forty-four adult patients were enrolled in a prospective, randomized, single-blind, two-group study: Group P received propofol target controlled infusion system and remifentanil; Group S received sevoflurane and remifentanil for maintenance of anaesthesia. Results No statistically significant differences between the two groups with regards to the haemodynamic changes, operative conditions as assessed by a four-step bleeding score (0–3), were obtained. Recovery times were considerably shorter after remifentanil–sevoflurane in comparison with remifentanil–propofol target controlled infusion system group (7.4 vs. 12.8 min, P Conclusion This study demonstrates that sevoflurane–remifentanil gives a faster recovery and equivalent intraoperative status compared with propofol target controlled infusion system with remifentanil for the endoscopic endonasal transphenoidal approach.

The authors have evaluated remifentanil for intraoperative analgesia in endonasal endoscopic surgery for pituitary lesions.a perspective, randomized and comparative study between remifentanil and fentanyl for intraoperative analgesia was performed in an operating room of the neurosurgical department at University. Sixty patients of both sexes were studied and randomly divided into 2 groups. Patients were premedicated with fentanyl 0.15 microg.kg(-1) and atropine 0.01 microg.kg(-1) (group F) or with atro-pine and remifentanil 0.25 microg.kg(-1) min-1 (group R); induction was with propofol 2.0 microg.kg(-1) and maintenance with titrated infusion of propofol and for intraoperative analgesia, fentanyl as bolus injection of 1.0-1.5 microg.kg(-1) (group F) or a titrated infusion of remifentanil (group R). The following parameters were studied: MAP, HR, bleeding, awakening times, adverse effects and VAS.Much more stable hemodynamic parameters during surgery in patients treated with remifentanil; labetalol was administered in 10% of patients in group F; no significant differences as regards the adverse effects and VAS. Faster awakening time was obtained in the remifentanil group as compared with the fentanyl group.Remifentanil analgesia (mean dose of 0.37 microg.kg(-1).min-1) in patients undergoing endonasal endoscopic surgery of the sellar region provides a more efficacious cardiocirculatory control with reduced bleeding and faster psychosensorial recovery.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of sufentanil in comparison with those of fentanyl during balanced anesthesia in patients undergoing neurosurgery.prospective randomized study.operating room in a neurosurgery University department.50 patients, ASA I and II with age ranging from 18 to 77 years were divided in two groups randomly.25 patients received sufentanil as single bolus dose of 0.2 microgram/kg i.v. as premedication and supplemental bolus doses of 0.15 microgram/kg during the maintenance of anesthesia while the remainders received fentanyl 2.0 micrograms/kg as premedication and supplemental boluses of 1.5 micrograms/kg. All patients were induced with propofol 2.5 mg/kg, were intubated after cisatracurium 0.15 mg/kg for muscle relaxation, then were ventilated with sevoflurane and O2:N2O (1:1).heart rate, SAP, DAP and MAP were recorded at different times and ECG, ETCO2 and pulsoximetry were monitored continuously. Furthermore postoperative analgesia by VAS, recovery time and inspiratory concentrations of the volatile anesthetic were evaluated. Statistical analysis was carried out using ANOVA for repeated measures and Bonferroni "t"-test; a value of p0.05 was considered to be significant.Significant changes in MAP (at IOT and 1 and 2 min after IOT), in HR (at IOT) and in RPP (at IOT and 1, 2 and 3 min after IOT) were recorded in group F. Recovery time was shorter in group S than in group F and postoperative analgesia was more prolonged in group S. Inspiratory concentrations of volatile agent were lower in patients treated with sufentanil than in those treated with fentanyl.In patients treated with sufentanil a better cardiocirculatory stability was achieved with lower inspiratory concentrations of volatile agent and a well relaxed brain. Sufentanil can be considered a valid alternative to fentanyl as analgesic agent in balanced anesthesia for neurosurgery.

Object In addition to difficulties with anesthetic and medical management, transsphenoidal operations in patients with longstanding acromegaly are associated with inherent intraoperative challenges because of anatomical variations that occur frequently in these patients. The object of this study was to review the overall safety profile and anatomical/technical challenges associated with transsphenoidal surgery in patients with acromegaly. Methods The authors performed a retrospective analysis of 169 patients who underwent endoscopic transsphenoidal operations for growth hormone–secreting adenomas to assess the incidence of surgical complications. A review of frequently occurring anatomical challenges and operative strategies employed during each phase of the operation to address these particular issues was performed. Results Of 169 cases reviewed, there was no perioperative mortality. Internal carotid artery injury occurred in 1 patient (0.6%) with complex sinus anatomy, who remained neurologically intact following endovascular unilateral carotid artery occlusion. Other complications included: significant postoperative epistaxis (5 patients [3%]), transient diabetes insipidus (5 patients [3%]), delayed symptomatic hyponatremia (4 patients [2%]), CSF leak (2 patients [1%]), and pancreatitis (1 patient [0.6%]). Preoperative considerations in patients with acromegaly should include a cardiopulmonary evaluation and planning regarding intubation and other aspects of the anesthetic technique. During the nasal phase of the transsphenoidal operation, primary challenges include maintaining adequate visualization and hemostasis, which is frequently compromised by redundant, edematous nasal mucosa and bony hypertrophy of the septum and the nasal turbinates. During the sphenoid phase, adequate bony removal, optimization of working space, and correlation of imaging studies to intraoperative anatomy are major priorities. The sellar phase is frequently challenged by increased sellar floor thickness, distinct patterns of tumor extension and bony invasion, and anatomical variations in the caliber and course of the internal carotid artery. Specific operative techniques for addressing each of these intraoperative challenges are discussed. Conclusions Transsphenoidal surgery in patients with longstanding acromegaly frequently poses greater challenges than operations for other types of sellar lesions, yet these challenges may be safely and effectively overcome with the anticipation of specific issues and implementation of various intraoperative techniques.

The beta-endorphin-like-immunoreactivity (beta-ELI) has been evaluated both in plasma and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in 30 patients during trans-sphenoidal surgery. Blood and liquoral samples were collected in five conditions: (1) "reference", (2) "pain", (3) "analgesia", (4) "end", and (5) "24th hour". A significant rise of both plasma and liquoral beta-ELI levels (p less than 0.00001 and p less than 0.08, respectively) when compared to basal ones occurred following the painful stimulation due to the divarication of the nasal mucosa by speculum. A significant decrease (p less than 0.01) was noticed for plasma concentrations at the third sample followed by a new significant increase at the end of the operation, (p less than 0.05 when compared to the third sample and p less than 0.01 when compared to the reference sample). In CSF, beta-ELI levels decreased at the third sample (p less than 0.01 when compared to the painful levels) and at the end of surgery (p less than 0.01, p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.05 vs first, second and third samples, respectively). Twenty-four hours after surgery either plasma and liquoral beta-ELI levels decreased (p less than 0.05). The modifications of the opiatergic system after acute painful stimuli should be, hence, characterized by an early rise followed by a progressive decrease of beta-ELI concentrations. The increase of plasma beta-ELI levels, at the end of surgery, could be due to pituitary manipulation with massive release in the peripheral blood.

To evaluate the efficacy of propofol as the sole anaesthetic agent for the anaesthetic management of the trigeminal rhizolysis.retrospective study.operating room of the Neurosurgery Department at University.200 patients were studied, 115 males and 85 females, with mean age of 62.8 +/- 3.6 years, ASA status I, II or III and with various underlying medical problems.patients were premedicated with atropine 0.01 mg/kg i.v. 10 min before the induction of anaesthesia. The induction dose of P was titrated to the desired level in according to age and clinical conditions. After induction of anaesthesia the surgeon started the needle placement through the foramen ovale in the trigeminal cistern.during both procedures the mean dose of P, induction and recovery times, side effects and complications and quality of anaesthesia were assessed. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out using ANOVA for repeated measures and Bonferroni "t"-test and a value of p0.05 was considered to be significant.Anaesthesia was successfully induced after a mean dose of 1.9 mg/kg of P during PG and of 2.1 mg/kg during PR. A few side effects and short recovery time were recorded in all cases. P also provided an adequate cardiovascular stability during PG and PR.In conclusion, P can be considered suitable for this particular neurosurgical procedure requiring short period of anaesthesia and rapid recovery time in order to communicate with the neurosurgeon during the sensory testing.