Woong Mo Im

Hemodynamic and Catecholamine Responses to Laryngoscopy and Tracheal Intubation in Patients with Complete Spinal Cord Injuries

BackgroundEndotracheal intubation in patients undergoing general anesthesia often causes hypertension and tachycardia, which may be altered when the efferent sympathetic fiber to the cardiovascular system is interrupted. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of different levels of spinal cord injury on the cardiovascular responses to intubation. MethodsFifty-four patients with traumatic complete cord injuries requiring tracheal intubation were grouped into quadriplegics (above C7; n = 22), high paraplegics (T1–T4, n = 8), and low paraplegics (below T5, n = 24) according to the level of injury. Twenty patients without spinal injury served as controls. Arterial pressure, heart rate, and rhythm were recorded at intervals for up to 5 min after intubation. Plasma concentrations of catecholamines were also measured. ResultsThe intubation increased the systolic blood pressure similarly in control, high-paraplegic, and low-paraplegic groups (P < 0.05), whereas it did not alter the blood pressure in the quadriplegic group. Heart rate was significantly increased in all groups; however, the magnitude was more pronounced in the high-paraplegic group (67%) than in the control (38%) and quadriplegic (33%) groups. Plasma concentrations of norepinephrine were significantly increased after intubation in all groups; however, values were lower in the quadriplegic group and higher in the low-paraplegic group compared with those in the control group. Incidence of arrhythmias did not differ among groups. ConclusionsThe cardiovascular and plasma catecholamine changes associated with endotracheal intubation may differ according to the affected level in patients with complete spinal cord injuries.

The Evaluation of the Incidence of Intraoperative Awareness, the Degree of Difficulty with Intubation and Postanesthetic Complication in Surgical Patients

Randomly selected 193 patients who received elective operation under general anesthesia and were able to communicate with anesthesiologists and follow up for 5 days between May and September 1994 at Chonnam University Hospital, were interviewed and evaluated on the night before, 2 and 5 days after their operation. Distribution of physieal status by ASA was that more than half the total patients belongs to class I and 36.8% of patients were under class II. Sedation scores did not chang between on the night before and the day of operation. A significant correlation existed among the visibility of pharyngeal structures, the exposure of glottis by laryngoscopy, and the degree of difficulty with intubation. About 83% of patients was readily intubated, and none of patient was impossible to intubate. All of the patients lost consciousness during induction of anesthesia, and did not recall during operation. Postanesthetic complications were sore throat(30%), nausea and vomiting(28%), lumbago(15%), urticaria(3%), and dizziness(3%). (Korean J Anesthesiol 1995; 29: 471~476)