Background: We compared the quality of recovery (QoR) between total intravenous anesthesia using remimazolam and propofol in older patients undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgeries.Methods: A total of 120 patients (aged ≥ 60 years) undergoing laparoscopic gastric or colorectal surgery were randomized to the remimazolam or propofol group. Continuous remimazolam/propofol infusion and target-controlled remifentanil infusion were performed. Recovery was evaluated using the Korean version of the Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15K) questionnaire. The primary outcome was the QoR-15K score on postoperative day (POD) 3. Secondary outcomes included the QoR-15K score on POD 1; perioperative mean arterial pressure and heart rate; times to eye opening, extubation, and full recovery; post-anesthetic care unit (PACU) adverse events; postoperative delirium; and duration of hospitalization.Results: The total QoR-15K scores over time did not make differences significantly between the groups. Total QoR-15K scores on POD 3 (112.0 [96.0, 119.0] vs. 104.0 [84.8, 120.5], P = 0.481) and POD 1 (80.0 [62.0, 97.0] vs. 78.0 [60.8, 95.3], P = 0.635) were comparable between the groups. The MAP and HR were significantly higher in the remimazolam group. The times to extubation (12.0 [11.0, 15.0] vs. 10.5 [9.0, 12.3] min, P = 0.003) and full recovery (13.0 [9.0, 16.0] vs. 11.5 [8.0, 14.0] min, P = 0.045) were notably longer in the remimazolam group. The incidence of adverse events in the PACU and postoperative delirium, and duration of hospitalization were comparable between the groups.Conclusions: Remimazolam yielded a similar QoR as propofol in older patients undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgeries.

Lumbar plexus blocks (LPBs) are routinely employed for analgesia in hip fracture surgery; however, a novel regional technique, the pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block, potentially offers comparable pain reduction while preserving motor function. Patients aged 45–90 years who underwent hip fracture surgery were allocated to receive either a PENG block or an LPB for analgesia. The primary outcome was the incidence of quadriceps motor block (defined as the paresis or paralysis of the knee extension) at 12 h postoperatively. The secondary outcomes included the performance time, the time to first analgesic requirement, postoperative intravenous (IV) fentanyl consumption, the ability to undergo physiotherapy at 24 and 48 h, complications, sensory and motor block assessments, postoperative numeric rating scale (NRS) pain scores, and patient outcome questionnaires. There was a significantly lower incidence of quadriceps motor block at 6 h (26.7% vs. 80.0%; p < 0.001) and at 12 h (20.0% vs. 56.7%; p = 0.010). The PENG block provided better preservation of the sensory block as well as better performance time (p < 0.001) and time to first analgesia requirement (p = 0.034), whereas the LPB resulted in lower postoperative IV fentanyl consumption at 24 h (p = 0.013). The PENG block demonstrated superiority over the LPB in preserving quadriceps strength and patient satisfaction without any substantial complications, despite higher opioid consumption within the first 24 h post-surgery.

(1) Background: Remifentanil is used for intraoperative pain control; however, it has several side effects, such as hypotension and opioid-induced hyperalgesia. We aimed to determine whether an intraoperative remifentanil infusion may increase postoperative opioid consumption in patients undergoing total knee arthroscopy (TKA) under femoral nerve block (FNB) in addition to general anesthesia. (2) Methods: We randomly assigned 66 patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty to the remifentanil (R) and control (C) groups. All patients underwent FNB and popliteal artery and posterior capsule of the knee (iPACK) block in addition to sevoflurane-based general anesthesia. Postoperative pain control was achieved using intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) fentanyl. We recorded IV-PCA fentanyl consumption at various postoperative timepoints, numerical rating scale (NRS) scores, intraoperative changes in vital signs and index of nociception (qNOX), ephedrine consumption, postoperative side effects, satisfaction, and sleep quality. (3) Results: The primary outcome (the cumulative IV-PCA fentanyl usage within 48 h postoperatively) was significantly lower in the C group (541.1 ± 294.5 µg) than in the R group (717.5 ± 224.0 µg) (p < 0.001). The secondary outcome (the cumulative IV-PCA fentanyl usage within 12, 24, and 72 h) was lower in the C group than in the R group and the mean arterial pressure was lower in the R group than in the C group from immediately after tourniquet on to immediately after tourniquet off. The heart rate was lower in the R group from immediately after incision to immediately after irrigation. There was no significant between-group difference in the perioperative qNOX and NRS scores at rest and activity except for NRS scores at 72 h postoperatively. Ephedrine use was higher in the R group than in the C group (p = 0.003). There was no significant between-group difference in the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, nor in the postoperative satisfaction and sleep quality. (4) Conclusions: Avoiding intraoperative remifentanil infusion may reduce total opioid consumption in patients undergoing FNB before TKA.

Background and Objectives: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common adverse effect of general anesthesia, especially in middle ear surgery. Remimazolam is a newer benzodiazepine recently approved for use in general anesthesia. This study aimed to compare the incidence rate of PONV after tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy between using remimazolam and sevoflurane. Materials and Methods: This study included 80 patients undergoing elective tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy. The patients were randomly assigned to either the remimazolam or sevoflurane group. The primary outcome was the incidence rate of PONV 12 h after surgery. The secondary outcomes were the incidence rate of PONV 12–24 and 24–48 h after surgery, severity of PONV, incidence rate of vomiting, administration of rescue antiemetics, hemodynamic stability, and recovery profiles. Results: The incidence rate of PONV 0–12 h after tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy was significantly lower in the remimazolam group compared with that in the sevoflurane group (28.9 vs. 57.9%; p = 0.011). However, the incidence rate of delayed PONV did not differ between the two groups. PONV severity in the early periods after the surgery was significantly lower in the remimazolam group than in the sevoflurane group. The incidence rate of adverse hemodynamic events was lower in the remimazolam group than in the sevoflurane group, but there was no difference in the overall trends of hemodynamic data between the two groups. There was no difference in recovery profiles between the two groups. Conclusions: Remimazolam can significantly reduce the incidence rate of early PONV after tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy under general anesthesia.

BACKGROUND:Cardiac output (CO) decreases on reversing the patient's position to the prone position. Estimated continuous cardiac output (esCCO) systems can noninvasively and continuously monitor CO calibrated by patient information or transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE).OBJECTIVE:To compare the accuracy, precision, and trending ability of two calibration methods of CO estimation in patients in prone position.METHODS:The CO estimates calibrated by TEE (esT) and patient information (esP) of 26 participants were included. CO was collected at four time points. The accuracy and precision of agreement were evaluated using the Bland-Altman method. A four-quadrant plot was used for trending ability analysis.RESULTS:The bias between esP and TEE and between esT and TEE was 0.2594 L/min (95% limits of agreement (LoA): -1.8374 L/min to 2.3562 L/min) and 0.0337 L/min (95% LoA: -0.7381 L/min to 0.8055 L/min), respectively. A strong correlation was found between ΔesP and ΔTEE (p< 0.001, CCC = 0.700) and between ΔesT and ΔTEE (p< 0.001, CCC = 0.794). The concordance rates between ΔesP and ΔTEE and between ΔesT and ΔTEE were 91.9% and 97.1%, respectively.CONCLUSION:Despite limited accuracy and precision, esP showed acceptable trending ability. The trending ability of esCCO calibrated by the reference TEE value was comparable with that of TEE.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an accommodation of the cardiopulmonary bypass technique that can support gas exchange and hemodynamic stability. It is used as a salvage maneuver in patients with life-threatening respiratory or cardiac failure that does not respond to conventional treatment. There are few case reports of successful perioperative use of ECMO, especially preoperatively, in liver transplantation (LT). Here, we report an experience of successful anesthetic management in deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) by applying perioperative veno-venous (VV) ECMO support in the setting of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) aggravated by hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS). Case: A 25-year-old female (156.0 cm, 65.0 kg), without any underlying disease, was referred to our emergency department for decreased mentality. Based on imaging and laboratory tests, she was diagnosed with acute liver failure of unknown cause combined with severe ARDS aggravated by HPS. Since the patient faced life-threatening hypoxemia with a failure of conventional ventilation maneuvers, preoperative VV ECMO was initiated and maintained during the operation. The patient remained hemodynamically stable throughout DDLT, and ARDS showed gradual improvement after the administration of VV ECMO. As ARDS improved, the patient's condition alleviated, and VV ECMO was weaned on postoperative day 6. Conclusions: This case demonstrates that VV ECMO may be a useful therapeutic option not only during the intraoperative and postoperative periods but also in the preoperative period for patients with liver failure combined with reversible respiratory failure.

Remimazolam is a benzodiazepine with rapid onset and recovery time. Ketamine provides analgesia and sedation without compromising hemodynamics. Combining both agents may provide good anesthesia and analgesia with fewer complications. We report four cases of monitored anesthesia care with a combination of remimazolam and ketamine for brief gynecological surgeries. We applied 0.5 mg/kg bolus ketamine and infused patients with remimazolam at 6 mg/kg/h for induction and 1 mg/kg/h for maintenance. Then, 25 µg of fentanyl was administered for analgesia 4 min before the procedure, and additional fentanyl was administered as needed. Remimazolam was discontinued shortly after surgery. We conducted satisfactory monitored anesthesia care with a combination of remimazolam and ketamine in all four cases.

Background Remimazolam is a novel benzodiazepine with fast onset and short half-life. We compared the effects of remimazolam and propofol on recovery profiles for general anesthesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods We randomly assigned 108 patients to either a remimazolam (n=54) or propofol (n=54) group. Remimazolam and propofol were used for induction and maintanance of anesthesia. Following anesthesia, we recorded the time until an Aldrete score of 9 was achieved as the primary surrogate marker of complete recovery. The time to reach a Modified Observer’s Assessment of Alertness/Sedation (MOAA/S) score of 2 and the time from the end of anesthesia to eye opening time, recovery time of orientation, time to spontaneous breathing, extubation time, and the time required for analgesics were measured. Heart rate, blood pressure, and bispectral index were assessed before, during, and after pneumoperitoneum. Results We included 101 patients in the analysis. In the remimazolam group, it took longer to reach an Aldrete score of 9 after the drug infusion ended (P = 0.031). There was no difference in the time to reach MOAA/S 2 between the two groups. The time to eye opening, recovery time of orientation, and time required for analgesics were longer and heart rate was higher in the remimazolam group. Neither blood pressure, nor extubation time differed between groups. Conclusions Remimazolam and propofol provided safe induction and maintenance of anesthesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The recovery time from anesthesia was longer than that with propofol. Fewer hemodynamic changes were observed with remimazolam, but further studies are needed.

The pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block targets the nerves innervating the anterior hip surface; however, few studies on this technique are currently available. We investigated the effects of the PENG block on postoperative opioid consumption after a hip surgery. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted at a single institution. Fifty patients undergoing hip surgery were randomly allocated, 25 in each group, to receive a PENG block either using 25 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine (PENG group) or 25 mL of saline (control group). The primary outcome was the total opioid consumption 24 h postoperatively. The secondary outcomes were postoperative pain scores, time to first opioid demand, sensory block efficiency, quadriceps muscle strength, complications, and patient satisfaction. Compared with those in the control group, patients in the PENG group had a significantly lower total opioid consumption 24 h postoperatively (440.72 ± 242.20 μg vs. 611.07 ± 313.89 μg, P = 0.037) and significantly lower pain scores at 30 min postblock and 6 postoperatively ( P < 0.001 and P < 0.001 , respectively). The time to first opioid demand was significantly shorter in the control group than in the PENG group P < 0.001 . Sensory block effectiveness was better in the PENG group 30 min postblock and 6 and 12 h postoperatively than in the control group. Patient satisfaction was also better in the PENG group than in the control group. There were no differences in the other outcomes. The PENG block reduced the total opioid consumption in the first 24 h after hip surgery with no significant effects on quadriceps muscle strength and complication rate. This study was registered at the Korea Clinical Research Information Service (cris.nih.go.kr; Reg. No. KCT0006348) on July 16, 2021.

Tracheal tumor resection and reconstruction is the primary treatment for tracheal tumors. The trachea is the surgical site as well as an important channel to ensure ventilation and maintain oxygenation during surgery. In this report, we describe the successful management of an upper tracheal tumor in a 50-year-old patient. The tumor was situated approximately 2-3 cm below the vocal cords, occluding the tracheal lumen by 80%. Conventional orotracheal intubation was expected to be impossible, and the patient was managed with an I-Gel supraglottic airway for mechanical ventilation with the assistance of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO). After securing tracheal intubation via the tracheostomy site, VV ECMO was weaned off, and mechanical ventilation was changed to tracheal intubation. Eventually, tracheal tumor resection and reconstruction were successfully performed under general anesthesia. No specific events occurred during anesthetic management. Careful preoperative planning and good teamwork made the procedure possible without complications.

Objectives Body protective compound-157 (BPC-157) is a stable gastric pentadecapeptide that has been effective in trials aiming to increase wound healing capabilities and decrease inflammatory cell influx, including studies on the healing of muscles and tendons. There are no studies about the effect of BPC-157 on pain transmission via nociception. This study examined the antinociceptive effects of BPC-157 using formalin tests and immunohistochemistry. Methods Rats were randomly divided into the control, morphine and BPC-157 groups. Pain behavior was quantified periodically at 5- and 35- min intervals (representative values of phases 1 and 2) by counting the number of flinches exhibited by the injected paw after injection. The dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cords (SC) were collected, and then, the number of cytokine-positive cells was determined via immunostaining. Results BPC-157 dose-dependently decreased the number of flinches during phase 1 but did not decrease the number of flinches during phase 2. During phase 1, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the DRG tissue was significantly different in the morphine, 10 μg/kg BPC-157, and 20 μg/kg BPC-157 groups. During phase 2, statistical significance was achieved in the DRG tissue in the morphine, 20 μg/kg BPC-157, and 40 μg/kg BPC-157 groups. During phase 1, interleukin-6 was significantly different in the DRG tissue in the morphine group and the SC tissue in the 10 μg/kg BPC-157 group. During phase 2, statistical significance was achieved in the morphine group and the BPC-157 20 μg/kg group in both the DRG and SC tissues. There were no significant differences in tumor necrosis factor-α between the DRG and SC tissues. Conclusions BPC-157 was effective during phase 1 but not during phase 2, as determined by the formalin test. BPC-157 decreased the expression of IL-1β in the DRG tissue in phases 1 and 2.

Background: Reversal of neuromuscular blockade (NMB) at the end of surgery is important for reducing postoperative residual NMB; this is associated with an increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). Moreover, PPCs are associated with poor prognosis after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for lobectomy. We compared the effects of two reversal agents, sugammadex and neostigmine, on the incidence of PPCs and duration of hospital stay in patients undergoing VATS lobectomy.Methods: After VATS lobectomy was completed under neuromuscular monitoring, the sugammadex group (n = 46) received sugammadex 2 mg/kg, while the neostigmine group (n = 47) received neostigmine 0.05 mg/kg with atropine 0.02 mg/kg after at least the third twitch in response to the train of four stimulation. The primary outcome was incidence of PPCs. The secondary outcomes were duration of hospital stay and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Results: There was no significant difference in the incidence of PPCs for both the sugammadex and neostigmine groups (32.6% and 40.4%, respectively; risk difference = 0.08; 95% confidence interval = [−0.12, 0.27]; P = 0.434). The lengths of hospital (P = 0.431) and ICU (P = 0.964) stays were not significantly different between the two groups.Conclusions: The clinical use of sugammadex and neostigmine in NMB reversal for patients undergoing VATS lobectomy was not significantly different in the incidence of PPCs and duration of hospital and ICU stay.

Background: The current evidence on the safe use of supraglottic airway for pediatric laparoscopic surgeries is limited. Although i-gel has been successfully used in adult laparoscopic surgeries, to our knowledge, no studies have compared it to the endotracheal tube (ETT) in pediatric laparoscopic surgeries. This study evaluated the effectiveness of i-gel over ETT with regards to the respiratory and hemodynamic parameters during pediatric laparoscopic surgeries. Methods: A total of 60 pediatric patients undergoing elective laparoscopic surgeries were randomly allocated to either the i-gel or ETT groups. Anesthetics used included ketamine, sevoflurane, and rocuronium. The primary outcome measured was the peak airway pressure (PAP) and the secondary outcomes measured were leak fraction, end-tidal CO2, respiratory rate, insertion time, heart rate, blood pressure and perioperative complications. Results: The PAP during surgeries was higher in the ETT group than in the i-gel group. There were no statistically significant differences in the leak fraction, end-tidal CO2, and respiratory rate. The i-gel group had a shorter insertion time compared with the ETT group. The changes in heart rate were comparable in both groups. However, systolic and diastolic pressures were higher in the ETT group following intubation, before and after the creation of pneumoperitoneum. The incidence of perioperative complications was similar in both groups. Conclusions: The i-gel provided adequate ventilation with lower PAP compared with ETT. In addition, it provided minimal hemodynamic changes compared with ETT. Therefore, the i-gel may provide a suitable alternative to ETT in pediatric laparoscopic surgeries. Keywords: Intubation; intratracheal; I-gel; Laparoscopy; Pediatrics

Background The supraglottic airway device is an appropriate alternative to tracheal intubation in laparoscopic surgery. We compared the Baska MaskⓇ with i-gelⓇ by measuring the oropharyngeal leak pressure (OLP) and hemodynamic and respiratory parameters during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods A total of 97 patients were randomly allocated to either i-gel group (n = 49) or Baska Mask group (n = 48). Insertion time, number of insertion attempts, fiber-optic view of the glottis, and OLP were recorded. Heart rate, mean arterial pressure, peak airway pressure (PAP), lung compliance, and perioperative complications were assessed before, during, and after pneumoperitoneum. Results There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding demographic data, insertion time, fiber-optic view of the glottis, and the use of airway manipulation. The OLP was higher in the Baska Mask group than in the i-gel group (29.6 ± 6.8 cmH2O and 26.7 ± 4.5 cmH2O, respectively; P = 0.014). Heart rate, mean arterial pressure, PAP, and lung compliance were not significantly different between the groups. The incidence of perioperative complications was small and not statistically significant. Conclusions Both the i-gel and Baska Mask provided a satisfactory airway during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Compared with the i-gel, the Baska Mask demonstrated a higher OLP.