Background. This prospective study compared the blood glucose concentration with spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia in patients undergoing elective cesarean section surgery. Methods. In total, 58 pregnant women who underwent elective cesarean section surgery were included in this prospective comparative study. Group S (n = 35) included patients who chose spinal anesthesia, and group G (n = 23) included patients who chose general anesthesia. The patients were allocated to the groups upon patients’ preference. For the group G, the blood glucose concentration (BGC) was obtained 5 minutes before induction, T1, and 5 minutes after induction T2. For the group S, the BGC was obtained immediately before the injection of the local anesthetic agent T1 and 5 minutes after the complete block T2. For both groups, BGC was measured 5 minutes before the end of surgery T3 and 30 minutes after the end of surgery T4. For BGC measurements, we used a blood glucose monitoring system with a lancet device to prick the finger. Results. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean blood glucose concentration between the groups S and G in T1 (78.3 ± 18.2 vs. 74.3 ± 14.7, p>0.05) and T2 (79.2 ± 18.3 vs. 84.9 ± 23.7, p>0.05). The mean BGC was statistically significantly higher in group G in comparison to group S in the times 5 minutes before (80.2 ± 18.1 vs. 108.4 ± 16.7, p<0.05) and 30 minutes after the end of surgery (80.9 ± 17.7 vs. 121.1 ± 17.4, p<0.05). Conclusion. There is a much lower increase in blood glucose concentration under spinal anesthesia than under general anesthesia. It is reasonable to suggest that the blood sugar concentration must be intraoperatively monitored in patients undergoing general anesthesia.

Angiotensin II receptor blockers are a class of antihypertensive agent that is developed to exclude the adverse effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. However, as angiotensin II receptor blockers have begun to be more widely prescribed, cases of angiotensin II receptor blocker-induced angioedema have been reported. Rare cases of angioedema following surgery in patients using angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors have been published. A 38-year-old man with past history of hypertension was admitted for an elective lumbosacral spine surgery. He had been taking Valsartan 160 mg a day for the past 4 years. At the end of the surgical procedure and turning the patient into supine position, we noticed severe swelling in the neck and the face with.an edematous tongue, floor of the mouth, glottis, and supraglottic areas. A diagnosis of drug induced angioedema was made and intravenous dexamethasone, diphenhydramine and ranitidine were given. The patient remained intubated and was transferred to the intensive care unit. The valsartan was suspected to be the precipitating factor for the angioedema and was therefore discontinued. The swelling started to regress after 2 h, and resolved completely by the third day. The precise mechanism of angiotensin II receptor blocker-induced angioedema is still unknown and should be thoroughly investigated. This report demonstrates a unique case of intraoperative angiotensin II receptor blocker-induced angioedema. Potential differential diagnoses of postoperative facial edema are discussed in detail, including the prolonged prone positioning for posterior spine surgery. Anesthesiologists should be aware of such rare, but potentially dangerous, perioperative adverse reaction that can occur with angiotensin II receptor blockers use.

Background To reduce the risk of cerebrospinal fluid leak, clinicians utilize a filling material placed in the sella followed by floor reconstruction with various materials, including glue sealing. Cyano-acrylic glue Glubran (R) 2 glue is commercially available and is generally used as embolizing agent and for the prevention of cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Case Description A 25-year-old woman underwent endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenoma. After tumor resection, sellar floor reconstruction was performed by mucosal graft and Glubran (R) 2 glue. The early post-operative period was uneventful. However, 2 months after surgery, the patient complained of headache, facial pain and greenish foul-smelling nasal discharge with solid particles dripping from the nose. Medical treatment was unsuccessful. Brain MRI showed inflammation and thickening of the sphenoidal and para-sphenoidal mucosa. The patient underwent endoscopic endonasal surgery and a solid glass-like mass surrounded by inflamed infected mucosa was seen in the inferior and lateral aspects of the sphenoid sinus. Efforts were made to erupt and de-crust the solid mass until total resection was achieved. Early post-operative period was uneventful, and a course of antibiotics was continued until total disappearance of the discharge. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case reporting of acrylic glue (Glubran (R) 2)-related sinusitis. Surgeon should be aware about similar side effects for the glue material that would complicate the surgery.

Purpose. This study aims to compare the effect of the depth of total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) on intraoperative electrically evoked compound action potential (e-ECAP) thresholds in cochlear implant operations.Methods. Prospectively, a total of 39 patients aged between 1 and 48 years who were scheduled to undergo cochlear implantation surgeries were enrolled in this study. Every patient received both light and deep TIVA during the cochlear implant surgery. The e-ECAP thresholds were obtained during the light and deep TIVA.Results. After comparing the e-ECAP means for each electrode (lead) between the light and deep anesthesia, no significant differences were detected between the light and deep anesthesia.Conclusion. The depth of TIVA may have no significant influence on the e-ECAP thresholds as there was no statistical difference between the light and deep anesthesia.