Complications in Anesthesia

Complications After Pneumonectomy

Case Synopsis A 72-year-old man is scheduled for a right-sided pneumonectomy for non–small-cell lung cancer. He has a past medical history of long-standing smoking, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. He has a remote history of non–Q-wave myocardial infarction with a coronary…

Chronic Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drug Use

Case Synopsis A 60-year-old man with a history of osteoarthritis has been taking naproxen for the past 3 years without complications or side effects. He experienced sudden severe nausea and vomited frank blood. He was taken to the emergency department…

Carotid Endarterectomy

Case Synopsis An 82-year-old woman with a significant past medical history of hypertension and coronary artery disease undergoes carotid endarterectomy (CEA) under regional anesthesia. She experienced an episode of dysphasia and transient weakness affecting her left side 3 days previously.…

Cardioversion

Case Synopsis An 88-year-old woman with a background of hypertension, angina, and mild asthma presented to the emergency department (ED) with a 10-day history of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and reduced oral intake. She was initially being treated for…

Cardiomyopathies

Case Synopsis A 3-year-old boy presents for inguinal hernia repair. His past medical history is unremarkable except for an upper respiratory infection 3 weeks ago that was characterized by a low-grade fever, thin rhinorrhea, and a mild cough that resolved…

Bleeding After Cardiac Surgery

Case Synopsis A 73-year-old man presents with a history of aortic stenosis, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, dyspnea at rest, and chronic renal failure (creatinine level 1.6 mg/dL). Myocardial function is moderately reduced (left ventricular ejection fraction is 35%).…

Arteriovenous Malformation : Normal Perfusion Pressure Breakthrough

Case Synopsis A healthy, 41-year-old man presented to his primary care physician with a 3-month history of right-sided temporal-occipital headaches. He was initially treated conservatively with oral analgesics and subsequently an occipital nerve block without significant improvement. Magnetic resonance imaging…

Anticoagulants and Peripheral Nerve Block

Case Synopsis A 70-year-old man with a history of valvular heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, and diabetes mellitus is scheduled to undergo a below-the-knee amputation. The patient has been receiving daily anticoagulation with warfarin since his aortic valve replacement 5…

Anterior Mediastinal Mass

Case Synopsis An 8-year-old, previously healthy girl is admitted with respiratory distress, wheezing, and stridor. Her symptoms have been slowly progressive over 2 weeks and are associated with nocturnal fever and exercise intolerance. The chest radiograph demonstrates a widened mediastinum…