Case Synopsis A 53-year-old man underwent posterior spinal fusion with instrumentation, involving segments L1–L4. His past medical history included protein S deficiency, for which he received warfarin therapy. He discontinued his warfarin therapy 2 weeks before surgery without telling his…
Case Synopsis A 14-year-old boy with an established diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder is scheduled for a semielective release of hand contracture that he suffered as a sequela to a burn injury at age 5. He has had three prior…
Case Synopsis A healthy 32-year-old woman is scheduled for elective myomectomy. General endotracheal anesthesia is induced, and the surgeon requests a dose of prophylactic cefazolin. The anesthesiologist administers the contents of a 10-mL syringe but realizes immediately that he has…
Case Synopsis A 42-year-old man complains of shortness of breath and mild right-sided chest pain in the outpatient recovery area, shortly after a right wrist fusion. A preoperative ultrasound-guided brachial plexus block was placed using the supraclavicular approach. On examination,…
Case Synopsis A 69-year-old man underwent open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair under general anesthesia. An epidural catheter was inserted before induction for postoperative pain control. The anesthesiologist successfully placed the epidural catheter after the third attempt. Aspiration after insertion of…
Case Synopsis A 25-year-old woman undergoes spinal anesthesia with a 25-gauge Quincke needle for outpatient hysteroscopy. The following day, she complains of a severe headache. Her headache is worse when she is in the upright position and resolves when she…
Case Synopsis A 32-year-old woman, gravida 2, para 1, with a full-term pregnancy, undergoes general anesthesia for emergency cesarean delivery owing to prolonged fetal bradycardia. The patient receives a rapid-sequence induction using propofol and succinylcholine. The trachea is intubated using…
Case Synopsis A hypertensive 76-year-old woman presents for total hip arthroplasty after sustaining a fractured neck of femur during a mechanical fall. After uneventful intravenous induction, anesthesia is maintained by spontaneous ventilation of a volatile anesthetic via a supraglottic airway…
Case Synopsis A 68-year-old man with a history of atrial fibrillation was scheduled for left total hip arthroplasty. He was chronically anticoagulated with 10 mg of rivaroxaban (Xarelto) daily to decrease his risk of stroke and thromboembolism, and this medication…
Case Synopsis A 24-year-old primigravida underwent cesarean section for breech presentation under uncomplicated spinal anesthesia performed with a 27-gauge Whitacre needle. On the second postpartum day, she complained of a severe, diffuse headache. On the third postpartum day, she suffered…