Non-intubated Thoracoscopic Surgery—Pros and Cons

Pulmonary resection by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery with single-lung ventilation has become a standardized modality over the last decades. With the aim to reduce surgical stress during operation procedures, some have adopted a uniportal approach in pulmonary resection as an alternative to multiportal VATS. The ERAS program has been widely spread to achieve even better outcomes. In 2004, Pompeo reported the resection of pulmonary modules by conventional VATS under intravenous anesthesia without endotracheal intubation. Within less than a decade thereafter, complete VATS pulmonary resections under anesthesia without endotracheal intubation had been reported for a range of thoracoscopic procedures. Avoiding tracheal intubation under general anesthesia can reduce the incidence of complications such as intubation-related airway trauma, residual neuromuscular blockade, ventilation-induced lung injury, impaired cardiac performance, and postoperative nausea. Numerous studies can be found especially from Asian countries, focusing on comparison of intubated and non-intubated procedures showing that non-intubated VATS could reduce the rate of postoperative complications, shorten hospital stay and decrease the perioperative mortality rate, indicating that non-intubated VATS is a safe, effective and feasible technique for thoracic disease. However, if we look closely at all studies, it is obvious that there are no significant differences between intubated and non-intubated surgery in terms of the standard procedures and maneuvers. In non-intubated procedures it can be less comfortable for the surgeon to manipulate in the thoracic cavity, but the procedural steps remain the same. All the differences between the intubated and non-intubated operation procedure are found in perioperative management of the patient. The patient is still in deep anesthesia during the procedure and hypecapnia can occur. It is easier to manage this if the patient is intubated. In addition, if a complication occurs during the operation and intubation is required, this can cause an emergent situation, which means that not all patients are suitable for such a procedure, especially those with severe emphysema, obese patients and those with a problematic oropharyngeal configuration-Mallampati score. Moreover, studies on non-intubated thoracic surgery point to shortened hospitalization, faster recovery etc. But there are also studies on intubated uniportal VATS procedures in combination with ERAS protocol showing shortened hospitalization and better outcome for patients. Currently, especially with the use of optical intubation canylas, totally intravenous anesthesia (TIVA), BIS and relaxometer, anesthesia is safe for avoiding airway injury, hypercapnia, and there is minimal risk of residual curarization as well as one of the postoperative lung complications such as microaspiration and atelectasis. In addition, the patient recovers rapidly from anesthesia and can be verticalised and mobilized a couple of hours after the operation. It is desirable to take into consideration what type of patient and what lung disease is suitable for non-intubated technique and what is more convenient for intubation.

Quantitative Neuromuscular Monitoring and Postoperative Outcomes: A Narrative Review

Over the past five decades, quantitative neuromuscular monitoring devices have been used to examine the incidence of postoperative residual neuromuscular block in international clinical practices, and to determine their role in reducing the risk of residual neuromuscular block and associated adverse clinical outcomes. Several clinical trials and a recent meta-analysis have documented that the intraoperative application of quantitative monitoring significantly reduces the risk of residual neuromuscular blockade in the operating room and postanesthesia care unit. In addition, emerging data show that quantitative monitoring minimizes the risk of adverse clinical events, such as unplanned postoperative reintubations, hypoxemia, and postoperative episodes of airway obstruction associated with incomplete neuromuscular recovery, and may improve postoperative respiratory outcomes. Several international anesthesia societies have recommended that quantitative monitoring be performed whenever a neuromuscular blocking agent is administered. Therefore, a comprehensive review of the literature was performed to determine the potential benefits of quantitative monitoring in the perioperative setting.

The use of sugammadex in an infant with prolonged neuromuscular blockade - A case report -

Background: Residual neuromuscular blockade (RNMB) is a frequent event after general anesthesia, which can lead to serious complications, such as upper airway obstruction. Sugammadex is useful in reversing RNMB. However, its use in infants has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Therefore, anesthesiologists can be hesitant use it, even in situations where no other choice is available.Case: A two-month-old baby presented to the hospital for umbilical polypectomy. At the end of the surgery, neostigmine was administered. Even after waiting for 30 min and injecting an additional dose of neostigmine, neuromuscular blockade was not adequately reversed. Eventually, sugammadex was administered, and spontaneous breathing returned.Conclusions: If there were no particular causes of delayed return to spontaneous breathing in infants, RNMB should be considered and reversal with sugammadex would be useful.

THE RATE OF RESIDUAL NEUROMUSCULAR BLOCKADE AFTER LAPAROSCOPIC APPENDECTOMY SURGERY AT NGUYEN TRI PHUONG HOSPITAL

Introduction: In Vietnam, using a muscle accelerator to measure the TOF index to monitor residue neuromuscular blockade has not been performed routinely, extubation is mainly based on subjective clinical assessments. Methods: A cross-sectional study on 96 patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital, from November 2020 to May 2021. Objectives: The study was conducted with 2 objectives including (1) Determine the progression of TOF index at 7 time points: immediately after arriving in the recovery room, after extubation, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 120 minutes after extubation; (2) Determination of residual muscle relaxant rate of patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital. Results: The average TOF ≥ 0,9 index after laparoscopic appendectomy at the time of resuscitation was 88.11%, extubation was 90.53% and at 120 minutes after extubation. is 99.88%. Residual muscle relaxation after surgery when TOF index < 0.9. At the time of resuscitation, the highest residual rate of muscle relaxant accounted for 58.33%, followed by the time of extubation 39.58%, 15 minutes after extubation was 21.88%. Until 120 after extubation, there is no case that has residue neuromuscular blockade. Conclusion: Through the study results, it is necessary to monitor patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy with quantitative devices to more accurately assess the clinical index of muscle relaxation.

Residual Neuromuscular Block in HIV-Infected Young Patients: A Prospective Observational Study

Objectives: Avoidance of residual neuromuscular blockade (RNMB) is crucial to decrease anesthesia-related pulmonary complications. At present, no data are available for HIV-infected patients about the occurrence of RNMB. In this trial, we aim to investigate the incidence of RNMB in such patients. Methods: Data were prospectively collected on 45 normal and 45 HIV-infected patients (18-65 yr). The train-of-four stimulation (TOF-Watch SX) was used to evaluate the level of neuromuscular block from the induction of anesthesia to back to the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) by an assessor, but blind to the anesthesiologist. Primary endpoint was the presence of RNMB at PACU admission, defined as a train-of-four (TOF) ratio < 0.9. The onset time (from application of cisatracurium to maximum depression of T1), no reaction time (from zero of T1 to non-zero), and clinical duration (from application to 25% recovery of T1) were determined for each patient. Results: The incidence of RNMB was 37.5% in HIV- infected patients and 32.5% in normal patients (difference, 5%; 99% CI, −16% to 26 1%; p=0.815). The onset time was no different between two groups (4.05±0.88 min in HIV-infected group vs. 3.85±1.08 min in normal group (p=0.37)). The no reaction time was also similarly between two groups ( 49.83±3.81min in HIV-infected group vs. 48.98±5.12min in normal group (p=0.40)). The clinical duration was 53.78±3.05 min and 52.40±5.02 min in HIV-infected group and normal group, respectively (p=0.14). Conclusion: The odds of RNMB were not significantly different in HIV-infected young patients compared to normal persons.

The association between residual neuromuscular blockade (RNMB) and critical respiratory events: a prospective cohort study

Background Inadequate neuromuscular recovery might impair pulmonary function among adult patients who undergo general anaesthesia and might thus contribute to critical respiratory events in the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU). The pilot study aims to understand the baseline incidence of residual neuromuscular blockade (RNMB) and postoperative critical respiratory events (CREs), which are described in a modified Murphy’s criteria in the PACU. Method This is a prospective cohort study from January to March 2017 from a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia with thirty adult patients over 18 years old scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia with neuromuscular blocking drugs (NMBDs) who were enrolled in the study. The Mann-Whitney U tests, chi-square tests and independent-samples T tests were used. The train-of-four (TOF) ratios were measured upon arrival in the PACU by using acceleromyography with TOF-Scan. Subjects’ demographics, perioperative data and the occurrence of postoperative CREs in the PACU were recorded. Results Twenty-six (86.7%) patients out of thirty in the study have received rocuronium as NMBDs whilst neostigmine as a reversal drug with only 23 (76.7%). The incidence of RNMB (TOF ratio < 0.9) was in 16 patients (53.3%). The incidence of RNMB was significantly higher in female patients (p = 0.033), in patients who had not undergone quantitative neuromuscular monitoring before extubation (p = 0.046) and in patients with a shorter duration of surgery (p = 0.001). Postoperative CREs occurred in twenty patients (66.7%), and there were significantly more of these CREs among patients with RNMB (p = 0.001). In addition, a statistically significant difference was observed in the occurrence of CREs according to body mass index (p = 0.047). Conclusion This research showed that RNMB is a significant contributing factor to the development of critical respiratory events during PACU stay. Therefore, routine quantitative neuromuscular monitoring is recommended to reduce the incidence of RNMB.

The latest trend in neuromuscular monitoring: return of the electromyography

To reduce the risk of residual neuromuscular blockade, neuromuscular monitoring must be performed. Acceleromyography (AMG)-based neuromuscular monitoring was regarded as “clinical gold standard” and widely applied. However, issues related to patient’s posture and overestimation of train-of-four ratio associated with AMG-based neuromuscular monitoring have increased. Recently, electromyography (EMG)-based neuromuscular monitoring is receiving renewed attention, since it overcomes AMG’s weaknesses. However, both AMG-based and EMG-based systems are useful when certain considerations are followed. Ultimately, to assure the patient’s good outcomes, the choice of monitoring system is not as important as the monitoring itself, which should be always implemented in such patients.