Neuropathic Pain due to Neurofibromatosis Treated With Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation in a Pregnant Patient: A Case Report A patient with neurofibromatosis type 1 presented to the pain clinic with neuropathic pain. Thoracolumbar magnetic resonance imagining revealed meningocele T12–L2 with cauda equina distortion. After becoming pregnant, the patient interrupted opioid treatment, refusing pharmacological treatment until the pain became unbearable. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) was proposed. The patient used this treatment from the first trimester until month 6 postpartum, achieving good analgesia without any adverse effects for the mother or child. TENS may be a viable treatment for neuropathic pain (NP) during pregnancy. However, more data are needed due to the difficulty of conducting clinical trials in this population.

Erector Spinae Plane Blocks in Major Hepatopancreaticobiliary Surgery: A Case Series Hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) surgery is major upper abdominal surgery with considerable risk of pulmonary complications related to postoperative pain. While epidural analgesia remains an effective analgesic technique for upper abdominal surgery, HPB surgery poses challenges to its use due to coagulopathy. Erector spinae plane (ESP) blocks are a promising alternative to epidurals. Injection of local anesthetic deep to the erector spinae muscle plane and placement of a catheter for prolonged effect provide both somatic and visceral analgesia for both thoracic and abdominal surgery. We describe a series of 3 cases that illustrate the efficacy of ESP blocks after major HPB surgery.

Continuous Intravenous Lidocaine as an Effective Pain Adjunct for Opioid-Induced Bowel Dysfunction: A Case Report This case study describes a patient with suspected opioid-induced bowel dysfunction who had improved pain control when treated with intravenous (IV) lidocaine. An 80-year-old man with failed back surgery syndrome managed with an intrathecal (IT) pump presented with protracted abdominal pain. The acute pain service initiated a lidocaine infusion at 1 mg·min−1, and the patient reported significant pain relief. The patient experienced refractory abdominal pain with 3 attempts to wean the lidocaine infusion. Eventually, a successful transitional regimen was achieved with methylnaltrexone and transdermal lidocaine patches. Lidocaine infusions may be an effective and underutilized multimodal adjunct for nonsurgical pain conditions.

Suture Catheter for Rescue Perineural Catheter Placement When Unable to Position a Conventional Through-the-Needle Catheter: A Case Report The main purported benefit of suture-style catheters is the ability to secure the catheter at 2 sites, thereby decreasing the likelihood of catheter dislodgement. An additional benefit is the ability to precisely control the placement of the orifice to infuse local anesthetic. Here we present the case of a patient undergoing open ankle surgery for whom placement of a conventional through-the-needle popliteal sciatic perineural catheter for postoperative analgesia was attempted. Despite multiple attempts, the catheter repeatedly advanced beyond the nerve. Placement of a suture catheter was then attempted, and the catheter was successfully placed on the first attempt.

Catastrophic Intracardiac Thrombosis During Emergency Repair of an Expanding Aortic Pseudoaneurysm: A Case Report Catastrophic thrombosis is a rare but frequently fatal event following complex cardiac surgery. It is most often encountered following separation from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and reversal of heparin anticoagulation, and somewhat paradoxically, at the time when bleeding from post-CPB coagulopathy is being treated. We report the case of a 41-year-old female taken to the operating room for repair of an expanding ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm. Following a prolonged operation, she developed intracardiac thrombus during transfusion of hemostatic blood products and procoagulant agents. Potential contributing factors are discussed.

Anesthesia in the Form of Audiovisual Distraction for a Child Requiring Surgery With End-Stage Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report Anesthetizing children with extreme cardiopulmonary illness can be especially challenging. In adults, a host of alternatives to general anesthesia for the labile patient are available, However, in children, these techniques may be challenging due to a lack of patient cooperation. Distraction techniques have been successfully used to reduce procedural pain. The patient whose case is reported here required surgery for inguinal hernia repair after repeated bowel incarceration. Due to severe end-stage cardiomyopathy, the risk of general anesthesia was deemed excessive. Distraction was used to usher the patient through an awake caudal block for avoidance of general anesthesia.

Bilateral Cavernous Sinus Syndrome, Pituitary Macroadenoma, and Postoperative Loss of Vision: A Case Report Postoperative vision loss is a rare complication. When visual loss does occur, it is rarely associated with ophthalmoplegia. We report a case of postoperative bilateral visual field deficits with concomitant complete bilateral ophthalmoplegia in a patient with a known pituitary macroadenoma after surgical excision of a small cell carcinoma of the bladder. Emergency postoperative imaging showed that the macroadenoma had increased in size and was associated with new right optic nerve edema. The patient underwent urgent excision of the macroadenoma 5 days after the onset of symptoms. Visual field deficits and associated ophthalmoplegia had completely resolved at 3-month follow-up.

Atrioesophageal Fistula After Radiofrequency Ablation Presenting With Status Epilepticus: A Case Report Radiofrequency (RF) ablation for atrial fibrillation is commonly performed. Atrioesophageal fistulas are an uncommon complication of RF ablation and can present with status epilepticus due to an extensive vascular air embolus. Initial treatment may require a high level of suspicion of this rare occurrence to help prevent further injury and increase the likelihood of a meaningful recovery.

A Safe Method for Performing an Epidural Blood Patch in a Pediatric Patient Requiring Deep Sedation for Epidural Catheter Placement: A Case Report A 17-year-old boy developed postdural puncture headache after several lumbar punctures (LPs) for intrathecal chemotherapy. The pediatric anesthesiology service was consulted for an epidural blood patch (EBP). Sedation was required for the LPs, which made performing an EBP problematic because of the need for the patient to be conscious and able to report symptoms during injection of blood. An epidural catheter was placed after the next LP while the patient was sedated. After he woke up, blood was injected through the catheter and the headache resolved. This technique can be used in pediatric patients requiring deep sedation for an EBP.

Absence of Adverse Neurological Outcomes in a Non-Neurologically Injured Polytrauma Patient Despite Extreme and Prolonged Treatment-Resistant Hypotension: A Case Report Temporary hypotension after severe trauma might help achieve hemostasis and increase the chances of survival. However, excessive hypotension can lead to adverse neurological sequelae or be fatal. The relationship between the degree of hypotension and neurological prognosis after trauma is not fully understood. Our report describes a patient with severe trauma who survived with a favorable neurological outcome despite extreme and prolonged treatment-resistant hypotension.