Orthopedics Flashcards
Bone cement
- polymethylmethacrylate (MMA) cement fills in gaps in bone and binds firmly to prosthetic device
Signs and symptoms of Bone cement implantation syndrome
- hypoxia (due to increased pulmonary shunt)
- hypotension
- dysrhythmias (heart block and sinus arrest)
- pulmonary HTN (due to increased PVR)
- decreased cardiac output
** When is embolization most frequent during orthopedic surgery?
- prosthetic insertion
How do you minimize the effects of bone cement (MMA)?
- increase inspired O2 prior to MMA
- maintain euvolemia
- vasopressor PRN
- Surgical methods (vent distal femur, high pressure lavage of femoral shaft)
What type of reaction causes bone cement to harden?
- exothermic reaction.
Complications associated with bone cement
- embolization of fat, bone marrow, cement and air into femoral venous channels
- residual MMA monomer produces vasodilation and decreases SVR
- tissue thromboplastin release may cause platelet aggregation, microthrombus into lungs and CV instability
Pneumatic tourniquets
- used on upper and lower extremities to create bloodless field and minimize blood loss.
What 7 problems are associated with pneumatic tourniquets?
- hemodynamic changes
- pain
- metabolic changes
- arterial thromboembolism
- pulmonary embolism
- muscle and nerve injury
- limb cooling
What hemodynamic changes are associated with pneumatic tourniquets?
- exsanguination of limb shifts blood volume to central circulation
- cuff inflation: decreased core temperature, increased HR
- prolonged cuff inflation (45-60 minutes): HTN, tachycardia, sympathetic stimulation, sweating
- cuff deflation: decreased CVP, decreased MAP
Tourniquet pain
- severe aching and burning after several minutes
- supplemental analgesia required
- ** slow conduction C-fibers are most affected
- pain less common if regional anesthesia is used
Metabolic changes associated with tourniquets
- metabolic waste products accumulate in the tissue
- cuff deflation causes rapid wash out of waste products
- increased PaCO2, etCO2, serum lactate, potassium
- increased minute volume in spontaneous breathing patients
- dysrhythmias
- reperfusion injuries from free radical formation
What cuff pressures should you use to inflate a tourniquet?
- typically cuff pressure is 100 torr above systolic pressure
- upper extremity: 250 torr
- lower extremity: 350 torr
Why does having the tourniquet inflated cause metabolic changes?
- extremity switches to anaerobic metabolism
- vasculature in the extremity will vasodilate
When is a tourniquet contraindicated?
- in an extremity with calcified arteries
Tourniquet ischemia, especially of the lower extremity, can lead to ____________
- deep venous thrombosis
Muscle and nerve injury associated with tourniquet use
- prolonged inflation (> 2 hours) can cause transient muscular injury, permanent nerve injury and rhabdomylosis
Who is responsible for monitoring tourniquet time?
- anesthetist
Fat embolism syndrome - triad of symptoms
- dyspnea
- confusion
- petechiae (chest, upper extremities, axillary and conjunctiva).
What is the classic timeframe for presentation of fat embolism syndrome?
- within 72 hours of long bone or pelvic fracture
What types of injuries and procedures are associated with fat embolism syndrome?
- long bone fractures
- CPR
- liposuction
- IV lipids
Fat embolism syndrome is ___________ and ____________.
- less frequent
- more fatal (10-20%)
Fat embolism syndrome - pathophysiology
- fat globules are released by disrupted fat cells in fractured bone and enter circulation through tears in medullary vessel
- increased fatty acid levels are toxic to capillary-alveolar membrane
- causes release of vasoactive amines and prostaglandins
- progresses to ARDS, cerebral capillary damage, edema
What 2 coagulation abnormalities are associated with fat embolism syndrome?
- thrombocytopenia
- prolonged clothing times
What changes will you see in a patient with fat embolism syndrome who is under general anesthesia?
- decline in etCO2 and SpO2
- increase in pulmonary artery pressure
Fat embolism syndrome - treatment
- supportive
What are 6 risk factors for deep vein thrombosis and PE?
- age > 60 years
- obesity
- tourniquet
- procedures > 30 minutes
- lower extremity fracture
- immobilization > 4 days
What patients are at highest risk for DVT and PE?
- patients having knee or hip replacements
- ** TKA has the highest risk of all **
- patients over 70
DVT and PE - pathophysiology
- venous stasis
- hypercoagulability from inflammation
- highest incidence in patients over 70
DVT/PE and neuraxial anesthesia
- can reduce risk of DVT and PE
- sympathectomy that is induced actually INCREASES in venous blood flow
- local anesthetics have anti-inflammatory effects
- decreased platelet activity
- decreased rise in factor VIII and Von Willebrand factor
- less decrease in antithrombin III
- less stress hormone release
Neuraxial anesthesia and prophylactic anticoagulation
- risk of spinal or epidural hematoma formation after neuraxial anesthesia in patients who have been given mini-dose heparin or LMWH
- placement of epidural needle or catheter (or removal) should not be done within 6-8 hours of a SQ mini-dose of heparin or 12-24 LMWH
- do not place or removal an epidural needle or catheter in a fully anticoagulated patient
- antiplatelet drugs increase risk of spinal hematoma
Joint manipulation - management
- IV agents with short duration
- general preferred to regional
- can use LMA, mask or ETT
- profound relaxation allows surgeon to distinguish anatomical limitations from patient guarding
- muscle relaxant, succinlycholine or rocuronium may be needed
Closed reduction - management
- usually brief, but can become prolonged
- percutaneous pins
- x-ray/fluoro
- casting/splinting
Predictors of perioperative mortality in patients with hip fractures
- age > 85 years
- history of cancer
- baseline/preoperative alteration in neuro status
- postoperative chest infection
- postoperative wound infection
Hip fractures - regional anesthesia
- hypobaric technique utilized to keep patient off of fracture
- reduces risk of DVT/PE
- reduces blood loss
- quicker return to baseline neurological status
What is the mortality rate associated with hip fractures?
- 10% during initial hospitalization
- 25% in first year following surgery
What are 2 reasons that you would delay repair of a hip fracture?
- coagulopathy
- uncompensated heart failure
Hip fractures - general anesthesia
- consider arterial line and large bore IV for larger fractures
- short acting drugs
- use lower solubility agents
- minimize postoperative cognitive impairment
Arthroscopy
- done to examine interior of joint with endoscope and obtain definitive diagnosis
Arthroscopy - benefits
- less EBL
- less post-operative pain
- less rehab time
Arthroscopy - anesthesia management
- based on joint location, position of patient and tourniquet utilization
- can do general, neuraxial or regional anesthesia
- use LMA for knees and wrists
- use ETT for shoulders
- elbow airway management depends on the position of patient
- pain management: toradol and/or IV Tylenol
- intraarticular injection of bupivacaine and duramorph provide pain relief for early ambulation
What are the indications for a total hip arthroplasty?
- osteoarthritis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- vascular necrosis (from injury or drug abuse)
Total hip arthroplasty - intraoperative management
- position: lateral decubitus
- use of bone cement (MMA)
- DVT/PE prophylaxis
- blood loss: 400-1500 mL, 2000 mL for revisions (have PRBC available, 2 IVs, cell saver or autologous blood donation, regional may be advantageous)
- prevent heat loss
- consider spinal opioids for postoperative pain control
Total knee arthroplasty - intraoperative management
- similar patient population and consideration as hips
- duration: shorter than hip arthroplasty
- EBL: 100-200 mL during surgery due to tourniquet use, more blood loss in 24 hours postoperatively
- less bone cement syndrome than hip
- release of tourniquet can release emboli and increase hypotension (check BP after tourniquet goes down)
- partial knee replacement less invasive but not always shorter duration
- early mobilization
- consider epidural for bilateral total knee arthroplasty
Upper extremity surgery
- can be done open or arthroscopic
- positioning: sitting (beach chair) or lateral decubitus
- consider interscalene block of brachial plexus (very good for pain 80% of time)
Forearm/hand surgery - anesthesia considerations
- length of procedure
- tourniquet use
- consider Bier block or axillary block
- general is best option for lengthy procedures with LMA or ETT
Foot/ankle surgery - anesthesia considerations
- excellent candidates for regional anesthesia
- nerve blocks with IV sedation
- tourniquet use
- LMA with local injection for postoperative pain control
Amputations/re-implantations - anesthesia considerations
- careful attention to positioning
- maintain body temperature (want vasodilation)
- Avoid pain, hypotension, hypovolemia (anything that produces vasospasm or vasoconstriction)
- regulate fluids-go heavier to hemodilute
- maintain blood flow (avoid vasoconstrictors, optimal Hct 28-30%)
- –If you must use a vasoconstrictor, use ephedrine r/t less peripheral vasoconstriction than phenylephrine
- – Dextran or heparin infusion post-op
Interscalene block
- targets brachial plexus TRUNKS (upper arm and shoulder)
- avoid in patients with compromised respiratory status
- risks: pneumothorax, epidural/spinal/arterial injection
- 100% phrenic nerve block on ipsilateral side
- may see Horner’s syndrome, hoarseness (RLN involvement), decreased chest wall sensation
Supraclavicular block
- targets brachial plexus DIVISIONS (upper and lower arms)
- risks: pneumothorax, vocal cord palsy
- 50% phrenic nerve block