Anesthetic Management of a Patient With Situs Inversus for Bilateral Orthotopic Lung Transplantation

A case report and anesthetic implications of situs inversus totalis in video-assisted thoracoscopic pulmonary resection

Introduction and importance

Reports are limited on video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for lung malignancy of patients with situs inversus totalis (SIT). Patients with SIT have significant anatomic differences with implications that are important for surgery, anesthesia, and nursing to understand in order to provide care for this patient population.

Case presentation

A 64-year-old man with SIT and lung adenocarcinoma needed flexible bronchoscopy and wedge resection of a 9×8 mm adenocarcinoma in the right upper lobe and underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

Clinical discussion

Preoperative planning, including collaboration with the surgical team, allowed safe monitoring, induction of anesthesia, and airway isolation in this patient allowing them to have successful resection of their pulmonary malignancy. Postoperative care was enhanced by detailed communication and understanding of the patient's anatomy and implications of this condition for post anesthesia care unit nursing care.

Conclusion

Patients with rare clinical conditions and backgrounds may require surgical and anesthetic intervention. The authors describe important anesthetic considerations of preoperative evaluation, airway management, cardiac monitoring, and vascular access that should be noted and taken into account for patients with SIT. Proper preparation, planning, and communication allow for patients with SIT to safely undergo surgical procedures.

Result and technique consideration of radiofrequency catheter ablation of tachycardia in patients with dextrocardia

BACKGROUND

Patients with tachycardia, in the context of pre-existing dextrocardia, could benefit from catheter ablation. However, anatomical complexities hinder effective conduct of this procedure. We aimed to retrospectively summarize the clinical characteristics and the safety and efficiency, and recommended the technique considerations.

METHODS

Twenty-one cases from 19 patients with tachycardia and dextrocardia, who underwent catheter ablation between 2009 and 2021, were enrolled. All patients underwent echocardiography and computed tomography (CT) to confirm the anatomical malformations. Transseptal puncture was guided by fluoroscopy or intracardiac echocardiography when left atrial access was necessary and the ablation process was guided by three-dimensional mapping.

RESULTS

Six cases exhibited situs solitus while nine cases exhibited situs inversus. Fourteen cases had atrial fibrillation, seven had atrial flutter, and two had atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT); two cases had combined atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. Acute success was achieved in 18 cases (85.7%, 18/21). The three-dimensional mapping system was not employed in the three cases which failed. During long-term follow-up (20.71 ± 21.86 months), eight cases (72.7%, 8/11) of atrial fibrillation with dextrocardia successfully attained sinus rhythm. None of AVRT cases had recurrence. Half of the atrial flutter cases with dextrocardia, especially those with a history of surgical correction for cardiac malformations, underwent recurrence. One case had cardiac tamponade.

CONCLUSIONS

Catheter ablation for tachycardia patients with dextrocardia, is safe, efficient, and feasible. It is imperative to integrate echocardiography, cardiac computer tomography, and three-dimensional mapping, and apply three-dimensional reconstruction to facilitate the success of catheter ablation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.