CJA
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a scholarly reply
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Klopfenstein, C. E.
Right arrow Articles by Forster, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Klopfenstein, C. E.
Right arrow Articles by Forster, A.

Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 42, 523-525, Copyright © 1995 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

ARTICLES

Laparoscopic extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair complicated by subcutaneous emphysema

CE Klopfenstein, G Gaggero, C Mamie, P Morel and A Forster
Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland.

The case of a healthy 59-yr-old man who underwent elective laparoscopic extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair and general anaesthesia is presented. After one hour of surgery, a sudden increase in the FETCO2 from 5.0% to 9.4% in relation to a massive subcutaneous emphysema, but without any haemodynamic instability, was noticed. The acute rise of FETCO2 was the first sign of an abnormal event. Nevertheless, subcutaneous emphysema was diagnosed with chest wall examination and palpation. Subcutaneous emphysema and hypercarbia are potential complications of laparoscopic surgery, but are more likely to occur in extraperitoneal surgery, since insufflated CO2 can diffuse easily into the surrounding tissues. High insufflation pressures will increase chances of this occurring and was the most likely cause of this complication. This case encouraged us to make recommendations for the management of laparoscopic extraperitoneal surgery which included: monitoring of CO2 insufflation pressure, routine examination and palpation of chest wall, use of N2O with caution, adjusting ventilation to physiological FETCO2 and excluding other causes of subcutaneous emphysema and hypercarbia.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Obstet GynecolHome page
C. M. MURDOCK, A. J. WOLFF, and T. VAN GEEM
Risk Factors for Hypercarbia, Subcutaneous Emphysema, Pneumothorax, and Pneumomediastinum During Laparoscopy
Obstet. Gynecol., May 1, 2000; 95(5): 704 - 709.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Anesth. Analg.Home page
C. P. Harkin, E. W. Sommerhaug, and K. L. Mayer
An Unexpected Complication During Laparoscopic Herniorrhaphy
Anesth. Analg., December 1, 1999; 89(6): 1576 - 1576.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1995 by the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society.