[Anesthesia for video-assisted surgery of the thoracic and lumbar spine: a survey of 44 patients].
BACKGROUND
The development of video-assisted surgery of the dorsolumbar spine has led to the need for adaptations for appropriate anesthetic management. Data concerning anesthesia for such surgery is very sparse in the literature.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this retrospective study of 44 patients was to learn more about anesthesia practices used for patients undergoing this type of surgery.


METHODS
The files of 44 patients were studied retrospectively. Epidemiologic data and the perioperative phase were analysed.


RESULTS
The preoperative phase was not specific with preoperative assessment adapted to each patient. Similarly, monitoring practices during the surgical procedure were not specific. The choice of the anesthetic agents depended on the patient's clinical status. For tracheal intubation, care was taken to enable lung exclusion, even if not often used. Thoracic drainage at the end of the surgery was required in the event of imperfect hemostasis and in selected patients was replaced by pneumothorax exsufflation during closure. The postoperative period was uneventful and did not require admission to intensive care; non-specific analgesia was used.


CONCLUSIONS
Adaptations of anesthetic practices are required each time a new surgical technique is developed. Excepting lung exclusion, anesthesia for video-assisted dorsolumbar spine surgery is not specific.
Lile
A
A
Département d'anesthésie-réanimation, hôpital Général, CHU de Dijon, 3, rue du Faubourg-Raines, BP 1519, 21033 Dijon cedex, France.
Lenfant
F
F
Tapie
M-C
MC
Binnert
M
M
Seltzer
S
S
Messant
I
I
Beaurain
J
J
Freysz
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000379:methods*; D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation / Q000379:methods; D000771:Anesthesia, Intravenous / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*