Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and anesthesia: a case series and review of the literature

Remimazolam Sedation and Neuraxial Anesthesia in a Patient with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Undergoing an Open Colectomy: A Case Report

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease involving the upper and lower motor neurons. Perioperative management of patients with ALS can be challenging due to the risk of hemodynamic instability, aspiration, and ventilatory failure. We discuss a 58-year-old male patient with ALS who underwent open abdominal surgery under regional anesthesia utilizing a remimazolam infusion for sedation. While various sedation agents have been used successfully in patients with ALS, remimazolam, a new short-acting benzodiazepine with unique pharmacologic properties and reversible anxiolysis, provides amnesia while avoiding ventilatory depression.

Laparoscopically assisted percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy performed for remnant stomach in patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a case report

BACKGROUND

Although percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) offers better access to the gastrointestinal system, in patients with previous abdominal surgery, PEG can be unsuccessful. Laparoscopically assisted percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (LAPEG) is indicated for such patients. However, patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be more susceptible to anesthesia-related complications than other patients, requiring the indications for LAPEG, along with perioperative management, to be considered carefully.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 70-year-old, male patient with ALS was referred to our hospital for a gastrostomy for progressive dysphagia. He had undergone an open distal gastrectomy for gastric ulcer perforation in his twenties. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy denied the transillumination sign and focal finger invagination. Because the risk of respiratory complications caused by general anesthesia was not considered serious, the decision was made to perform a LAPEG. Under careful, intraoperative airway management and neuromuscular monitoring, adhesiolysis was performed to increase mobility of the remnant stomach. A gastrostomy tube was inserted through the abdominal wall and into the remnant stomach under laparoscopic and endoscopic guidance. The patient was discharged in stable condition on postoperative day 3 without any respiratory complications.

CONCLUSIONS

LAPEG was able to be performed in a patient with ALS with a previous gastrectomy. A perioperative team comprised of neurologists, endoscopists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses who are fully conversant with ALS must be assembled to deal with potentially complex medical issues related to the procedure and anesthetic and perioperative management.

Neuraxial and Regional Anesthesia in a Patient With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Case Report

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who undergo lower extremity joint arthroplasty are rarely encountered. Patients with ALS are at an increased risk for perioperative anesthetic complications. Anesthetic techniques, regional or general, present different risks to patients with ALS. The historical concern of worsening pre-existing neurologic symptoms with regional anesthesia is being re-examined in light of emerging evidence supporting its use in patients with ALS. Here, we present the successful perioperative management of a patient with severe bulbar ALS undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Despite his advanced bulbar symptoms, he was independently ambulatory with severe knee pain related to osteoarthritis. During multidisciplinary planning with the patient and his wife, it became clear that his primary perioperative concern was avoiding intubation, prolonged ventilation, and tracheostomy placement. With this in mind, we planned for a neuraxial anesthetic without intraoperative sedation, a postoperative adductor canal peripheral nerve block, and multimodal non-opioid analgesia. There were no perioperative complications. At the six-week follow-up, he experienced improved ambulation and showed no signs of worsened ALS symptoms.

Mapping the current evidence on the anesthetic management of adult patients with neuromuscular disorders-a scoping review

PURPOSE

Patients with neuromuscular disorders (NMDs) are at increased risk of perioperative complications. The objective of this scoping review was to examine emerging evidence from published studies, case reports, and review articles on anesthetic management of patients with NMDs, following the methodological frame for scoping reviews.

SOURCES

We searched PubMed and EMBASE for articles published between 1 January 2000 and 14 July 2021.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Three prospective and 21 retrospective studies on altered pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) in NMD patients were included. Furthermore, 168 case reports/series reporting 212 anesthetics in 197 patients were included. These studies showed that preanesthetic neuromuscular monitoring can be used for precise NMBA dosing in myasthenia gravis patients. Sugammadex was associated with fewer postoperative myasthenic crises. Perioperative complications were not associated with specific anesthetic agents. Case reports/series showed that in 32% (67/212) of anesthetics, at least one complication was reported. Unexpected intensive care unit admission was a frequently reported complication. Patients with a complicated disease course may have had a higher use of succinylcholine (unadjusted relative risk, 0.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.20 to 0.86) and volatile anesthetics (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.38; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.73; P = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

Evidence on the anesthetic management and perioperative complications of patients with NMDs is mainly based on small retrospective studies and case reports. Further clinical trials or large retrospective studies are required to investigate the choice of safe anesthetic agents. Main areas of interest are the potential benefits of neuromuscular monitoring and sugammadex and the risks possibly associated with volatile anesthetics and succinylcholine.

Perioperative management of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A narrative review

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or motor neuron disease, is an uncommon progressive neurological disorder. Professionals working in the perioperative field may encounter patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis only rarely. The relevant published literature on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is broad in scope, but a contemporary review focused on the perioperative period is absent. This structured narrative review seeks to provide a summary of the contemporary management of patients and then focuses on eliciting if there are perioperative management considerations specific to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis that can be optimised. A comprehensive structured narrative literature review, including grey literature searching, indicated worsening ventilatory failure is of prime concern but that patients may present with a broad range of neurological symptoms, and that cardiovascular and cognitive dysfunction specific to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may exist and be occult. Exacerbation of neuromuscular weakness during the perioperative period is multifaceted and requires the application of a high standard of the core principles of surgical and anaesthetic management of neuromuscular disease. Standard perioperative approaches require rigorous attention and potential exists for significant alteration. There is a potential high risk of postoperative increased morbidity from neurological decline and mortality from pulmonary complications. A meticulous approach to planning preoperative assessment, shared decision-making, intraoperative and postoperative care is required.

Stress load and neurodegeneration after gastrostomy tube placement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients

Dysphagia and progressive swallowing problems due to motoneuron death is one of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) symptoms. Malnutrition and body weight loss result in immunological disturbances, fatigability and increase risk of secondary complications in ALS patients, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG) placement representing a well-recognized method for malnutrition correction and potentially increasing life expectancy. However, despite nutritional correction, occasional rapid neurological deterioration may develop after PEG placement. We have hypothesized that this decline can be a result of exteroceptive stress during PEG placement and promote neurodegeneration in ALS patients. Intravenous sedation may decrease stress during invasive procedures and it is safe during PEG placement in ALS patients. The aim of the study was comparing different PEG placement protocols of anesthesia (local anesthesia or local anesthesia plus intravenous sedation) in ALS from perspectives of stress load and neurological deterioration profile. During 1.5 years 94 ALS patients were admitted; gastrostomy was performed in 79 patients. After screening according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, 30 patients were included in the prospective consecutive study. All patients were divided in two groups, with local anesthesia and with combination of local anesthesia and intravenous sedation. Routine biochemical indices, neurodegeneration and stress markers were measured. The age of ALS patients was 61 ± 10 years; 20 patients were included at stage 4A and 10 at stage 4B (King's College staging). PEG was placed at average14 months after the diagnosis and 2.2 years after first symptoms. Mean ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised was 27.8, mean forced vital capacity of lung 46.3% (19-91%). After one year of observation only 8 patients survived. Mean life duration after PEG was 5 months (5 days-20 months). Comparison of two PEG placement protocols did not reveal differences in survival time, stress load and inflammation level. Higher saliva cortisol levels, serum cortisol, glucose, C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 were detected after PEG placement, confirming considerable stress response. PEG is a stressful factor for ALS patients, PEG placement representing a natural model of exteroceptive stress. Stress response was detected as increased cortisol, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and glucose levels. Intravenous sedation did not increase the risk of PEG placement procedure, however, sedation protocol did not affect stress load.

Massive Incidental Pneumoperitoneum in an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patient

In this report, we present the case of a 61-year-old male patient diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), who presented to the ER with worsening shortness of breath, several hours following elective percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement. During his hospitalization, he was diagnosed with massive pneumoperitoneum, a potential complication of such procedures. We aim to provide a general overview of this condition and to discuss the special considerations in the treatment of ALS.

Immediate postoperative non-invasive positive pressure ventilation following midface microvascular free flap reconstruction

Background

There is a rare need for postoperative non‐invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) following microvascular reconstruction of the head and neck. In midface reconstruction, the free flap vascular pedicle is especially vulnerable to the compressive forces of positive pressure delivery.

Case

A 60 year old female with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) presented with squamous cell carcinoma of the anterior maxilla, for which she underwent infrastructure maxillectomy and fibula free flap reconstruction. To avoid tracheotomy, the patient was extubated postoperatively and transitioned to NIPPV immediately utilizing a full‐face positive pressure mask with a soft and flexible sealing layer. The patient was successfully transitioned to NIPPV immediately after extubation. The free flap exhibited no signs of vascular compromise postoperatively, and healed very well.

Conclusion

Postoperative non‐invasive positive pressure ventilation can be successfully applied following complex microvascular midface reconstruction to avoid tracheotomy in select patients without vascular compromise of the free flap.

Robot-assisted total gastrectomy for gastric cancer in a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis receiving long-term tracheostomy invasive ventilation

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease. Although affected patients may develop cancers, major surgical intervention has been hampered by its questionable overall benefit due to limited prognosis and risk of postoperative respiratory collapse. A recent study, however, showed that tracheostomy invasive ventilation (TIV) prolonged median survival to 11.3 years; thus, patients with ALS receiving TIV might benefit from major surgery. A 66-year-old man with ALS, who had received TIV and enteral tube feeding for 8 years, presented with bloody stool. The patient also had type 2 diabetes mellitus, stage 4 chronic kidney disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and anti-phospholipid syndrome, as well as multiple episodes of pneumonia and catheter-related urinary tract infection treated by antibiotics. Medical examination and esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a type 3 tumor in the middle part of the stomach. The patient's preoperative diagnosis was gastric cancer (GC), MU, type3, Less-Post, T3(SS), N1, H0, P0, M0, cStage III. The estimated mortality rate was 30.5%, according to the Japanese National Clinical Database. The patient and his family were fully informed of the risk of surgery; the patient clearly requested curative surgery by eye movement. Thus, robot-assisted total gastrectomy (RATG) was performed. The tissues were extremely fragile and hemorrhagic. The surgical time was 7 h 0 min; intraoperative blood loss was 324 ml. Pathological examination revealed GC, MU, type3, T4a(SE), N2, H0, CY0, P0, M0 fStage IIIB. The postoperative course was uneventful. He has remained in stable condition for 3 months. Our findings suggest that patients with ALS who achieve longer survival with TIV can undergo major cancer surgery, including robot-assisted surgery, which may facilitate a better mid-long-term prognosis.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13691-021-00499-7.

Perioperative Pulmonary Optimization With Average Volume-Assured Pressure Support of a Pediatric Patient With Ullrich Congenital Muscular Dystrophy: A Case Report

Patients with preexisting respiratory compromise are at risk for perioperative respiratory failure. Adult literature has shown benefit with prophylactic postoperative use of noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV). While pediatric literature has documented the increasing use of postoperative NIMV, there is no literature on prophylactic preoperative NIMV in patients with preexisting respiratory compromise. Further, surgical literature does not address preoperative prophylactic use of NIMV, as well as use of the newest modality of NIMV, average volume-assured pressure support (AVAPS). Here, we describe the first report of pre- and postoperative use of AVAPS in a pediatric patient with respiratory compromise from Ullrich disease.

[Anesthesia for patients suffering from neuromuscular diseases]

Neuromuscular diseases (NMD) are a heterogeneous group of motor unit disorders. Common to all is the main clinical symptom of muscle weakness. Depending on entity and phenotype, a broad range of disorders of neuronal, junctional or myocytic structures occurs. In addition to a weakness of the skeletal musculature, NMD can also affect throat musculature, respiratory and heart muscles. The possible consequences are immobility, deformities, tendency to aspiration as well as respiratory and cardiac insufficiency. In the context of surgery and anesthesia, complications that can result from the underlying disease and its interaction with anesthesia must be anticipated and averted. This article describes along the treatment pathway how preoperative evaluation, choice of the anesthetic procedure and postoperative care can be effectively and safely tailored to the needs of patients with NMD. Concise and practical recommendations for carrying out anesthesia for the most important NMDs are presented as well as relevant external sources of practice recommendations.

Comorbidity of Cervical Spondylogenic Myelopathy and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: When Electromyography Makes the Difference in Diagnosis

Cervical spondylogenic myelopathy (CSM) represents a common differential diagnosis for spinal onset Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Identifying occurrence of ALS in patients with CSM may be challenging. We evaluated the accuracy of Awaji criteria in the diagnosis of ALS in a cohort of patients with CSM. We screened all patients attending Turin ALS Center during the 2006-2018 period. We selected only patients for whom cervical cord MRI showed radiological signs of CSM. All patients underwent electromyography (EMG), and Awaji criteria were used for diagnosis of clinically probable ALS. All patients were followed up clinically for at least 6 months, and ALS diagnosis was eventually confirmed according to El-Escorial revised criteria, based on disease progression. Of 2,059 patients screened, in 42 cases, MRI showed signs of CSM; CSM incidence and prevalence risks were 0.16 and 2.04%, respectively. Based on clinical progression, 72.7% of patients were diagnosed as CSM and 27.3% as CSM + ALS. At EMG 6 (18.2%) patients fulfilled the criteria for ALS, 5 of them (83.3%) during clinical follow-up were diagnosed as clinical definite ALS + CSM. Accuracy of Awaji criteria in diagnosing ALS was good (AUC = 0.757, p = 0.03). Sensitivity and specificity of Awaji criteria were, respectively, 55.6 and 95.8%. Positive predictive value was 83.3%, while negative predictive value was 85.2%. CSM-ALS comorbidity is a relatively common problem in clinical practice. To better choose patients who could benefit from surgery, EMG should be performed in CSM patients, due to its good accuracy in recognizing ALS.

Assisted Breathing with a Diaphragm Pacing System: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

Patients with respiratory failure associated with neurological dysfunction often require mechanical ventilator support, which poses increased economic burden and ventilator-associated complications. A diaphragm pacing system (DPS) is an implanted device that provides respiratory support for such patients. In this systematic review, we reviewed the literature to assess the safety and efficacy of DPS for patients with respiratory failure resulting from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or cervical spinal cord injuries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The following databases were searched from July 10 to July 30, 2018: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochran library, KoreaMed, Research Information Sharing Service, Korean studies Information Service System, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, and Korean Medical database. The abstracts and full texts of the searched articles were reviewed by two reviewers.

RESULTS

The search keywords generated 197 articles: two randomized controlled trials, two case-control studies, and one case report involving patients with ALS; one cohort study, one case-control study, and two case reports involving patients with cervical spine injury; and one case report involving patients with both conditions were included. The primary outcome was safety profile (complications and adverse event) and efficacy (overall survival and sleep improvement). Complications and adverse events were more common in patients with ALS and spinal cord injury receiving DPS than in controls. Efficacy outcomes were inconsistent across ALS studies.

CONCLUSION

Based on safety and efficacy results, we do not support using DPS to manage respiratory failure in patients with ALS or cervical spine injury.

Spinal Anesthesia for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patient Undergoing Lower Extremity Orthopedic Surgery: An Overview of the Anesthetic Considerations

Background

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disease primarily affecting the upper and lower motor neurons. Patients present with a variety of clinical manifestations inevitably resulting in death secondary to respiratory insufficiency from muscle weakness and consequential pulmonary complications. Despite the lack of universal consensus on the ideal anesthetic approach to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients undergoing lower extremity total joint surgery, there are few noteworthy anesthetic considerations in this cohort.

Case Report

A 75-year-old male with multiple medical comorbidities, including a recent diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, presented to a large academic medical center for a right total hip arthroplasty revision. The patient’s preoperative neurologic examination demonstrated brisk deep tendon reflexes, visible fasciculations of lower extremities, and motor weakness of upper and lower extremities. Serology demonstrated an elevated creatine kinase, and an electromyography study showed active denervation in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral regions. After a careful risk-benefit analysis was performed, involving a multidisciplinary team approach, the patient successfully underwent the surgical procedure with a spinal anesthetic and minimal sedation. Perioperative course was unremarkable, and there were no neurologic complications in the first 6 months after surgery.

Conclusion

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis present unique challenges for anesthesia providers. General anesthesia may potentially worsen respiratory function; therefore, alternative methods to avoiding airway manipulation should be considered. Conversely, regional techniques may carry the risk of exacerbating pre-existing neurologic symptoms. Currently, no definite guidelines exist on the perioperative anesthetic management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients; ultimately, the decision to perform regional anesthesia should be based on analyzing a patient’s risk against the potential benefits.

Paravertebral block for radiologically inserted gastrostomy tube placement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

INTRODUCTION

Radiologically inserted gastrostomy (RIG) placement in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) carries risks related to periprocedural sedation and analgesia. To minimize these risks, we used a paravertebral block (PVB) technique for RIG placement.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed patients with ALS undergoing RIG placement under PVB between 2013 and 2017.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine patients with ALS underwent RIG placement under PVB. Median (range) age was 66 (28 to 86) years, ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised score was 27 (6 to 45), and forced vital capacity was 47% (8%-79%) at time of RIG placement. Eighty-five (85.9%) patients underwent RIG placement as outpatients, with a mean postanesthesia care unit stay of 2.3 hours. The readmission rate was 4% at both 1 and 30 days postprocedure.

DISCUSSION

PVB for RIG placement has a low rate of adverse events and provides effective periprocedural analgesia in patients with ALS, the majority of whom can be treated as outpatients.