Metatropic dysplasia-a skeletal dysplasia with challenging airway and other anesthetic concerns

Severe Multilevel Tracheal Stenosis with Significant Twisting in a Patient with Spondylometaphyseal Dysplasia: A Case Report

Spondylometaphyseal dysplasia (SMD) is a rare genetic disorder affecting skeletal growth and development presenting anesthesiologists with many perioperative challenges. We present a case of a patient found to have multilevel tracheal stenosis due to twisting and folding of his trachea. This was discovered on imaging during a research review of SMD cases at our institution. Structural and functional abnormalities of the trachea have not been reported in SMD. This is the first description of a patient with SMD with severe multilevel tracheal disease requiring tracheal reconstructive surgery.

Anesthetic Concerns of Children With Skeletal Dysplasia

Children with skeletal dysplasia present unique challenges for safe anesthetic care including differences in the anatomy of the respiratory system, possibility of cervical spine instability or spinal stenosis, and a unique body habitus. Even seemly routine anesthesia can result in respiratory arrest or spinal cord injury. These complications can largely be avoided by proper planning such as appropriate techniques for the intubation of difficult airways, recognition of cervical instability, neuromonitoring for any anesthesia over an hour in patients with severe spinal stenosis, and preoperative assessment of the trachea and avoidance of neuraxial anesthesia in children with Morquio syndrome.

Guideline No. 416: Labour, Delivery, and Postpartum Care for People with Physical Disabilities

OBJECTIVE

To describe evidence-based practice for managing the labour, delivery, and postpartum care of people with physical disabilities in Canada.

TARGET POPULATION

This guideline addresses the needs of people with physical disabilities, with a focus on conditions that affect strength and mobility, as well as those that affect neurological or musculoskeletal function or structure. Although aspects of this guideline may apply to people with solely intellectual, developmental, or sensory disabilities (e.g., hearing and vision loss), the needs of this population are beyond the scope of this guideline.

OUTCOMES

Safe and compassionate care for people with physical disabilities who are giving birth.

BENEFITS, HARMS, AND COSTS

Implementation of this guideline will improve health care provider awareness of specific complications people with physical disabilities may experience during labour, delivery, and the postpartum period and therefore increase the likelihood of a safe birth.

EVIDENCE

A literature review was conducted using MEDLINE (474), Embase (36), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 28) databases. The results have been filtered for English language, publication date of 2013 to present, observational studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and guidelines and references in these publications were also reviewed.

VALIDATION METHODS

The authors rated the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. See online Appendix A (Tables A1 for definitions and A2 for interpretations of strong and weak recommendations).

INTENDED AUDIENCE

Maternal-fetal medicine specialists, obstetricians, family physicians, nurses, midwives, neurologists, physiatrists, and those who care for people with physical disabilities.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Joint Replacements in Individuals With Skeletal Dysplasias: One Institution's Experience and Response to Operative Complications

BACKGROUND

Skeletal dysplasias are a heterogeneous group of >400 genetic disorders characterized by abnormal bone growth. Many individuals experience joint pain and limitation, coming to require joint replacement much earlier than the average-statured population. In addition, prosthesis survival rate is less in the dysplastic population. The purpose of this study is to identify risk factors for surgery and provide recommendations to improve surgical outcomes.

METHODS

This a retrospective review of 29 individuals with a skeletal dysplasia who had 64 joint replacements between April 1985 and January 2019 at a single institution. We collected demographics, physical examination, medical history, imaging studies, surgical indication, and complications.

RESULTS

Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia was the most common skeletal dysplasia (7), followed by pseudoachondroplasia (4) and multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (4). Average age of the cohort was 40.6 years (range 14-64). Hip arthroplasty (34) was the most commonly performed surgery. The majority of arthroplasties (75%) required custom components. Complication rate was 37.3%, most commonly pulmonary embolism (3) and pneumonia (3). Most complications (81.8%) occurred in individuals with either a pre-existing cardiopulmonary comorbidity or lumbar/sacral deformity. Body mass index did not correlate with complication severity (R = -0.042, P = .752) or rate (R = 0.006, P = .963).

CONCLUSION

Surgical complications are highest in patients with pre-existing cardiopulmonary conditions. Body mass index does not predict complications in this cohort. Preoperative evaluations for individuals with skeletal dysplasias should include comprehensive work-up of spine issues and extraskeletal systems that present an operative risk. Intraoperative protocol should include special consideration for placement on the table, airway maintenance, and spinal cord monitoring in select cases.