Lingual Haematoma due to Tenecteplase in a Patient with Acute Myocardial Infarction

The use of intravenous thrombolytic agents has revolutionised the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. However, the improvement in mortality rate achieved with these drugs is tempered by the risk of serious bleeding complications, including intracranial haemorrhage. Tenecteplase is a genetically engineered mutant tissue plasminogen activator. Haemorrhagic complications of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) are well known. Compared to other tPAs, tenecteplase use leads to lower rates of bleeding complications. Here, we report a case of unusual site of spontaneous bleeding, intralingual haematoma during tenecteplase therapy following acute myocardial infarction, which caused significant upper airway obstruction and required tracheotomy to maintain the patient's airway. Clinical dilemmas related to securing the airway or reversing the effects of tissue plasminogen activator are discussed.

Airway trauma in a high patient volume academic cardiac electrophysiology laboratory center

BACKGROUND

Providing anesthesia and managing airways in the electrophysiology suite can be challenging because of its unique setting outside of the conventional operating room. We report our experience of several cases of reported airway trauma including tongue and pharyngeal hematoma and vocal cord paralysis in this setting.

METHODS

We analyzed all of the reported airway trauma cases between December 2009 and January 2011 in our cardiac electrophysiology laboratories and compared these cases with those without airway trauma. Data from 87 cases, including 16 cases with reported airway trauma (trauma group) and 71 cases without reported airway trauma from the same patient population pool at the same period (control group), were collected via review of medical records.

RESULTS

Airway trauma was reported for 16 patients (0.7%) in 14 months among 2434 anesthetic cases. None of these patients had life-threatening airway obstruction. The avoidance of muscle relaxants during induction in patients with a body mass index less than 30 was found to be a significant risk factor for airway trauma (P = 0.04; odds ratio, 10; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-482). Tongue or soft tissue bite occurred in 2 cases where soft bite block was not used during cardioversion. No statistically significant difference was found between the trauma and the control groups for preprocedure anticoagulation, anticoagulation during the procedure, or reversal of heparin at the end of the procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall incidence of reported airway trauma was 0.7% in our study population. Tongue injury was the most common airway trauma. The cause seems to have been multifactorial; however, airway management without muscle relaxant emerged as a potential risk factor. Intubation with muscle relaxant is recommended, as is placing a soft bite block and ensuring no soft tissue is between the teeth before cardioversion.

Case report of spontaneous hemorrhage in a sublingual arteriovenous malformation causing an emergent airway obstruction

The literature is devoid of articles on spontaneous orofacial hemorrhage with hematoma formation without an underlying condition. Rupture of an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is possibly the rarest form of spontaneous hemorrhage and life-threatening hematoma formation. This pathology is widely known because of its occurrence in the central nervous system, but it can appear in any location. AVM is not generally thought to be an inherited disorder, except in the context of a specific hereditary syndrome. AVMs can be seen using computerized tomographic angiography, but distraction angiography is the gold standard for diagnosis and treatment decision making. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment; however, endovascular embolization has become an important adjunct to surgical intervention. With shrinkage of the lesion or definitive treatment with coils, particles, or glue. Other important considerations in the choice of treatment are the patient's age, lesion size and location, and prior history of hemorrhage.

[Haematoma of the floor of the mouth associated to acute myocardial infarction]

We report the case of an 80-year-old man who developed a haematoma in the floor of the mouth after receiving alteplase in the treatment of an acute myocardial infarction. Both the treatment received and appropriate preventive measures to avoid such haematomas are described.