Anesthetic management during adenotonsillectomy for twins with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis: two case reports

Abstract Background Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by hyperpyrexia, anhidrosis, pain insensitivity, self-inflicted injuries, and intellectual disability. The anesthetic management of these patients is challenging owing to the hig...

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Main Authors: Cong Wang, Xianwei Zhang, Shanna Guo, Jiaoli Sun, Ningbo Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2017-08-01
Series:Journal of Medical Case Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13256-017-1406-0
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author Cong Wang
Xianwei Zhang
Shanna Guo
Jiaoli Sun
Ningbo Li
author_facet Cong Wang
Xianwei Zhang
Shanna Guo
Jiaoli Sun
Ningbo Li
author_sort Cong Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by hyperpyrexia, anhidrosis, pain insensitivity, self-inflicted injuries, and intellectual disability. The anesthetic management of these patients is challenging owing to the high risk of perioperative complications resulting from their autonomic dysfunction, such as hyperthermia, hypotension, and bradycardia, which result from autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Case presentation Two 3-year-old Han Chinese identical male twins (weighing 13.5 kg and measuring 93 cm tall) were previously diagnosed as having congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis based on clinical features and genetic screening. According to the presence of loud snoring and heavy breathing during sleep and neck radiograph findings, they were diagnosed as having tonsil and adenoid hypertrophy and needed adenotonsillectomy. Because of innate analgesia, some reports suggested that patients with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis do not require perioperative pain control. Accordingly, our patients did not receive opiates. We describe the general anesthetic management of these patients using sevoflurane and propofol, but without opiates, for adenotonsillectomy. Remarkable tachycardia and hypertension occurred during airway manipulation and when the surgical stimuli increased, and their temperatures increased from 36 °C and 36.8 °C to 37.8 °C and 38.5 °C, respectively. Patients with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis lack pain sensation, but they may have tactile hyperesthesia. Surgical noxious stimuli may therefore produce a stress response and unpleasant sensations, leading to hemodynamic fluctuation and temperature increase. Conclusions On the basis of these findings, we suggest that careful intraoperative opiate titration may be justified to blunt the surgical stress response and promote hemodynamic and temperature stability in similar patients; we also recommend the preparation of warming and cooling devices and continuous temperature monitoring in these patients. Since anesthetic management of these patients is not simple, careful attention is required.
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spelling doaj.art-1583216bd5804e9d97e0e07e43dc0e032022-12-21T19:35:59ZengBMCJournal of Medical Case Reports1752-19472017-08-011111410.1186/s13256-017-1406-0Anesthetic management during adenotonsillectomy for twins with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis: two case reportsCong Wang0Xianwei Zhang1Shanna Guo2Jiaoli Sun3Ningbo Li4Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyAbstract Background Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by hyperpyrexia, anhidrosis, pain insensitivity, self-inflicted injuries, and intellectual disability. The anesthetic management of these patients is challenging owing to the high risk of perioperative complications resulting from their autonomic dysfunction, such as hyperthermia, hypotension, and bradycardia, which result from autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Case presentation Two 3-year-old Han Chinese identical male twins (weighing 13.5 kg and measuring 93 cm tall) were previously diagnosed as having congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis based on clinical features and genetic screening. According to the presence of loud snoring and heavy breathing during sleep and neck radiograph findings, they were diagnosed as having tonsil and adenoid hypertrophy and needed adenotonsillectomy. Because of innate analgesia, some reports suggested that patients with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis do not require perioperative pain control. Accordingly, our patients did not receive opiates. We describe the general anesthetic management of these patients using sevoflurane and propofol, but without opiates, for adenotonsillectomy. Remarkable tachycardia and hypertension occurred during airway manipulation and when the surgical stimuli increased, and their temperatures increased from 36 °C and 36.8 °C to 37.8 °C and 38.5 °C, respectively. Patients with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis lack pain sensation, but they may have tactile hyperesthesia. Surgical noxious stimuli may therefore produce a stress response and unpleasant sensations, leading to hemodynamic fluctuation and temperature increase. Conclusions On the basis of these findings, we suggest that careful intraoperative opiate titration may be justified to blunt the surgical stress response and promote hemodynamic and temperature stability in similar patients; we also recommend the preparation of warming and cooling devices and continuous temperature monitoring in these patients. Since anesthetic management of these patients is not simple, careful attention is required.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13256-017-1406-0AdenotonsillectomyAutonomic nervous system dysfunctionCongenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosisGeneral anesthesiaTwins
spellingShingle Cong Wang
Xianwei Zhang
Shanna Guo
Jiaoli Sun
Ningbo Li
Anesthetic management during adenotonsillectomy for twins with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis: two case reports
Journal of Medical Case Reports
Adenotonsillectomy
Autonomic nervous system dysfunction
Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis
General anesthesia
Twins
title Anesthetic management during adenotonsillectomy for twins with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis: two case reports
title_full Anesthetic management during adenotonsillectomy for twins with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis: two case reports
title_fullStr Anesthetic management during adenotonsillectomy for twins with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis: two case reports
title_full_unstemmed Anesthetic management during adenotonsillectomy for twins with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis: two case reports
title_short Anesthetic management during adenotonsillectomy for twins with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis: two case reports
title_sort anesthetic management during adenotonsillectomy for twins with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis two case reports
topic Adenotonsillectomy
Autonomic nervous system dysfunction
Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis
General anesthesia
Twins
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13256-017-1406-0
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