AUCTORES
Globalize your Research
Case Report
*Corresponding Author: indy B YEOH, MD, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York.
Citation: Cindy B Yeoh, Kathleen J Lee, Luis E Tollinche. (2020) Anesthetic management of a patient with Stiff-Person Syndrome and endometrial cancer for robotic surgery: A case report. International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews. 3(1); DOI: 10.31579/2690-4861/026
Copyright: © 2020 Cindy B Yeoh, This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Received: 17 June 2020 | Accepted: 22 July 2020 | Published: 27 July 2020
Keywords: stiff-person syndrome; cancer; anti-gad antibodies; paraneoplastic antibodies; robotic surgery
Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a rare disorder of the nervous system, characterized by muscle stiffness, rigidity, and painful spasms involving truncal and limb musculature that may severely limit mobility.
Our case documents a 53-year-old patient with SPS and endometrial cancer who was positive for anti-GAD and paraneoplastic antibodies, who presented to our institution for robotic surgery. These patients are at high risk for prolonged hypotonia and mechanical ventilation. Our patient underwent general anesthesia without complications despite multiple comorbidities.
Introduction
Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a rare disorder of the nervous system, characterized by muscle stiffness, rigidity, and painful spasms involving an individual’s truncal and limb musculature to the extent of severely limiting mobility. Spasms can be triggered by sudden movements, emotional stress, and peripheral and auditory stimulation. Symptoms can progress and lead to abnormal spinal posture such as severe hunching of the spine or exaggerated lumbar lordosis. The syndrome is caused by increased muscle activity due to decreased inhibition of the central nervous system. Women are more commonly affected than men, and primary treatment consists of benzodiazepines, baclofen, and immunosuppression [1, 2].
Case
A 53-year-old female with past medical history significant for stiff-person syndrome (SPS), non-functioning pituitary microadenoma, chronic urticaria, IgA deficiency, antinuclear (ANA) and who was paraneoplastic antibody positive, was diagnosed with endometrial cancer and presented for robotic total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and sentinel lymph node dissection.
She had a four-year history of neurological symptoms due to autoimmune processes and spinal compression from degenerative changes. She described numbness in her hands and lower extremities, weakness limited to her lower extremities, sensation of abdominal tightness, and occasional urinary and fecal incontinence.
At the time of presentation, she had been followed by neuroimmunology for a year since her diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome. She was anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibody positive and she reported symptoms as having progressed in the previous year. However, symptoms were mild and pre-operative medications only included oxycodone and tramadol. GAD autoantibody is rare and tends to be found in patients with neurological syndromes. It works against the GAD enzyme, involved in the formation of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA). [3]
Surgery was performed with general endotracheal anesthesia. On induction, 1mg of midazolam, 60mg of lidocaine, 50mcg of fentanyl, 150mg of propofol and 50mg of rocuronium were administered. After the airway was secured, the patient was maintained on sevoflurane and a dexmedetomidine infusion was started at 0.4mcg/kg/hr for the duration of the case. The patient was placed in lithotomy, and care was taken not to excessively raise the patient’s legs in this position so as not to exacerbate lower extremity symptoms postoperatively. An additional 20mg of rocuronium was administered during the case while monitoring train of four (TOF), and the patient was reversed with 200mg of sugammadex at the conclusion of surgery. The patient emerged from anesthesia and had an uneventful recovery in the post-anesthesia care unit. She was monitored overnight and discharged home uneventfully without worsening of any preoperative SPS symptoms the next day.
Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the U.S. affecting 27 per 100,000 women per year [4]. A typical presentation is a post-menopausal woman with abnormal uterine bleeding who is subsequently diagnosed with endometrial cancer and treated with surgery when appropriate.
Autoimmune diseases associated with SPS are type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1), thyroiditis, vitiligo, pernicious anemia, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).[2, 5] Autoimmune diseases associated with IgA deficiency may overlap with disease such as SPS with DM1, SLE, thyroiditis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, celiac disease, and autoimmune rheumatologic diseases, to name a few. [6, 7]
Selective IgA deficiency is the most common primary autoimmune deficiency in Western world. Its etiology and pathogenesis are yet unknown due to its varied nature, but it is currently believed to be due to defect in intrinsic B cell lymphocyte maturation along with T cell abnormalities and impairment in cytokine networks.[7] This deficiency is most commonly associated with recurrent infections, allergic reactions, and autoimmune diseases and sporadically with malignancies.[6]
SPS is a rare disorder affecting 1 to 2 persons per million person per year. Pathogenesis of SPS is also yet to be fully elucidated but autoimmunity with anti-GAD antibodies or other unknown antibodies [8] or processes interfering with GABA transmission could play an important role in the clinical syndrome. Autoantibodies to GAD is seen in 60-80% of patients with SPS, but majority of SPS patients with cancers do not have autoantibodies to GAD. SPS can be seen as a paraneoplastic syndrome and is often seen with anti-amphiphysin antibodies along with anti-gephyrin antibodies and anti-Ri antibodies [1] although there have been rare reports with positive anti-GAD antibodies as paraneoplastic process. Previous cases associating cancers and positive anti-GAD antibodies in SPS patients include renal cell cancer, breast cancer, thymoma and hematologic cancers. [9]
While our patient did not have the associated malignancies typically reported with SPS or IgA deficiency, she was positive for anti-GAD antibody and paraneoplastic antibody. She had a mild, but progressively worsening SPS which could have been related to her diagnosis of endometrial cancer. To date, ours is the first report of an SPS patient with endometrial cancer and IgA deficiency who was also positive for anti-GAD and paraneoplastic antibodies.
Our patient underwent a routine anesthetic without complications despite multiple comorbidities. Several early case reports describe prolonged hypotonia/muscular weakness or prolonged mechanical ventilation either due to volatile anesthetics or neuromuscular blocking agents in patients with SPS. [10-12] since then, many more reports have demonstrated safe use of various anesthetic agents and techniques in SPS patients. Use of volatile anesthetics, muscle relaxants, regional anesthetics, and total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with propofol have all been described in the literature for SPS patients without complication [13-18]. Our patient received sevoflurane, rocuronium, and sugammadex along with judicious amounts of benzodiazepine, opioid and dexmedetomidine without postoperative complications. Literature supports use of Dexmedetomidine to mitigate pediatric emergence delirium. [19-22] other recent studies support the use of dexmedetomidine for decreased agitation and smoother emergence from anesthesia for adults having various types of surgeries [23-25]. Similarly, we utilized a dexmedetomidine infusion for a smoother emergence to decrease SPS triggers such as stress and stimulation associated with emergence and extubation. Minimal access robotic surgery in patients with SPS could also contribute to better postoperative courses in SPS patients because of decreased pain, faster recovery, and shorter hospital stays.
Conclusion
Our report is the first to document positive anti-GAD antibodies in a patient with SPS, paraneoplastic process, endometrial cancer and IgA deficiency. We are also the first to report robotic surgical resection for a patient with SPS. While there are established reports of successful anesthetic management of patients with SPS with various anesthetic agents and techniques, this is also the first report describing the use of dexmedetomidine infusion for this patient population.
Funding
The authors’ work was supported and funded in part by NIH/NCI Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA008748.
Clearly Auctoresonline and particularly Psychology and Mental Health Care Journal is dedicated to improving health care services for individuals and populations. The editorial boards' ability to efficiently recognize and share the global importance of health literacy with a variety of stakeholders. Auctoresonline publishing platform can be used to facilitate of optimal client-based services and should be added to health care professionals' repertoire of evidence-based health care resources.
Journal of Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Intervention The submission and review process was adequate. However I think that the publication total value should have been enlightened in early fases. Thank you for all.
Journal of Women Health Care and Issues By the present mail, I want to say thank to you and tour colleagues for facilitating my published article. Specially thank you for the peer review process, support from the editorial office. I appreciate positively the quality of your journal.
Journal of Clinical Research and Reports I would be very delighted to submit my testimonial regarding the reviewer board and the editorial office. The reviewer board were accurate and helpful regarding any modifications for my manuscript. And the editorial office were very helpful and supportive in contacting and monitoring with any update and offering help. It was my pleasure to contribute with your promising Journal and I am looking forward for more collaboration.
We would like to thank the Journal of Thoracic Disease and Cardiothoracic Surgery because of the services they provided us for our articles. The peer-review process was done in a very excellent time manner, and the opinions of the reviewers helped us to improve our manuscript further. The editorial office had an outstanding correspondence with us and guided us in many ways. During a hard time of the pandemic that is affecting every one of us tremendously, the editorial office helped us make everything easier for publishing scientific work. Hope for a more scientific relationship with your Journal.
The peer-review process which consisted high quality queries on the paper. I did answer six reviewers’ questions and comments before the paper was accepted. The support from the editorial office is excellent.
Journal of Neuroscience and Neurological Surgery. I had the experience of publishing a research article recently. The whole process was simple from submission to publication. The reviewers made specific and valuable recommendations and corrections that improved the quality of my publication. I strongly recommend this Journal.
Dr. Katarzyna Byczkowska My testimonial covering: "The peer review process is quick and effective. The support from the editorial office is very professional and friendly. Quality of the Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions is scientific and publishes ground-breaking research on cardiology that is useful for other professionals in the field.
Thank you most sincerely, with regard to the support you have given in relation to the reviewing process and the processing of my article entitled "Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of The Prostate Gland: A Review and Update" for publication in your esteemed Journal, Journal of Cancer Research and Cellular Therapeutics". The editorial team has been very supportive.
Testimony of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology: work with your Reviews has been a educational and constructive experience. The editorial office were very helpful and supportive. It was a pleasure to contribute to your Journal.
Dr. Bernard Terkimbi Utoo, I am happy to publish my scientific work in Journal of Women Health Care and Issues (JWHCI). The manuscript submission was seamless and peer review process was top notch. I was amazed that 4 reviewers worked on the manuscript which made it a highly technical, standard and excellent quality paper. I appreciate the format and consideration for the APC as well as the speed of publication. It is my pleasure to continue with this scientific relationship with the esteem JWHCI.
This is an acknowledgment for peer reviewers, editorial board of Journal of Clinical Research and Reports. They show a lot of consideration for us as publishers for our research article “Evaluation of the different factors associated with side effects of COVID-19 vaccination on medical students, Mutah university, Al-Karak, Jordan”, in a very professional and easy way. This journal is one of outstanding medical journal.
Dear Hao Jiang, to Journal of Nutrition and Food Processing We greatly appreciate the efficient, professional and rapid processing of our paper by your team. If there is anything else we should do, please do not hesitate to let us know. On behalf of my co-authors, we would like to express our great appreciation to editor and reviewers.
As an author who has recently published in the journal "Brain and Neurological Disorders". I am delighted to provide a testimonial on the peer review process, editorial office support, and the overall quality of the journal. The peer review process at Brain and Neurological Disorders is rigorous and meticulous, ensuring that only high-quality, evidence-based research is published. The reviewers are experts in their fields, and their comments and suggestions were constructive and helped improve the quality of my manuscript. The review process was timely and efficient, with clear communication from the editorial office at each stage. The support from the editorial office was exceptional throughout the entire process. The editorial staff was responsive, professional, and always willing to help. They provided valuable guidance on formatting, structure, and ethical considerations, making the submission process seamless. Moreover, they kept me informed about the status of my manuscript and provided timely updates, which made the process less stressful. The journal Brain and Neurological Disorders is of the highest quality, with a strong focus on publishing cutting-edge research in the field of neurology. The articles published in this journal are well-researched, rigorously peer-reviewed, and written by experts in the field. The journal maintains high standards, ensuring that readers are provided with the most up-to-date and reliable information on brain and neurological disorders. In conclusion, I had a wonderful experience publishing in Brain and Neurological Disorders. The peer review process was thorough, the editorial office provided exceptional support, and the journal's quality is second to none. I would highly recommend this journal to any researcher working in the field of neurology and brain disorders.
Dear Agrippa Hilda, Journal of Neuroscience and Neurological Surgery, Editorial Coordinator, I trust this message finds you well. I want to extend my appreciation for considering my article for publication in your esteemed journal. I am pleased to provide a testimonial regarding the peer review process and the support received from your editorial office. The peer review process for my paper was carried out in a highly professional and thorough manner. The feedback and comments provided by the authors were constructive and very useful in improving the quality of the manuscript. This rigorous assessment process undoubtedly contributes to the high standards maintained by your journal.
International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews. I strongly recommend to consider submitting your work to this high-quality journal. The support and availability of the Editorial staff is outstanding and the review process was both efficient and rigorous.
Thank you very much for publishing my Research Article titled “Comparing Treatment Outcome Of Allergic Rhinitis Patients After Using Fluticasone Nasal Spray And Nasal Douching" in the Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology. As Medical Professionals we are immensely benefited from study of various informative Articles and Papers published in this high quality Journal. I look forward to enriching my knowledge by regular study of the Journal and contribute my future work in the field of ENT through the Journal for use by the medical fraternity. The support from the Editorial office was excellent and very prompt. I also welcome the comments received from the readers of my Research Article.
Dear Erica Kelsey, Editorial Coordinator of Cancer Research and Cellular Therapeutics Our team is very satisfied with the processing of our paper by your journal. That was fast, efficient, rigorous, but without unnecessary complications. We appreciated the very short time between the submission of the paper and its publication on line on your site.
I am very glad to say that the peer review process is very successful and fast and support from the Editorial Office. Therefore, I would like to continue our scientific relationship for a long time. And I especially thank you for your kindly attention towards my article. Have a good day!
"We recently published an article entitled “Influence of beta-Cyclodextrins upon the Degradation of Carbofuran Derivatives under Alkaline Conditions" in the Journal of “Pesticides and Biofertilizers” to show that the cyclodextrins protect the carbamates increasing their half-life time in the presence of basic conditions This will be very helpful to understand carbofuran behaviour in the analytical, agro-environmental and food areas. We greatly appreciated the interaction with the editor and the editorial team; we were particularly well accompanied during the course of the revision process, since all various steps towards publication were short and without delay".
I would like to express my gratitude towards you process of article review and submission. I found this to be very fair and expedient. Your follow up has been excellent. I have many publications in national and international journal and your process has been one of the best so far. Keep up the great work.
We are grateful for this opportunity to provide a glowing recommendation to the Journal of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. We found that the editorial team were very supportive, helpful, kept us abreast of timelines and over all very professional in nature. The peer review process was rigorous, efficient and constructive that really enhanced our article submission. The experience with this journal remains one of our best ever and we look forward to providing future submissions in the near future.
I am very pleased to serve as EBM of the journal, I hope many years of my experience in stem cells can help the journal from one way or another. As we know, stem cells hold great potential for regenerative medicine, which are mostly used to promote the repair response of diseased, dysfunctional or injured tissue using stem cells or their derivatives. I think Stem Cell Research and Therapeutics International is a great platform to publish and share the understanding towards the biology and translational or clinical application of stem cells.
I would like to give my testimony in the support I have got by the peer review process and to support the editorial office where they were of asset to support young author like me to be encouraged to publish their work in your respected journal and globalize and share knowledge across the globe. I really give my great gratitude to your journal and the peer review including the editorial office.
I am delighted to publish our manuscript entitled "A Perspective on Cocaine Induced Stroke - Its Mechanisms and Management" in the Journal of Neuroscience and Neurological Surgery. The peer review process, support from the editorial office, and quality of the journal are excellent. The manuscripts published are of high quality and of excellent scientific value. I recommend this journal very much to colleagues.
Dr.Tania Muñoz, My experience as researcher and author of a review article in The Journal Clinical Cardiology and Interventions has been very enriching and stimulating. The editorial team is excellent, performs its work with absolute responsibility and delivery. They are proactive, dynamic and receptive to all proposals. Supporting at all times the vast universe of authors who choose them as an option for publication. The team of review specialists, members of the editorial board, are brilliant professionals, with remarkable performance in medical research and scientific methodology. Together they form a frontline team that consolidates the JCCI as a magnificent option for the publication and review of high-level medical articles and broad collective interest. I am honored to be able to share my review article and open to receive all your comments.
“The peer review process of JPMHC is quick and effective. Authors are benefited by good and professional reviewers with huge experience in the field of psychology and mental health. The support from the editorial office is very professional. People to contact to are friendly and happy to help and assist any query authors might have. Quality of the Journal is scientific and publishes ground-breaking research on mental health that is useful for other professionals in the field”.
Dear editorial department: On behalf of our team, I hereby certify the reliability and superiority of the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews in the peer review process, editorial support, and journal quality. Firstly, the peer review process of the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews is rigorous, fair, transparent, fast, and of high quality. The editorial department invites experts from relevant fields as anonymous reviewers to review all submitted manuscripts. These experts have rich academic backgrounds and experience, and can accurately evaluate the academic quality, originality, and suitability of manuscripts. The editorial department is committed to ensuring the rigor of the peer review process, while also making every effort to ensure a fast review cycle to meet the needs of authors and the academic community. Secondly, the editorial team of the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews is composed of a group of senior scholars and professionals with rich experience and professional knowledge in related fields. The editorial department is committed to assisting authors in improving their manuscripts, ensuring their academic accuracy, clarity, and completeness. Editors actively collaborate with authors, providing useful suggestions and feedback to promote the improvement and development of the manuscript. We believe that the support of the editorial department is one of the key factors in ensuring the quality of the journal. Finally, the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews is renowned for its high- quality articles and strict academic standards. The editorial department is committed to publishing innovative and academically valuable research results to promote the development and progress of related fields. The International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews is reasonably priced and ensures excellent service and quality ratio, allowing authors to obtain high-level academic publishing opportunities in an affordable manner. I hereby solemnly declare that the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews has a high level of credibility and superiority in terms of peer review process, editorial support, reasonable fees, and journal quality. Sincerely, Rui Tao.
Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions I testity the covering of the peer review process, support from the editorial office, and quality of the journal.
Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions, we deeply appreciate the interest shown in our work and its publication. It has been a true pleasure to collaborate with you. The peer review process, as well as the support provided by the editorial office, have been exceptional, and the quality of the journal is very high, which was a determining factor in our decision to publish with you.
The peer reviewers process is quick and effective, the supports from editorial office is excellent, the quality of journal is high. I would like to collabroate with Internatioanl journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews journal clinically in the future time.
Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude for the trust placed in our team for the publication in your journal. It has been a true pleasure to collaborate with you on this project. I am pleased to inform you that both the peer review process and the attention from the editorial coordination have been excellent. Your team has worked with dedication and professionalism to ensure that your publication meets the highest standards of quality. We are confident that this collaboration will result in mutual success, and we are eager to see the fruits of this shared effort.
Dear Dr. Jessica Magne, Editorial Coordinator 0f Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions, I hope this message finds you well. I want to express my utmost gratitude for your excellent work and for the dedication and speed in the publication process of my article titled "Navigating Innovation: Qualitative Insights on Using Technology for Health Education in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients." I am very satisfied with the peer review process, the support from the editorial office, and the quality of the journal. I hope we can maintain our scientific relationship in the long term.
Dear Monica Gissare, - Editorial Coordinator of Nutrition and Food Processing. ¨My testimony with you is truly professional, with a positive response regarding the follow-up of the article and its review, you took into account my qualities and the importance of the topic¨.
Dear Dr. Jessica Magne, Editorial Coordinator 0f Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions, The review process for the article “The Handling of Anti-aggregants and Anticoagulants in the Oncologic Heart Patient Submitted to Surgery” was extremely rigorous and detailed. From the initial submission to the final acceptance, the editorial team at the “Journal of Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions” demonstrated a high level of professionalism and dedication. The reviewers provided constructive and detailed feedback, which was essential for improving the quality of our work. Communication was always clear and efficient, ensuring that all our questions were promptly addressed. The quality of the “Journal of Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions” is undeniable. It is a peer-reviewed, open-access publication dedicated exclusively to disseminating high-quality research in the field of clinical cardiology and cardiovascular interventions. The journal's impact factor is currently under evaluation, and it is indexed in reputable databases, which further reinforces its credibility and relevance in the scientific field. I highly recommend this journal to researchers looking for a reputable platform to publish their studies.
Dear Editorial Coordinator of the Journal of Nutrition and Food Processing! "I would like to thank the Journal of Nutrition and Food Processing for including and publishing my article. The peer review process was very quick, movement and precise. The Editorial Board has done an extremely conscientious job with much help, valuable comments and advices. I find the journal very valuable from a professional point of view, thank you very much for allowing me to be part of it and I would like to participate in the future!”
Dealing with The Journal of Neurology and Neurological Surgery was very smooth and comprehensive. The office staff took time to address my needs and the response from editors and the office was prompt and fair. I certainly hope to publish with this journal again.Their professionalism is apparent and more than satisfactory. Susan Weiner
My Testimonial Covering as fellowing: Lin-Show Chin. The peer reviewers process is quick and effective, the supports from editorial office is excellent, the quality of journal is high. I would like to collabroate with Internatioanl journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews.
My experience publishing in Psychology and Mental Health Care was exceptional. The peer review process was rigorous and constructive, with reviewers providing valuable insights that helped enhance the quality of our work. The editorial team was highly supportive and responsive, making the submission process smooth and efficient. The journal's commitment to high standards and academic rigor makes it a respected platform for quality research. I am grateful for the opportunity to publish in such a reputable journal.
My experience publishing in International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews was exceptional. I Come forth to Provide a Testimonial Covering the Peer Review Process and the editorial office for the Professional and Impartial Evaluation of the Manuscript.
