A 65-year-old male in malnutrition due to advanced colon cancer underwent resection of transverse colon tumor and the invaded abdominal muscles with necrosis and abscess. After epidural catheter insertion between Th 10-11 for 9 cm cephalad, anesthesia was induced with thiopental 200 mg and fentanyl 50 micrograms. Tracheal intubation was done with vecuronium 5 mg, and anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane with nitrous oxide in oxygen and epidural block. During surgery, systolic blood pressure often went up to 130 to 140 mmHg and down to 50 to 60 mmHg. Dopamine 3-5 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 was administered but occasional ephedrine bolus injection was still necessary. The intestine, including the intact part, was edematous. After the surgery, when systolic blood pressure was stable at about 130 mmHg and his consciousness was clear with regular spontaneous respiration, the tracheal tube was removed. However, soon after the extubation, expiratory stridor and cyanosis of the bilateral hands and feet were observed. Hydrocortisone 200 mg and nicardipine 0.5 mg were administered and room temperature was raised. About 30 minutes later, stridor and cyanosis subsided. In the ward after surgery, only hoarseness was observed. The stridor might have been due to the laryngeal edema, which could be attributed to stimulation by tracheal tube in the patient with malnutrition. The hemodynamic instability during surgery and cyanosis after extubation might have come from changes of the vascular resistance by sepsis.
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