International journal of obstetric anesthesia
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Jan 2005
Case ReportsSurvival following amniotic fluid embolism and cardiac arrest complicated by sub-capsular liver haematoma.
We describe the anaesthetic and intensive care management of a 38-year-old mother with presumed amniotic fluid embolism who suffered cardiorespiratory collapse following delivery of a normal baby by caesarean section. After initial resuscitation, her recovery was complicated by development of disseminated intravascular coagulation and a large sub-capsular hepatic haematoma. We describe the initial resuscitative efforts and subsequent intensive therapy to full neurological recovery and discharge from hospital.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Jan 2005
Ephedrine requirements are reduced during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section in preeclampsia.
Despite controversy over the haemodynamically safest blockade for caesarean section in women with severe preeclampsia, an increasing number of anaesthetists now opt for spinal anaesthesia. In a previous study we found that spinal compared to epidural anaesthesia offered an equally safe but more effective option for these patients. The current study was designed to compare the hypotension induced by spinal anaesthesia, as measured by ephedrine requirement, between 20 normotensive and 20 severely preeclamptic but haemodynamically stabilised women. ⋯ This suggests that the hypotension induced by spinal anaesthesia in women with severe but haemodynamically stabilised preeclampsia, is less than that of normotensive patients.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Jan 2005
Incidence of epidural blood patch following obstetric regional analgesia in private Australian anaesthetic practice.
Collection of audit data about epidural blood patches has traditionally relied on voluntary reporting, which is notoriously incomplete. The records of Medicare-funded Australian private obstetric practice, which represents 30% of all deliveries, allow a novel method of central data collection and retrieval. ⋯ Despite certain limitations of our data interpretation, we regard this technique as a useful audit tool capable of generating accurate and robust audit data that might otherwise be unobtainable.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Jan 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialEffects of epidural naloxone on pruritus induced by epidural morphine: a randomized controlled trial.
Epidural morphine produces prolonged analgesia but has many side effects including pruritus. Naloxone is an antagonist that can reverse the side effects of morphine. ⋯ Continuous epidural infusion of naloxone combined with morphine is effective in reducing the incidence and severity of pruritus induced by epidural morphine.