International journal of obstetric anesthesia
-
Int J Obstet Anesth · Feb 2016
Complications of 761 short-term intrathecal macrocatheters in obstetric patients: a retrospective review of cases over a 12-year period.
A continuous spinal catheter is a reliable alternative to standard neuraxial techniques in obstetric anesthesia. Despite the potential advantages of intrathecal catheters, they remain underutilized due to fear of infection, nerve damage or post-dural puncture headache. In our tertiary care center, intrathecal catheters are either placed intentionally in high-risk obstetric patients or following inadvertent dural puncture using a 19-gauge macrocatheter passed through a 17-gauge epidural needle. ⋯ This review demonstrates that intrathecal catheters are dependable and an option for labor analgesia and surgical anesthesia for cesarean delivery. Serious long-lasting complications are rare.
-
Int J Obstet Anesth · Feb 2016
Checklists and multidisciplinary team performance during simulated obstetric hemorrhage.
Checklists can optimize team performance during medical crises. However, there has been limited examination of checklist use during obstetric crises. In this simulation study we exposed multidisciplinary teams to checklist training to evaluate checklist use and team performance during a severe postpartum hemorrhage. ⋯ Although checklist training was effective in promoting checklist use, multidisciplinary teams varied in their scope of checklist use during a postpartum hemorrhage simulation. Future studies are required to determine whether structured checklist training can result in more standardized checklist use during a postpartum hemorrhage.
-
Int J Obstet Anesth · Feb 2016
Case ReportsNon-invasive cardiac output monitoring for cesarean delivery under epidural anesthesia in a patient with Marfan syndrome and cardiomyopathy.
Maternal cardiac output and stroke volume increase significantly at the time of cesarean delivery. Parturients with baseline myocardial dysfunction are at increased risk of cardiovascular decompensation in the peripartum period and close hemodynamic monitoring is warranted. We report our use of intraoperative non-invasive cardiac output monitoring during cesarean delivery under epidural anesthesia in a 24-year-old woman with dilated cardiomyopathy secondary to Marfan syndrome, aortic arch, aortic valve and mitral valve replacements and a left ventricular ejection fraction of 37%. ⋯ By the end of surgery, cardiac output and stroke volume ultimately increased by 66% and 84% of baseline values, respectively. Systemic blood pressure, heart rate and cardiac output did not appear to correlate despite the use of phenylephrine to manage hypotension. The patient remained hemodynamically stable with no evidence of acute volume overload.
-
Int J Obstet Anesth · Feb 2016
The extension of epidural blockade for emergency caesarean section: a survey of Scandinavian practice.
Little is known about drugs and safety precautions used during epidural top-ups for emergency caesarean section in Scandinavia. We surveyed Scandinavian practice of epidural top-up regimens for emergency caesarean sections. ⋯ Epidural top-ups for emergency caesarean section in Scandinavia are used frequently but normally performed in the operating theatre. Drugs used differ greatly between countries and departments although top-up volumes appear similar. During transport, available equipment and drugs were limited. Best practice guidelines and national guidelines present little information on epidural top-ups that could explain the variation found.
-
Int J Obstet Anesth · Feb 2016
Case ReportsChronic myeloid leukemia in pregnancy: an absolute contraindication to neuraxial anesthesia?
Chronic myeloid leukemia is rare in pregnancy with an estimated incidence of 1:75000. It is a genetic myeloproliferative disorder marked by increased and unregulated growth of myeloid cells in the bone marrow. The terminal phase of chronic myeloid leukemia may develop into a blast crisis, defined as >30% myeloblasts in the circulation. ⋯ We describe the anesthetic management of a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia and blast cells in the circulation who required cesarean delivery. After considering the potential anesthetic risks and benefits, general anesthesia was chosen. Although an iatrogenic central nervous system blast crisis is extremely rare, the high morbidity and mortality associated with such an event should be considered when formulating an anesthetic plan.