International journal of obstetric anesthesia
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Nov 2018
Experimental validation of the CompuFlo® epidural controlled system to identify the epidural space and its clinical use in difficult obstetric cases.
This prospective study was designed to validate the CompuFlo® device and to assess its use in difficult epidural placement. ⋯ In all cases epidural analgesia was successful and no complications were noted. There was a good correlation between the operator's feelings and the delta of pressure recorded by the CompuFlo®, for both identification of the ligamentum flavum and of the epidural space (Rho = 0.79; tau = 0.67). In the second part of the study, all the difficult blocks performed with the CompuFlo® were successful after a single attempt. The pressure curves of false loss-of-resistance were significantly different from the true loss-of-resistance (P <0.0001) DISCUSSION: CompuFlo® was validated as a tool to identify the epidural space. It may also assist trainees in successful epidural placement in difficult cases.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Nov 2018
Risk factors for post-dural puncture headache following injury of the dural membrane: a root-cause analysis and nested case-control study.
Post-dural puncture headache following trauma to the dural membrane during neuraxial anaesthesia occurs in 0.13-6.5% of pregnant patients. Identifying factors beyond individual performance that contribute to this adverse event is crucial to developing improvement strategies. ⋯ Post-dural puncture headache in this setting is not the result of the individual anaesthetist's characteristics alone. Additional factors including team composition, the presence of obstetrical perinatal pathology, and associated patient's conditions, are also associated with this event. Improvement strategies should consider all these factors.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Nov 2018
Multicenter StudyRetrospective study to investigate fresh frozen plasma and packed cell ratios when administered for women with postpartum hemorrhage, before and after introduction of a massive transfusion protocol.
Administration of packed red blood cells (PRBC) and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) to women with postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) before and after introduction of a massive transfusion protocol. ⋯ Among women with PPH receiving ≥3 PRBC units within a short period of time, it appears that factors other than the existence of our massive transfusion protocol influence the number and ratio of PRBC and FFP units transfused. Blood products were not transfused according to exact ratios, even when guided by a protocol.