International journal of obstetric anesthesia
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Feb 2020
Observational StudyGastric emptying of carbohydrate drinks in term parturients before elective caesarean delivery: an observational study.
Pre-operative carbohydrate (CHO) drinks have shown some benefits peri-operatively and have been incorporated into many Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) programmes. We assessed the gastric emptying of pre-operative CHO drinks prior to elective caesarean delivery using ultrasonography. ⋯ The gastric emptying of this cohort of pregnant women suggests that 400 mL of a CHO drink can be safely consumed up to two hours before elective surgery. This study can help inform future peri-operative fasting guidelines for pregnant patients.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Feb 2020
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudySurgical conditions with rocuronium versus suxamethonium in cesarean section: a randomized trial.
Onset times and conditions for intubation after rocuronium versus suxamethonium at cesarean section have been evaluated, but no study thus far has examined the influence of these neuromuscular blocking drugs on the surgical conditions or their effect on the duration of surgery and the ease of fetal delivery. We aimed to compare the surgical conditions for delivery in parturients who received deep neuromuscular block with rocuronium with those who had induction with suxamethonium. ⋯ Whereas the induction-to-delivery intervals were comparable, we found rocuronium superior to suxamethonium in allowing better surgical conditions for fetal delivery, which enabled an easier delivery and a shorter incision-to-delivery interval.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Feb 2020
Impact of intra-operative dexamethasone after scheduled cesarean delivery: a retrospective study.
Dexamethasone is an effective analgesic and anti-emetic in patients undergoing many surgical procedures but its effects on pain after cesarean delivery are poorly studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate if routine intra-operative administration of dexamethasone improved analgesia and decreased postoperative nausea and vomiting after scheduled cesarean delivery. ⋯ This impact study involving more than 360 patients suggests that routine administration of intra-operative intravenous dexamethasone 4 mg does not provide additional analgesic benefit after scheduled cesarean delivery, in the context of a multimodal postoperative analgesic regimen. Studies are required to determine if a larger dose or repeated administration influence postoperative analgesia or side effects, or whether certain subsets of patients may benefit.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Feb 2020
An educational intervention about the classification of penicillin allergies: effect on the appropriate choice of antibiotic therapy in pregnant women.
Most pregnant women who self-report penicillin allergy are not truly penicillin-allergic and this misunderstanding often leads to administration of inappropriate antibiotic therapy. Decision algorithms have been developed to guide antibiotic selection but major discrepancies have been reported between guidelines and clinical practice. We aimed to optimize the prescription of antibiotics for pregnant women who self-reported penicillin allergy, using an educational intervention about the classification of penicillin allergies that targeted gynecologists, anesthesiologists and midwives. ⋯ An educational intervention about penicillin allergy classification was associated with an improvement in the choice of appropriate antibiotic therapy among women who had reported penicillin allergy.