International journal of obstetric anesthesia
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Nov 2024
Case ReportsNovel approaches facilitating neuraxial anesthesia placement in pregnant women with morbid obesity: case descriptions.
Clinical management of pregnant women with morbid obesity poses challenges in performing neuraxial anesthesia as well as positioning for cesarean delivery. Occupational injuries are also known to occur while caring for patients with morbid obesity. We describe two novel approaches to assist neuraxial anesthesia administration and positioning for cesarean delivery. ⋯ This is particularly useful when the traditional taping of fat folds away from the site is inadequate. The pannus retractor results in a flatter surface facilitating epidural placement. We have introduced these two approaches into our clinical practice for pregnant women with morbid obesity requiring cesarean delivery under neuraxial anesthesia.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Nov 2024
Prophylactic cosyntropin after unintentional dural puncture and incidence of post-dural puncture headache and epidural blood patch use: A retrospective cohort study (2019-2022).
Cosyntropin has been suggested to decrease the incidence of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) by increasing the production of cerebrospinal fluid. This study examined the association of prophylactic cosyntropin administration with the incidence of PDPH and its management with an epidural blood patch after an unintentional dural puncture (UDP). ⋯ Prophylactic cosyntropin following UDP was not associated with a significant decrease in PDPH rate or use of epidural blood patch for management of PDPH. There was no significant difference in the rate of adverse hyperglycemic or hypertensive events amongst those who did or did not receive cosyntropin.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Nov 2024
Rate of difficult intubation during caesarean delivery: A single centre before/after standardised airway management implementation study.
The use of general anaesthesia (GA) for caesarean delivery (CD) introduces the risk of both difficult and failed intubation. Various strategies may be utilised to reduce this risk; however, not all are supported by evidence. We analysed the rate of difficult intubation following implementation of three recommendations specific to airway management in CD. ⋯ Implementation of standardised airway management recommendations had no significant impact on difficult intubation rate, though adoption of all three recommendations was not universal.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Nov 2024
Upper back, neck, and shoulder pain during labor epidural analgesia: a quality improvement initiative.
Severe upper back/interscapular, neck and shoulder pain during labor epidural analgesia (PLEA) is not uncommon. The objective of this quality initiative was to evaluate the incidence, demographic associations and management of PLEA. ⋯ The incidence of PLEA was higher than previously reported. Patients with PLEA were younger, more commonly nulliparous, had higher BMI, longer epidural infusion times and higher CD rates. A three-step treatment protocol was successful in managing PLEA.