International journal of obstetric anesthesia
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Truncus arteriosus Type IV is a rare congenital cardiac malformation characterized by agenesis of the pulmonary arteries. Pulmonary perfusion is ensured by bronchial arteries. ⋯ Survival is rare without surgical correction. We report a case of uncorrected truncus arteriosus Type IV in a 28-year-old primigravid woman who underwent caesarean section.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Oct 1997
Patients' assessment of sensory levels during epidural analgesia in labour.
Thirty women in established labour and with epidurals in situ were asked to assess the sensory level of the epidural using loss of light touch sensation with their own finger. This dermatomal level was then compared to the sensory level assessed by an anaesthetist using loss of cold sensation with ethyl chloride spray. ⋯ The mean dermatomal difference was 0.20 and 95% of the differences lay between 3.5 and -3.1 dermatomes. This large variation in dermatomal differences between the two methods of sensory assessment means that patient light touch is not an acceptable method of assessing epidural sensory level when compared to ethyl chloride.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Oct 1997
Adequacy of information and acceptability of pain relief as assessed by a postpartum questionnaire.
An audit cycle has been completed looking at the availability of information about different types of anaesthesia in labour, their usage and the degree of maternal satisfaction. The initial audit 7 years ago led to the production of an information leaflet on pain relief in labour. ⋯ The leaflet may have helped improve satisfaction and selection of analgesia in primigravide. However, the leaflet needs updating to include some information on caesarean section now that this has become such a common form of delivery.
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Pregnant patients with varicella infections have an increased risk of life threatening pulmonary complications. Prompt diagnosis and aggressive early therapy with acyclovir are important aspects of treating varicella pneumonia. ⋯ Preoperative evaluation of pulmonary function and choice of anesthetic are critical to intraoperative management. This paper presents the successful treatment of varicella pneumonia in the third trimester of pregnancy with survival of both mother and infant.