Anaesthesia
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A case is presented of a mother with unanticipated profound thrombocytopenia who received a continuous epidural anaesthetic for labour. No neurological sequelae or excessive bleeding occurred. It is clear, after a review of the literature, that more information is needed to define the lower limits of platelet count at which it is safe to proceed with epidural anaesthesia.
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A case of total obliteration of the axillary artery after axillary block is presented. This resulted from an accidental intramural injection of local anaesthetic (mepivacaine 1%, 40 ml, with adrenaline 1:200,000). ⋯ The diagnosis was made by palpation of the peripheral pulse and by comparison between the skin temperatures of each arm. The thrombosed part of the artery was successfully reconstructed with an autologous saphenous vein graft.