Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Current labour analgesia practices are evidence-based; however, such evidence often originates in controlled trials, the results of which may not be readily applicable in the context of day-to-day clinical practice. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of and maternal satisfaction with the neuraxial labour analgesia regimen provided at a tertiary care teaching hospital. ⋯ Although our technique with dilute local anesthetic-opioid infusion was considered effective in previous randomized clinical trials, it did not provide sufficient labour analgesia for a large proportion of women. Nevertheless, most women were satisfied with their pain management and childbirth experience. Strategies to individualize care for labour and delivery should be readily available while providing labour analgesia.
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Complete and accurate reporting of original research in the biomedical literature is essential for healthcare professionals to translate research outcomes appropriately into clinical practice. Use of reporting guidelines has become commonplace among journals, peer reviewers, and authors. This narrative review aims 1) to inform investigators, peer reviewers, and authors of original research in anesthesia on reporting guidelines for frequently reported study designs; 2) to describe the evidence supporting the use of reporting guidelines and checklists; and 3) to discuss the implications of widespread adoption of reporting guidelines by biomedical journals and peer reviewers. ⋯ Use of reporting guidelines improves the quality of published research in biomedical journals. Nevertheless, the quality of research in the biomedical literature remains suboptimal despite increased adherence to reporting guidelines.
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We report a case of unrecognized cardiac tamponade diagnosed pre-induction by focused transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). The value of focused perioperative TTE, the anesthetic implications of Churg-Strauss syndrome, and the diagnosis of cardiac tamponade are discussed. ⋯ Focused TTE has significant clinical utility for the diagnosis and assessment of hemodynamically significant cardiac conditions, particularly in the complex patient where clinical examination is challenging and echocardiographic findings can have immediate management implications.