Journal of anesthesia
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Neuromuscular disease covers a wide range of conditions, with anesthesia management being required either for problems relevant to the disorder or for comorbid conditions. The diseases often have specific problems that can usually be predicted from their pathophysiology. The anesthesiologist must ensure a thorough preoperative assessment, appropriate choice of anesthetic technique and neuromuscular blocking drugs, and careful monitoring of both hemodynamic parameters and the degree of neuromuscular blockade. With these considerations, the patient with neuromuscular disease, although challenging, can be given anesthetic care in a safe fashion.
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The low-dose technique of combined spinal/epidural analgesia is to be welcomed in obstetrics. Its merits include rapid onset of analgesia, with the flexibility of an epidural technique, and high maternal satisfaction. It is a safe and effective technique. ⋯ At our institution, we do not delay spinal anesthesia for urgent cesarean section in order to administer a predetermined volume of fluid; in such cases, we simultaneously administer a fluid preload and spinal anesthesia. Recent studies regarding the use of cell savers for blood conservation in obstetrics are based on small numbers of patients. These studies show great promise, particularly with the modern emphasis on avoiding blood transfusion, which can be massive in this usually young patient population.