International journal of obstetric anesthesia
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Oct 2008
Case ReportsAnaesthesia for caesarean section in a patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome associated with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
We report the use of regional anaesthesia for elective caesarean section in a primigravida with hypermobility type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (type III) associated with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Single-shot spinal anaesthesia was performed after failed epidural anaesthesia. This genotype, although generally associated with fewer antenatal and peripartum complications, is more likely than other types to display dysautonomia and orthostatic intolerance. This requires careful management for delivery.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Oct 2008
Case ReportsAnesthetic management of an obstetric patient with MELAS syndrome: case report and literature review.
Mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS syndrome) is a mitochondrial disorder associated with neurologic, cardiac, neuromuscular, hepatic, metabolic and gastrointestinal dysfunction and potential anesthetic and obstetric complications. The case of a parturient with MELAS syndrome requiring labor analgesia is presented. A Medline literature search limited to the English language was undertaken to review cases of MELAS syndrome. Based on our experience and literature review, parturients with MELAS syndrome appear to benefit from neuraxial analgesia and anesthesia, which blunt excessive oxygen consumption and acidosis.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Oct 2008
Ten years of experience with accidental dural puncture and post-dural puncture headache in a tertiary obstetric anaesthesia department.
Accidental dural puncture (ADP) and post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) are important complications of obstetric regional anaesthesia. ⋯ The incidence of ADP, PDPH, blood patching and repeat blood patching is similar to previous studies. Many ADPs are unrecognised during epidural insertion. CSE does not appear to increase the risk of ADP or PDPH; 29-gauge rather than 27-gauge pencil-point spinal needles conferred no benefit. Inserting the epidural catheter intrathecally did not significantly reduce the incidence of PDPH and blood patching in our series.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Jul 2008
Case ReportsThe hemodynamics of oxytocin and other vasoactive agents during neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean delivery: findings in six cases.
Oxytocin is a commonly used uterotonic that can cause significant and even fatal hypotension, particularly when given as a bolus. The resulting hypotension can be produced by a decrease in systemic vascular resistance or cardiac output through a decrease in venous return. Parturients with normal volume status, heart valves and pulmonary vasculature most often respond to this hypotension with a compensatory increase in heart rate and stroke volume. ⋯ Pulse power analysis was conducted in six cases of cesarean delivery performed under neuraxial anesthesia. Hypotension in response to oxytocin was associated with a decrease in systemic vascular resistance and a compensatory increase in stroke volume, heart rate and cardiac output. Pulse power analysis may be helpful in determining the etiology of and treating hypotension during cesarean delivery under neuraxial anesthesia.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Jul 2008
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyEstimation of the minimum motor blocking potency ratio for intrathecal bupivacaine and lidocaine.
The up-down sequential allocation model has been adapted to investigate a variety of clinical and pharmacological issues in neuraxial anaesthesia including the estimation of relative potency ratios for analgesia and motor block of the most commonly used epidural and intrathecal local anaesthetics. The aim of this study was to establish the median effective doses (ED50) for motor block with intrathecal lidocaine and bupivacaine and to define the relative motor blocking potency ratio. ⋯ Intrathecal bupivacaine was 4.1 times more potent than lidocaine for motor block.