International journal of obstetric anesthesia
-
Obstetric audit is multidisciplinary, but maternal mortality data represent the only national obstetric anaesthetic audit currently available in the UK. Maternity and neonatal audit is progressing towards the collection of both numerator and denominator data in order to compare local, regional and national figures. Obstetric anaesthetists as a professional group play a significant role in maternity care and have in the past developed a minimum data set. ⋯ Since local and regional obstetric anaesthesia data collection systems are available, albeit in various manual or computerized forms, this is an achievable target. A standard maternity and neonatal data set which incorporates obstetric anaesthetic clinical items could offer a qualitative comparison of process variables and outcome, but should be under professional anaesthetic control. In addition, the process may enable professional standards to be defined and tested so that high quality obstetric anaesthetic care can be maintained.
-
Int J Obstet Anesth · Jan 1999
Long-term neurological complication following traumatic damage to the spinal cord with a 25 gauge whitacre spinal needle.
Neurological complications following regional anaesthesia may arise due to compression of the spinal cord or nerve roots secondary to haematoma or abscess, trauma, neurotoxicity or ischaemia. We report a patient who developed prolonged left lower limb paresis following combined spinal epidural (CSE) anaesthesia for emergency caesarean section. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed marked swelling of the lower end of the spinal cord suggesting traumatic damage of the cord by the spinal needle.