International journal of obstetric anesthesia
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Oct 1995
Comparison of continuous spinal and epidural analgesia for pain relief in labour.
We have compared continuous spinal analgesia with continuous epidural analgesia for pain relief in labour. Twenty-six women were randomly allocated to receive either epidural 0.25% bupivacaine 5-10 ml via a 20 gauge catheter inserted through a 16 gauge Tuohy needle or intrathecal 0.25% bupivacaine 0.5-1.0 ml via a 32 gauge catheter inserted through a 24 gauge Sprotte needle. This was supplemented with fentanyl 5-10 mcg (spinal) or 1 mcg per kg (epidural) if analgesia was unsatisfactory. ⋯ Pain relief was satisfactory in all patients and none had post-dural puncture headache. Continuous spinal analgesia may offer significant advantages over epidural analgesia but technical difficulties remain with the present equipment. The reasons for the withdrawal of the spinal catheters in the United States of America are discussed.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Oct 1995
Effect of dantrolene sodium on contractility of isolated human uterine muscle.
The administration of intravenous dantrolene in a parturient susceptible to malignant hyperthermia has been associated with post partum uterine atony. We examined the effect of dantrolene sodium for injection (Dantrium Intravenous) on spontaneous contractility of uterine smooth muscle from women in term pregnancy in an isolated preparation. Dantrolene sodium for injection at 5 microg/ml and 10 microg/ml had no effect on the spontaneous contractility of the uterine muscle preparations. ⋯ However, a similar depression in the muscle preparations treated with mannitol suggests that the depression observed with the dantrolene was likely due to the mannitol that was included in the dantrolene formulation rather than to dantrolene sodium itself. We conclude that dantrolene sodium has no effect on the spontaneous contractility of uterine smooth muscle. The depression of uterine muscle activity observed with dantrolene for injection appears attributable to the mannitol.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Oct 1995
Post partum magnetic resonance imaging: lumbar tissue changes are unrelated to epidural analgesia or mode of delivery.
Thirty five women consented post partum to daily lumbar back pain assessments and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (0.15 Tesla) within 48 hours of delivery using a T(1) weighted spin echo and a fat suppression sequence (STIR) to identify tissue water. Nine women (26%) had lumbar disc abnormalities on MRI scan. ⋯ Eight women (23%) had mild, 15 (43%) moderate, and 12 (34%) severe changes with an average of 5 segments involved. These changes were reversible and related neither to the mode of delivery, nor to the trauma of epidural cannulation.