Anaesthesia
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The 7th National Audit Project (NAP7) of the Royal College of Anaesthetists studied peri-operative cardiac arrest. Additional inclusion criteria for obstetric anaesthesia were: cardiac arrest associated with neuraxial block performed by an anaesthetist outside the operating theatre (labour epidural analgesia); and cardiac arrest associated with remifentanil patient-controlled analgesia. There were 28 cases of cardiac arrest in obstetric patients, representing 3% of all cardiac arrests reported to NAP7, giving an incidence of 7.9 per 100,000 (95%CI 5.4-11.4 per 100,000). ⋯ When taken together, anaesthetic causes, high neuraxial block and bradyarrhythmia associated with spinal anaesthesia were the leading causes overall. Two patients had a cardiac arrest related to labour neuraxial analgesia. There were no cardiac arrests related to failed airway management or remifentanil patient-controlled analgesia.
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Peri-operative anaphylaxis is a rare but potentially catastrophic event which must be considered whenever unexpected and significant cardiovascular or respiratory compromise occurs during anaesthesia. The Resuscitation Council UK algorithm for peri-operative anaphylaxis highlights the importance of early intravenous adrenaline and fluid resuscitation and provides guidance on the treatment of refractory anaphylaxis and immediate follow-up. This algorithm is endorsed by the Royal College of Anaesthetists, Association of Anaesthetists, British Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and Clinical Immunology Professional Network of the British Society for Immunology. This document was produced by the Perioperative Allergy Network steering committee in collaboration with the Resuscitation Council UK.