Articles: general-anesthesia.
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The effects of anaesthetic agents, per se, on the asphyxiated foetus are difficult to quantitate clinically. Anaesthesia is often necessary in foetal distress, however, to effect a rapid delivery. To investigate the effect of general anaesthetic agents commonly used for Caesarean section we administered these agents to 18 chronically prepared pregnant ewes with asphyxiated foetuses in utero. ⋯ There were no significant differences between Groups B and C in foetal pH, PCO2, or PO2. Two foetuses in the nitrous oxide group died after ten minutes of anesthesia, but the aetiology of the sudden demise is unclear. We conclude that general anaesthesia abolishes the foetal response to umbilical cord occlusion and does not improve foetal oxygenation or acid-base status.
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The presentation and features of Duchenne's progressive muscular dystrophy (Duchenne's PMD) are described and the increased risks associated with anaesthesia are considered. Hazards associated with induction of anaesthesia and immediate postoperative recovery have been stressed in recent case reports, and these are summarized. Features of a hyperpyrexia-like response including cardiac arrest, increased serum creatine phosphokinase concentration, myoglobinuria and metabolic acidosis following suxamethonium or halothane, or both, have been described in patients with Duchenne's PMD. ⋯ In five of the children, cardiac arrest occurred despite apparently adequate respiratory support. Suxamethonium was common to the anaesthetic received by all six patients. In one of these patients subsequent anaesthetics, without suxamethonium, were uneventful and delayed muscle weakness did not occur.
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The case of a pregnant patient with diffuse scleroderma who died following Caesarean section under general anaesthesia is presented. The patient's postoperative course was complicated by pulmonary oedema and pulmonary hypertension, sepsis, thrombocytopenia and renal failure. Aspects of the disease which possess anaesthetic implications are reviewed.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Oct 1985
Comparative StudyComparison of the effects of general and regional anesthesia for cesarean section on neonatal neurologic and adaptive capacity scores.
Fifty-two neonates delivered by elective cesarean section were evaluated using the Neonatal Neurologic and Adaptive Capacity Scores. Twenty of the mothers received general anesthesia, 14 received epidural, and 18 received spinal anesthesia. All mothers receiving regional anesthesia were prehydrated with 1000 ml of lactated Ringer's solution and were given oxygen via a transparent face mask. ⋯ Neonates delivered with general anesthesia scored significantly lower on some of the test items for adaptive capacity, passive tone, active tone, primary reflexes, and total scores at both 15 min and 2 hr of age (P less than 0.05) than those delivered with either epidural or spinal anesthesia. Neonates delivered with epidural anesthesia scored lower than those delivered with spinal anesthesia on supporting reaction and motor activity at 2 hr of age (P less than 0.05). All neonates had high scores at 24 hr, at which time there were no significant differences between the three groups.