Gastric emptying of carbohydrate drinks in term parturients before elective caesarean delivery: an observational study

BackgroundPre-operative carbohydrate (CHO) drinks have shown some benefits peri-operatively and have been incorporated into many Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) programmes. We assessed the gastric emptying of pre-operative CHO drinks prior to elective caesarean delivery using ultrasonography.MethodsAfter a standard overnight fast, non-labouring pregnant women awaiting elective caesarean delivery underwent a standardised gastric ultrasound assessment at baseline and then every 20 min for 2 h after consuming 400 mL of a CHO drink. The gastric emptying was determined at each time-point both qualitatively and quantitatively. The primary outcome was the time taken for participants to return to a qualitative fasted Perlas grade of 0 or 1.ResultsThe gastric emptying of 40 participants was analysed. At baseline, all patients had a qualitative grade of either 0 or 1. All patients had returned to either grade 0 or 1 by 100 min. At 120 min the antral right lateral decubitus (RLD) cross-sectional area (CSA) was 8.03 cm² (95th percentile; 95% CI 7.4 to 8.3 cm²) and gastric volume per kg was 1.57 mL/kg (95th percentile; 95% CI 1.4 to 2.2). At 120 min there was no statistically significant difference from baseline for the RLD CSA (P=0.38) or gastric volume per kg (P=0.27).ConclusionsThe gastric emptying of this cohort of pregnant women suggests that 400 mL of a CHO drink can be safely consumed up to two hours before elective surgery. This study can help inform future peri-operative fasting guidelines for pregnant patients.     

曲马多在剖宫产术中预防寒战的效果比较

目的观察曲马多、氟哌利多在剖宫产手术中预防寒战的效果。方法选择60例A SAⅠ、Ⅱ级剖宫产孕妇,无其它并发症,随机分为3组:曲马多组、氟哌利多组、生理盐水组。胎儿取出后从静脉分别注入曲马多1.0~1.50m g/kg,氟哌利多0.05m l/kg,生理盐水2m l,观察预防寒战的效果。结果寒战发生率及程度为:曲马多组:1级1例,2级1例,占10.0%;氟哌利多组:1级3例,2级3例,3级1例,占35.0%;生理盐水组:1级3例,2级2例,3级3例,占40.0%。后两组与曲马多组比较,差异有统计学意义(P=0.026)。讨论剖宫产手术患者术中应用曲马多能有效减少寒战的发生率,减轻患者的不舒适性,氟哌利多作用不明显。     

Risk factors for Caesarean section in Italy: results of amulticentre study

A recent large increase in Caesarean section (CS) in Italy was the initial stimulus for a study to identify risk factors for CS and, if possible, to suggest strategies to counteract the rise. The study was conducted in three hospitals where a wide range of individual variables was collected from the clinical records and from personal interviews. Crude CS rates and odds ratios were evaluated for each single variable while logistic regression has been used to investigate possible confounding factors. The study involved 1316 consecutive deliveries. Crude CS rates were 29.4%, 15.7% and 16.1%. Variables identified as high risk factors were pre-eclampsia, previous CS, breech and other non-vertex presentations. Antenatal care under an obstetrician working in the same hospital, a low number of antenatal consultations, previous miscarriages, offer (by obstetrician) and request (by women) for CS showed significantly high odds ratios (ORs). Previous live births was strongly negatively associated with CS. No relationship between type of delivery and social status was observed while a physician factor was detected in all three hospitals where rates for different physicians ranged from 0% to 52.8%. Apart from the main medical indications for Caesarean section (previous CS, breech presentation), the results seem to indicate that individual practice style may be an important determinant of the wide variation in the rates of Caesarean delivery. While this may have been suspected before this study, these results are the first hard data to indicate that, in Italy, CS is widely performed for non-medical reasons.     

Decreased incidence of headache after accidental dural puncture in caesarean delivery patients receiving continuous postoperative intrathecal analgesia

To examine the effects of prolonged (> 24 h) intrathecal catheterization with the use of postoperative analgesia on the incidence of post–dural puncture headache (PDPH), charts of 45 obstetric patients who had accidental dural puncture following attempts at epidural block were reviewed retrospectively. Three groups were identified: Group I (n = 15) patients had a dural puncture on the first attempt at epidural block, but successful epidural block on a repeated attempt; Group II (n=17) patients had a dural puncture with immediate conversion to continuous spinal anaesthesia with catheterization lasting only for the duration of caesarean delivery; Group III (n= 13) patients had an immediate conversion to spinal anaesthesia and received post–caesarean section continuous intrathecal patient–controlled analgesia consisting of fentanyl 5 (ig'ml^-1 with bupivacaine 0.25 mg·ml^-1 and epinephrine 2 μg·ml^-1 with catheterization lasting >24 h. No parturient in group III developed a PDPH. This was substantially lower ( P < 0.009) than the 33% incidence for group I and the 47% incidence for group II. The incidence of a PDPH did not differ between group I and II. Similarly, there was no difference between group I and II with regard to requests for a blood patch. Patients receiving continuous intrathecal analgesia had excellent pain relief, could easily ambulate and none complained of pruritus, nausea, vomiting, sensory loss or weakness. In conclusion, indwelling spinal catheterization > 24 h with continuous intrathecal analgesia following accidental dural puncture in parturients may for some patients be a suitable method for providing PDPH prophylaxis and postoperative analgesia.     

小剂量氯胺酮咪唑安定辅助硬膜外下剖腹产手术的临床探讨

目的对比观察剖腹产选用连续硬膜外麻醉时，辅助麻醉用药镇静及对牵拉反应抑制效果。方法选择行剖腹产手术产妇60例在硬膜外麻醉效果满意后，随机分两组各30例。Ⅰ组：哌替啶50mg，异丙嗪25mg单次静注。Ⅱ组：氯胺酮28．5mg，咪达唑仑1．42mg单次静注。分组记录用药前，1min，5min，15min及术毕产妇SpO2、RR、HR、MAP值；记录手术时间、术毕苏醒例数、术中恶心躁动例数；记录术毕产妇OAA／S评分；记录新生儿娩出时Apger评分。结果两组术中镇静、抑制牵拉反应效果均满意。两组RR、BP、HR、SpO2均平稳；术毕两组OAA／S评分均为4-5分；新生儿Apger评分均正常。结论两组方法效果确切，对产妇和新生儿安全。     

胎盘早期剥离13例分析

目的探讨胎盘早期剥离(胎盘早剥)的产前诊断和处理。方法对我院近10年发生的13例胎盘早剥作回顾性分析。结果妊高征及慢性高血压病占本组病因的46．2％。本组围产儿死亡率为23．08％，孕产妇死亡率为0。子宫卒中发生率46．15％，产后出血30．77％，DIC 7．70％。阴道出血、腹痛、胎心异常或消失、血性羊水为主要临床表现。产前诊断率为46．15％，B超检出率为60％。结论胎盘早剥的诊断需结合患者临床表现、发病诱因、B超检查结果全面考虑，确诊后应尽快终止妊娠。     

轻比重与重比重布比卡因腰麻在剖宫产术中的作用比较

目的　对 0 .12 5 %轻比重布比卡因与 0 .5 %重比重布比卡因腰麻在剖宫产术腰麻 -硬膜外联合麻醉( CSEA)应用中的麻醉效果及并发症进行比较。方法　随机选择 6 0例拟行剖宫产手术的产妇 ,平均分为两组 ,均采用 CSEA麻醉方法。分别向蛛网膜下腔注射 0 .5 %重比重布比卡因 1ml(重组 )与 0 .12 5 %轻比重布比卡因 4m l(轻组 )。结果　重组起效时间明显比轻组短 ,腰麻后 15分钟麻醉平面高于轻组 ( P均 <0 .0 1)。轻组 2 %利多卡因用量显著多于重组 ( P<0 .0 5 )。低血压发生率 :重组 43.3% ,轻组 16 % ;恶心呕吐发生率 :重组 2 6 .7% ,轻组 6 .7% ,具有显著性差异。轻组的腰麻平面消退较重组快 ( 33.4分钟对 6 1.7分钟 )。结论　轻比重药液与重比重药液相比更具有对下肢运动神经阻滞轻、对循环影响小的特点。     

Selection of baseline blood pressure to guide management of hypotension during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section

IntroductionRecommendations on vasopressor management during caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia suggest maintaining systolic arterial pressure ≥90% of an accurately measured baseline value. The baseline is often taken as the first reading in the operating room. We hypothesise that this reading may not reflect an accurate baseline value.MethodsA retrospective case note review of 300 non-hypertensive women undergoing caesarean section with neuraxial anaesthesia, including spinal anaesthesia for elective delivery (n=100), and spinal (n=100) and epidural top-up anaesthesia (n=100) for emergency delivery. Systolic arterial pressure values recorded at various time points between the last antenatal visit and the first blood pressure value recorded in the operating room were compared.ResultsThere was a stepwise and significant increase in systolic arterial pressure over three time points (last antenatal clinic, morning of surgery, operating room) before elective caesarean section (all P <0.001). In women having emergency caesarean under spinal anaesthesia, a stepwise increase over four time points (last antenatal clinic, first reading in labour, final reading in labour, operating room) was observed. A similar trend was seen over these time points for women having emergency caesarean under epidural top-up, although the systolic blood pressure did not rise during labour.ConclusionsUsing the initial blood pressure reading in the operating room as the baseline value may lead to unnecessary vasopressor use and hypertension. Prospective research is required to clarify which reading represents the most accurate baseline to maintain homeostasis and reduce the hypotensive sequelae of neuraxial anaesthesia for both the mother and fetus.