Comparison of maternal and fetal effects of ephedrine, phenylephrine, and combination infusion during spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery

BACKGROUND: Hypotension following spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery can produce adverse maternal and neonatal effects. Single treatment with ephedrine does not prevent spinal anesthesiainduced hypotension and phenylephrine alone induces severe bradycardia. However, the combined treatment of phenylephrine with ephedrine as an infusion was observed to be effective without bradycardia. METHODS: Thirty-two term parturients were randomized into three groups to receive ephedrine, phenylephrine or combination infusion (group E, group P and group EP, respectively) starting with spinal anesthesia. Hemodynamic parameters, such as SBP, PR, CI, SVRI, SVI, were measured before and until 15 min after spinal anesthesia. Rescue boluses for hypotension comprised of phenylephrine 100microg. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in all hemodynamic parameters among three groups. However, 1 min Apgar score in the group E was significant lower than P group (P = 0.008). Nausea & vomiting scores, total fluid intake, phenylephrine rescues, umbilical vein pH, and 5 min Apgar scores did not show significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: Three methods are all effective to prevent hypotension following spinal anesthesia for cesarean section. However, although there was no fetal acidosis, 1 min Apgar score of ephedrine group was significantly lower than that of phenylephrine alone group.

Spinal anesthesia during cesarean section in a patient with severe osteogenesis imperfecta: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

Obstetric anesthesia in a parturient with severe osteogenesis imperfecta is challenging in many aspects, particularly concerning maternal pathophysiological problems and the technical difficulties of anesthesia. Here, we report a case of successful spinal anesthesia, instead of general or epidural anesthesia, during a cesarean delivery in a patient with severe osteogenesis imperfecta.

Effects of a Crystalloid Preload on Hemodynamics after Pneumoperitoneum in Laparoscopically-Assisted Vaginal Hysterectomy (LAVH) / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: Pneumoperitoneum and head-down tilt during a laparoscopic hysterectomy causes significant alterations in the hemodynamics including decreased cardiac output. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a crystalloid preload on the hemodynamics after a hysterectomy (LAVH). METHODS: The patients were randomized to receive either no crystalloid fluid preload (control group: 29 women) or 10 ml/kg of a crystalloid fluid preload over 10 min (preloading group: 30 women) before the pneumoperitoneum. The hemodynamic parameters were measured before inducing anesthesia, immediately after the tracheal intubation, before the skin incision, and 2, 5, 10, 20, and 30 min after the pneumoperitoneum with CO2 with noninvasive cardiac output measurements using the partial CO2 rebreathing method. RESULTS: The cardiac index (CI) was reduced 2 and 5 min after the pneumoperitoneum, and then returned to normal. There were no significant differences in the CI after the pneumoperitoneum between the two groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The administration of a 10 ml/kg crystalloid preload did not attenuate the decrease in the CI after pneumoperitoneum.

Comparison of Sevoflurane-Nitrous Oxide and Target- Controlled Propofol with Fentanyl Anesthesia for Hysteroscopy

A randomized prospective study was performed on the anesthetic induction, maintenance, and recovery characteristics of sevoflurane-nitrous oxide, compaired to that of target- controlled propofol and fentanyl anesthesia, for forty day-case hysteroscopic surgery. The patients in the sevoflurane group (n = 20) received sevoflurane-nitrous oxide for both induction (8%) and maintenance (1 - 2%) of anesthesia, while the patients in the propofol group (n = 20) received target-controlled propofol (4 microgram/ml, 3-6 microgram/ml as occasion demanded) with fentanyl (1 microgram/kg). In both groups, the airway was maintained by a facemask with the patient breathing spontaneously during the surgery. The mean times to unconsciousness and readiness for surgery were similar in both groups, with those for the sevoflurane group, compared to the propofol group being 80.4 18.9 vs. 83.6 38.8 sec, and 220.1 76.9 vs. 231.0 95.4 sec, respectively. Propofol was associated with significantly higher incidences of involuntary movement (30% vs. 5%) and apnea (35% vs. 0%) during the induction period than with sevoflurane. Hemodynamic variables were similar with the exception of significantly lower blood pressures during the first 5 minutes of induction with propofol. Emergence times to eye opening, hand squeezing and orientation for sevoflurane compared to propofol were: 316.6 79.3 vs. 507.4 218.8 sec, 390.0 69.3 vs. 653.1 201.6 sec and 380.6 80.8 vs. 666.3 208.7 sec, respectively, all of these being significantly faster for sevoflurane than propofol. The postanesthetic Aldrete's recovery scores of the patients immediately after surgery were higher in the sevoflurane group. Propofol was associated with more drowsiness, with sevoflurane being associated with more nausea, in the recovery period; however, neither delayed the time to discharge (103.7 28.1 vs. 99.0 36.2 min). In conclusion, sevoflurane-nitrous oxide appears to be superior for day-case hysteroscopic surgery, than target-controlled propofol with fentanyl, with regards to the speed of recovery from anesthesia and the return to hemodynamic stability.

Could Emesis from Epidural Anesthesia for a Cesarean Section be Controlled by Prophylactic Low-Dose Granisetron? / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: Nausea and vomiting during regional anesthesia for a cesarean section are common and unpleasant complications. This study was designed to assess the efficacy of prophylactic low dose granisetron on nausea and vomiting of patients undergoing a cesarean section with epidural anesthesia in a prospective, randomized, and double blind manner. METHODS: Sixty obstetric patients not in labor received epidural anesthesia with 20 mL of 2% lidocaine plus epinephrine (1 : 100,000) and 4 mL of diluted morphine 2 mg was administrated for postoperative pain control. Maternal hypotension was prevented aggressively by fluid administration and an ephedrine injection. The patients were assigned randomly to one of four groups to receive a placebo (normal saline) or granisetron in a dose of 10micro gram/kg, 20micro gram/kg, or 30micro gram/kg i.v. before peritoneal closure. Emetic episodes and emetic scores rating from 0 to 4 were observed during the 24 hours after surgery. RESULTS: The emetic score was statistically lower in the granisetron 30micro gram/kg group than the other groups, and was lower in the granisetron 20micro gram/kg group than the placebo and granisetron 10micro gram/kg group. Adverse events were headache, dizziness, sedation and pruritus, which were not serious. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic use of low dose granisetron (20-30micro gram/kg) is effective in postoperative nausea and vomiting in a cesarean section with epidural anesthesia using lidocaine and morphine when hypotension as one of the contributing factors was minimized.