Pregnant women with a positive swab for SARS-CoV-2: clinical presentation and evolution of the mother-newborn pair in a hospital population

Introduction: During the pandemic, all pregnant women underwent a nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2. Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics and evolution of pregnant women with a positive PCR study for SARS-CoV-2 and their newborns in a hospital population. Materials and methods: This was an ambispective observational, cohort follow-up study, in the maternity ward of the Social Security Institute Hospital between March 01, 2020 to May 31, 2021. Third trimester pregnant women admitted for delivery, with a positive result for SARS-CoV-2, were included. Variables: age, symptoms, pregnancy complications, COVID-19 classification, admission to intensive care, neonatal anthropometry, follow-up of the mother-neonate pair up to 7 days postpartum. The data was analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics. The protocol was approved by the research ethics committee. Results: 136 pregnant women and 139 newborns (3 twins) were admitted. 78.6% were symptomatic, 8.1% had severe forms. 10.3% presented pre-eclampsia, 10.3% entered intensive care and 2.2% died. 86.4% were born by cesarean section, there were 2 stillbirths. 29.2% were preterm, 18.2% had low birth weight, 24.8% were hospitalized. 3/137 died before 7 days of age. The neonatal swab was positive in 3. 78% were breastfed. Conclusions: 15.5% of positive pregnant women were admitted with moderate to severe forms of COVID 19, 10.3% were admitted to the ICU and 3 died. The percentage of caesarean section, prematurity and neonatal hospitalization was very high. There were 2 stillbirths and 2.9% of live births died. The neonatal swab was positive in 2.2%.

Selective Trunk Block combined with Superficial Cervical Plexus Block for Humeral Surgery: Report of two cases

Introduction: Regional techniques are valuable tools in this specific pandemic context, inclusive in terms of patient and team safety. The authors report the ultrasound-guided selective trunk block (STB) of the brachial plexus with superficial cervical plexus (SCP) for proximal humeral fracture surgery. Case reports: Case 1: 52-year-old male proposed for open reduction and fixation (ORF) of the humerus. Case 2: 53-year-old male proposed for ORF of oblique fracture of the humeral shaft. Both patients were obese, had a hypertensive disease, and a positive test for SARS-COV2. The procedures were performed under ultrasound-guided STB and SCPB using 15 + 3 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine and 10 + 3 mL of lidocaine 1,5%. Intraoperatively, dexamethasone 4 mg, propofol IV perfusion titrated for BIS 60-70, and paracetamol 1g were administered. None of the patients experienced pain, desaturation, or any other complications. Postoperatively, there was no need for rescue analgesia. They had no complications on discharge and globally were satisfied with the technique. Discussion: When a patient with a positive test for SARS-COV2 needs surgery, regional anesthesia allows minimal aerosolization without airway manipulation, but also adds advantages in terms of hemodynamic stability, postoperative analgesia with decreased opioid consumption, and patient's recovery time. In these case reports, SCPB with Selective Trunk Block (upper trunk - C5 and C6, middle trunk - C7, and inferior trunk - C8-T1) allow the ideal target for a safe and effective block, avoiding unwanted side effects.

PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICE AS A SPACE FOR CONTINUING TRAINING OF LITERACY TEACHERS IN A REMOTE TEACHING CONTEXT

This study aimed to understand the continuing education of literacy teachers in the context of remote education, established from the pandemic of COVID-19. Thereby, it conducted a survey in the virtual environment with the application of a semi-structured questionnaire elaborated in the Google forms application, directed to teachers from schools that works in the states of Paraiba and Pernambuco. For the analyzes and discussions, the responses were obtained from eleven literacy teachers and used as an inclusion criterion, which makes up a total of 96 survey respondents. The qualitative analysis of themes in the teachers' testimonies indicates that the students' learning conditions and the teachers' exhaustive working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, in convergence with the lack of strategic planning and infrastructure of the education networks, showed as limiting elements of the continuing education of literacy teachers to work in the remote teaching model.