Previous ectopic pregnancy as a predictor of failure of systemic methotrexate therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether a history of previous ectopic pregnancy is an independent risk factor for failure of methotrexate therapy in subsequent ectopic pregnancies and whether the previous treatment method influenced failure. SETTING: Inner-city teaching hospital. DESIGN: Retrospective case review. PATIENT(S): Five hundred four consecutive patients treated with "single-dose" methotrexate for ectopic pregnancy. Nine patients electing surgery after beginning medical therapy were excluded from analysis. INTERVENTION(S): Systemic methotrexate 50 mg/m(2). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Failure of methotrexate therapy. RESULT(S): Twenty-one (18.6%) of 113 of previous ectopic patients and 26 (6.8%) of 382 first-time ectopic patients failed methotrexate therapy (odds ratio, 3.12). The overall success rate was 90.5% (448/495 patients). Univariant analysis showed that treatment hCG and progesterone (P) levels and ectopic cardiac activity were significantly different between successful and failed therapy. Logistic regression analysis for these four variables showed that only hCG and history of previous methotrexate remained significant risk factors for failure of methotrexate therapy. The likelihood of failure in patients with a previous ectopic was not influenced by previous treatment with salpingostomy, salpingectomy, or medical treatment. CONCLUSION(S): A history of previous ectopic pregnancy appears to be an independent risk factor for failure of systemic methotrexate treatment, but failure is not affected by previous treatment method.

A randomized trial of postoperative wound irrigation with local anesthetic for pain after cesarean delivery.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of continuous local anesthetic infusion system for pain control after cesarean delivery. STUDY DESIGN: This was a randomized prospective double-blind study. Patients who underwent cesarean delivery had a pain system implanted subcutaneously after closure of the fascia. Patients were randomized to receive an infusion of either 0.25% bupivacaine (n = 20) or normal saline solution (n = 16) into the wound for 48 hours. Postoperative pain (determined with a visual analog scale) and postoperative morphine use were assessed at 12, 24, and 48 hours. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in patient demographics or visual analog pain scores at any time interval between the bupivacaine versus the placebo group. However, narcotic requirements to produce this amount of pain relief were significantly less in patients who received bupivacaine infusion rather than normal saline solution at all time intervals. CONCLUSION: The continuous local anesthetic infusion system appears to be effective in reducing postoperative morphine use after cesarean delivery.