ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Worldwide, 50 million people are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and 43% are women. Perinatal vertical transmission of HIV accounts for most new pediatric cases. Elective Cesarean delivery, combined antiretroviral therapy perioperatively and abandonment of breast-feeding postoperatively reduces vertical HIV transmission. However, the incidence of maternal and neonatal morbidity perioperatively is relatively unknown. The goal of the present study was to prospectively record perioperative maternal and neonatal complications in the largest HIV positive collective undergoing elective Cesarean section with spinal anesthesia published to date. METHODS: From 1999-2001, 54 HIV positive parturients were enrolled in this study. All parturients received IV zidovudine therapy (2 mg/kg body weight) perioperatively. Spinal anesthesia was performed using 60 mg of 4% hyperbaric mepivacaine plus 5 microg sufentanil intrathecally. Sensory, analgesic and motor block characteristics, the incidence of maternal hypotension, postoperative maternal complications as well as neonatal outcome were recorded. RESULTS: Short-term hypotension occurred in 65% of the parturients. Intraoperatively, one parturient died following amniotic fluid embolism. In 17% of the parturients, postoperative complications headed by wound healing impairment, bronchitis and pneumonia requiring prolonged antibiotic therapy were observed. To date, after a minimum observation period of 8 months, only one infant (1.8%) is HIV positive. CONCLUSION: Intrathecal mepivacaine combined with sufentanil in HIV positive parturients undergoing elective Cesarean section is an appropriate anesthetic option. Postoperative maternal morbidity was 17%. Neonatal outcome showed no evidence of neonatal depression.
Subject(s)
Anesthesia, Obstetrical , Anesthesia, Spinal , Cesarean Section , HIV Seropositivity/complications , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious , Adult , Anti-HIV Agents/therapeutic use , Female , HIV Seropositivity/drug therapy , Hemodynamics/physiology , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Nerve Block , Pain, Postoperative/drug therapy , Pain, Postoperative/epidemiology , Postoperative Complications/epidemiology , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Outcome , Zidovudine/therapeutic useABSTRACT
A patient who underwent a diagnostic thyroid scan, showed an anechoic area in the right caudal lobe by ultrasound. In the thyroid scan this area appeared as a cold spot. Coloured duplex ultrasound revealed that this area corresponded to the subclavian artery and vein and thus represented a deviation from the normal anatomy of these vessels.
