The effects of epidural anesthesia on the Doppler velocimetry of umbilical and uterine arteries in normal term labor.

To study the possible effects of epidural anesthesia on the Doppler velocimetry of the fetal umbilical and maternal uterine arteries, 15 normal term parturients were examined during active labor. Each Doppler study, conducted over 90 minutes after a 500-mL intravenous volume pre-load, was divided into three phases: 30 minutes of pre-anesthetic control, 30 minutes during epidural catheter placement and dosing, and 30 minutes after establishing effective regional blockade. During each phase, maternal blood pressure and pulse were monitored every 5 minutes, and continuous-wave Doppler recordings of the umbilical and uterine arteries were made at three separate intervals. Epidural placement and dosage techniques were similar for all patients; 0.25% bupivacaine solution was used and sensory levels of T6 obtained. The mean maternal systolic and diastolic blood pressures and pulse rate declined significantly, but no woman experienced hypotension. Mean systolic/diastolic ratios and pulsatility indices of the umbilical and uterine arteries did not change significantly during the study. We conclude that effective epidural anesthesia does not have a significant impact on Doppler flow characteristics of either the maternal or fetal umbilical vasculature, despite lowered maternal blood pressure and pulse rate.

Amoxycillin-clavulanic acid (Augmentin) versus metronidazole as prophylaxis in hysterectomy: a prospective, randomized clinical trial.

In order to determine the most effective regimen for the prevention of infection after elective hysterectomy, 300 patients were randomly assigned to receive three perioperative doses of either amoxycillin-clavulanic acid (1.2 g intravenous) or metronidazole (1 g suppository). Of the 280 patients who were assessable 138 were given amoxycillin-clavulanic acid and 142 received metronidazole; 268 underwent abdominal hysterectomy and 12 had vaginal hysterectomy. Patients in the amoxycillin-clavulanic acid group had significantly less infectious morbidity (13.8%) than those in the metronidazole group (33.1%). There were also statistically significant differences in favour of amoxycillin-clavulanic acid with respect to operative site infection, duration of hospital stay, need for postoperative antimicrobials, and surgery for operative site infection. But for one isolate of Bacteroides fragilis, all pathogens isolated from wound infections in the metronidazole group were aerobes. No anaerobes were isolated from patients in the amoxycillin-clavulanic acid group. The results suggest that prophylaxis for hysterectomy should consist of an agent, or combination of agents, with activity against both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Amoxycillin-clavulanic acid fulfils this criterion and appears to be effective and safe.

Symphysis-fundus height, maternal height, labor pattern, and mode of delivery.

Fetal growth was monitored with use of symphysis-fundus charts in 920 consecutive term singleton pregnancies with cephalic presentation. There were 402 primigravid and 518 multigravid patients. The symphysis-fundus charts were divided into four zones and the patients allocated into groups according to the zone of the last symphysis-fundus height measurement before the onset of labor. A highly significant increase was noted in the incidence of abnormal labor and operative delivery in group A primigravid women (symphysis-fundus height above the ninetieth centile), which was even more pronounced when the effect of epidural analgesia was excluded. Conversely, there was a significant progressive increase in the proportion of operative deliveries for fetal distress from group A through group D (symphysis-fundus height below the tenth centile). Similar trends were significant but less pronounced among multigravid women. The relationship between maternal height, symphysis-fundus height, and operative delivery for dystocia in primigravid women was examined. High operative delivery rates were present in group A primigravid patients regardless of maternal height. In groups B and C, however, increased maternal height was associated with lower operative delivery rates.

Fetal heart rate changes during diabetic ketosis.

A case of diabetic ketosis during pregnancy is presented in which the fetal heart rate tracing demonstrated tachycardia complicated by late and severe variable decelerations. Intravenous administration of insulin resulted in prompt abolition of the deceleration patterns. The implications of these findings are discussed.