Validation of the Portuguese version of Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS).

BACKGROUND: Preoperative anxiety is common among the oncological surgical population. Due to its psychological and physiological detrimental effects, identifying and addressing it is of uttermost importance to improve anesthetic management and patient's outcomes. The aim of this study is to validate the Portuguese version of Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) in the oncological population. METHODS: Following forward and backward translation of the original APAIS scale, further adaptation was obtained through cognitive interviewing. The resulting instrument was tested on the day before surgery on a sample of adult cancer surgical patients from a Portuguese oncology centre. Psychometric evaluation was derived from inter-item correlation, confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, correlation with comparative scales, receiver operating characteristic curve and Youden index. RESULTS: 109 patients (58 males, 51 females) were included. A three-dimensional model-anxiety about anesthesia, anxiety about surgery and desire for information, showed the best fit to the data. The questionnaire revealed high internal consistency (Cronbach alpha 0.81) and good inter-item correlation. Also, Portuguese APAIS correlated well with the gold standard anxiety scale. Therefore, the psychometric properties of this scale version make it a valid and reliable instrument. The optimal cutoff to maximize both sensitivity and specificity was 12 for the APAIS global anxiety score. CONCLUSIONS: Portuguese APAIS version is an accurate tool to identify preoperative anxiety among cancer patients and might impact its management, from premedication choice to provision of information and reassurance about either anesthesia or surgery.

Anesthetic approach of pregnant woman with cerebral arteriovenous malformation and subarachnoid hemorrhage during pregnancy: case report.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) during pregnancy is a rare event, and about half the cases are due to arteriovenous malformations (AVM). The authors describe the anesthetic approach of a 39 week pregnant patient scheduled for cesarean section, with a history of SAH due to AVM at 22 week gestation. CASE REPORT: 39 week pregnant patient, healthy prior to pregnancy, with a history of SAH at 22 week gestation, manifested by headache, vomiting, and dizziness without loss of consciousness or other deficits on admission to the emergency room. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a left frontal AVM. After a short hospital stay for stabilization and diagnosis, the fi nal medical decision was to maintain the pregnancy and a multidisciplinary follow-up by neurosurgery and high-risk obstetric consultation. An elective cesarean section was performed at 39 weeks under epidural anesthesia. During the intraoperative period, an episode of hypotension rapidly reversed with phenylephrine occurred. The newborn Apgar score was 10/10. An epidural catheter was used for postoperative analgesia, also uneventful. CONCLUSIONS: There are very few published cases of anesthetic approach for pregnant women with symptomatic AVM. All decisions made by the multidisciplinary team, from choosing to continue the pregnancy to the ideal time for AVM intervention and type of anesthesia and analgesia, were weighted according to the risk of brain damage. Regarding the anesthetic procedure, the authors emphasize the need for hemodynamic stability.

Abordagem anestésica de grávida com malformação arteriovenosa cerebral e hemorragia subaracnoidea durante a gravidez: relato de caso / Anesthetic approach of pregnant woman with cerebral arteriovenous malformation and subarachnoid hemorrhage during pregnancy: case report / Abordaje anestésico de embarazada con malformación arteriovenosa cerebral y hemorragia subaracnoidea durante el embarazo: relato de caso

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A ocorrência de hemorragia subaracnoidea (HSA) durante a gravidez é rara, sendo que cerca de metade é devida a malformações arteriovenosas (MAV). Os autores descrevem a abordagem anestésica de uma grávida de 39 semanas proposta para cesárea, com história de HSA por MAV às 22 semanas. RELATO DO CASO: Grávida de 39 semanas, saudável previamente à gravidez, com antecedentes de HSA às 22 semanas de gestação, manifestada por cefaleias, vômitos e tonturas, sem perda de consciência ou outros déficits à admissão no serviço de urgência. A ressonância magnética (RM) revelou MAV frontal esquerda. Após curto internamento para estabilização e diagnóstico, decidiu-se manter a gravidez e o seguimento ambulatorial multidisciplinar por neurocirurgia e obstetrícia em consulta de alto risco. Optou-se por fazer cesárea eletiva às 39 semanas sob anestesia peridural lombar. No intraoperatório ocorreu um episódio de hipotensão rapidamente revertida com fenilefrina. O Índice de Apgar do recém-nascido foi de 10/10. O cateter peridural foi usado para analgesia pós-operatória, também sem intercorrências. CONCLUSÕES: São muito raros os casos publicados de abordagem anestésica de grávidas com MAV sintomáticas. Todas as decisões tomadas pela equipe multidisciplinar, desde optar por continuar a gravidez ao momento ideal para intervir na MAV, passando pelo tipo de anestesia e analgesia, foram ponderadas em função do risco de dano cerebral. Do ponto de vista anestésico, os autores enfatizam a necessidade de estabilidade hemodinâmica.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) during pregnancy is a rare event, and about half the cases are due to arteriovenous malformations (AVM). The authors describe the anesthetic approach of a 39 week pregnant patient scheduled for cesarean section, with a history of SAH due to AVM at 22 week gestation. CASE REPORT: 39 week pregnant patient, healthy prior to pregnancy, with a history of SAH at 22 week gestation, manifested by headache, vomiting, and dizziness without loss of consciousness or other deficits on admission to the emergency room. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a left frontal AVM. After a short hospital stay for stabilization and diagnosis, the final medical decision was to maintain the pregnancy and a multidisciplinary follow-up by neurosurgery and high-risk obstetric consultation. An elective cesarean section was performed at 39 weeks under epidural anesthesia. During the intraoperative period, an episode of hypotension rapidly reversed with phenylephrine occurred. The newborn Apgar score was 10/10. An epidural catheter was used for postoperative analgesia, also uneventful. CONCLUSIONS: There are very few published cases of anesthetic approach for pregnant women with symptomatic AVM. All decisions made by the multidisciplinary team, from choosing to continue the pregnancy to the ideal time for AVM intervention and type of anesthesia and analgesia, were weighted according to the risk of brain damage. Regarding the anesthetic procedure, the authors emphasize the need for hemodynamic stability.

JUSTIFICATIVA Y OBJETIVOS: El aparecimiento de la hemorragia subaracnoidea (HSA) durante el embarazo es algo raro, siendo que aproximadamente la mitad se debe a malformaciones arteriovenosas (MAV). Los autores describen el abordaje anestésico de una embarazada de 39 semanas programada para cesárea, con un historial de HSA por MAV a las 22 semanas. RELATO DEL CASO: Embarazada de 39 semanas, sana antes del embarazo, con antecedentes de HSA a las 22 semanas de gestación que se manifestó por medio de cefaleas, vómitos y mareos, sin la pérdida de la consciencia u otros déficits a la hora de su entrada en el servicio de urgencia. La resonancia magnética (RM) arrojó MAV frontal izquierda. Después de un breve período de ingreso para la estabilización y el diagnóstico, se decidió mantener el embarazo y el acompañamiento ambulatorio multidisciplinario por neurocirugía y obstetricia en consulta de alto riesgo. Se optó por realizar la cesárea electiva a las 39 semanas bajo anestesia epidural lumbar. En el intraoperatorio ocurrió un episodio de hipotensión que fue rápidamente revertido con fenilefrina. El Índice de Apgar del recién nacido fue de 10/10. El catéter epidural fue usado para la analgesia postoperatoria, que también cursó sin intercurrencias. CONCLUSIONES: Son muy raros los casos publicados de abordaje anestésico de embarazadas con MAV sintomáticas. Todas las decisiones tomadas por el equipo multidisciplinario, desde optar por continuar con el embarazo, hasta el momento ideal para intervenir la MAV, pasando por el tipo de anestesia y analgesia, fueron sopesadas en función del riesgo de daño cerebral. Desde el punto de vista anestésico, los autores enfatizan la necesidad de estabilidad hemodinámica.

Anesthetic approach of pregnant woman with cerebral arteriovenous malformation and subarachnoid hemorrhage during pregnancy: Case report.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) during pregnancy is a rare event, and about half the cases are due to arteriovenous malformations (AVM). The authors describe the anesthetic approach of a 39 week pregnant patient scheduled for cesarean section, with a history of SAH due to AVM at 22 week gestation. CASE REPORT: 39 week pregnant patient, healthy prior to pregnancy, with a history of SAH at 22 week gestation, manifested by headache, vomiting, and dizziness without loss of consciousness or other deficits on admission to the emergency room. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a left frontal AVM. After a short hospital stay for stabilization and diagnosis, the final medical decision was to maintain the pregnancy and a multidisciplinary follow-up by neurosurgery and high-risk obstetric consultation. An elective cesarean section was performed at 39 weeks under epidural anesthesia. During the intraoperative period, an episode of hypotension rapidly reversed with phenylephrine occurred. The newborn Apgar score was 10/10. An epidural catheter was used for postoperative analgesia, also uneventful. CONCLUSIONS: There are very few published cases of anesthetic approach for pregnant women with symptomatic AVM. All decisions made by the multidisciplinary team, from choosing to continue the pregnancy to the ideal time for AVM intervention and type of anesthesia and analgesia, were weighted according to the risk of brain damage. Regarding the anesthetic procedure, the authors emphasize the need for hemodynamic stability.