Anaesthetic Management of Renal and Liver Transplantation Recipients During Caesarean Section.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to present our experience in liver transplantation recipients and renal transplantation recipients during caesarean section. METHODS: Retrospective data regarding liver transplantation recipients and renal transplantation recipients who underwent caesarean section between January 1997 and January 2017 have been collected from the hospital records. RESULTS: Fourteen live births occurred from 5 liver transplantation recipients and 9 renal transplantation recipients, all of them from caesarean section. The mean maternal age (28.4 ± 4.0 years vs. 29.2 ± 4.1 years, P = .38), body weight before conception (57.4 ± 8.8 kg vs. 64.5 ± 8.2 kg, P = .48), and the time from transplantation to conception (99.0 ± 50.7 months vs. 101.0 ± 57.5 months, P = .46) were similar for 5 liver transplantation recipients and 9 renal transplantation recipients, respectively. Four caesarean sections were performed under general anaesthesia, whereas spinal anaesthesia was used in 10 patients. The mean birth weight was similar (2502 ± 311g vs. 2161 ± 658 g, P = .3). There were 3 premature deliveries in liver transplantation recipients versus 6 premature deliveries in renal transplantation recipients and 2 low-birth-weight infants (<2500 g) in liver transplantation recipients versus 4 in renal transplantation recipients among 14 newborns. Infants small for gestational age were diagnosed in 9/14 (3 liver transplantation recipients versus 6 renal transplantation recipients, P = 1). CONCLUSION: General and regional anaesthesia can be safely used during caesarean delivery of liver transplantation recipients and renal transplantation recipients without increased risk of graft losses. Prematurity and low birth weight were mainly due to the cytotoxic drugs for immunosuppression. There are no differences in liver transplantation recipients and renal transplantation recipients for maternal and foetal complications according to our data.

Can Hypotension Episodes that were not Identified in the Non-Invasive Blood Pressure be Detected during Cesarean Section? A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Neuraxial anesthesia is a commonly used technique for cesarean section (C/S) because of its simplicity, rapid onset of action, and the requirement of lower doses of anesthetic agents with the lack of uteroplacental transfer. However, this type of anesthesia often causes sudden onset of hypotension, and its pathogenesis is not yet clearly understood. Aims: To evaluate the efficacy and necessity of continuous non-invasive arterial pressure (CNAP) by comparing it with non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) in order to understand whether it has advantages over oscillometric technique for detection of hypotensive episodes in healthy pregnant women who underwent C/S under neuraxial anesthesia. Study Design: A randomized controlled study. Methods: This prospective study evaluated healthy pregnant women at term who were scheduled for elective C/S under spinal anesthesia. Subjects were randomly assigned into two groups to receive either CNAP and NIBP, or only NIBP. A 30% decrease in systolic blood pressure from either baseline or the measured values in the first two minutes, or if the systolic blood pressure was less than 90 mmHg, is considered hypotension. Pre-, peri-, and postoperative specifications; newborn characteristics; and complications were recorded and compared. Results: A total of 106 individuals were enrolled in the study, with 53 parturients in each group. They were equally distributed in both groups (P > 0.05). The oscillometric method failed to detect hypotension in 8 out of 29 pregnant women who were noted to be hypotensive with CNAP. The number of hypotension events detected was higher, and the time to detection of the first episode of hypotension was shorter in the CNAP group (P > 0.05). A total of four newborns required intensive care unit treatment, one of whom needed mechanical ventilator support, all born to mothers in the CNAP group (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Continuous non-invasive arterial pressure in detecting hypotensive episodes does not provide an additional advantage to healthy pregnant women undergoing elective cesarean section.

Factors Affecting the Thermal Comfort of Perioperative Personnel in the OR.

Thermal comfort is an important component of any work setting and can be difficult to achieve in the complex OR environment. This comparative descriptive study sought to identify factors affecting the thermal comfort of perioperative personnel in the OR (N = 68). Researchers used the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Thermal Sensation Scale and researcher-developed surveys to collect data. The mean reported thermal comfort level was -0.44 (standard deviation 1.3), which is within acceptable parameters. Factors affecting thermal comfort were gender, professional role, and wearing additional clothing. Additionally, participants who complained about temperature or ventilation were less likely to report thermal comfort levels in the normal range. Health care facility leaders should consider the comfort needs of perioperative personnel when making purchasing decisions about ventilation systems and surgical clothing; however, they also should consider other factors (eg, surgeon comfort, permeability of protective clothing to blood and other body fluids).