The effects of intrathecal morphine on urinary bladder function and recovery in patients having a cesarean delivery - A randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Spinal anesthesia with intrathecal morphine (ITM) is a common anesthesia technique for cesarean delivery. The hypothesis was that the addition of ITM will delay micturition in women undergoing cesarean delivery. METHODS: Fifty-six ASA physical status I and II women scheduled to undergo elective cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia were randomized to the PSM group (50 mg prilocaine + 2.5 mcg sufentanil + 100 mcg morphine; n = 30) or PS group (50 mg prilocaine + 2.5 mcg sufentanil; n = 24). The patients in the PS group received a bilateral transverse abdominal plane (TAP) block. The primary outcome was the effect of ITM on the time to micturition and the secondary outcome was the need for bladder re-catheterization. RESULTS: The time to first urge to urinate (8 [6-10] hours in the PSM group versus 6 [4-6] hours in the PS group) and the time to first micturition (10 [8-12] hours in the PSM group versus 6 [6-8] hours in the PS group) were significantly (p < 0.001) prolonged in the PSM group. Two patients in the PSM group met the 800 mL criterium for urinary catheterization after 6 and 8 h respectively. CONCLUSION: This study is the first randomized trial to demonstrate that the addition of ITM to the standardized mixture of prilocaine and sufentanil significantly delayed micturition.

Quadratus lumborum block: an imaging study of three approaches.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Different injection techniques for the quadratus lumborum (QL) block have been described. Data in human cadavers suggest that the transverse oblique paramedian (TOP) QL3 may reach the thoracic paravertebral space more consistently than the QL1 and QL2. However, the distribution of injectate in cadavers may differ from that in patients. Hence, we assessed the distribution of the injectate after the QL1, QL2, and TOP QL3 techniques in patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four patients scheduled for abdominal surgery received QL blocks postoperatively; 26 patients received bilateral and 8 patients received unilateral blocks. Block injections were randomly allocated to QL1, QL2, or TOP QL3 techniques (20 blocks per each technique). The injections consisted of 18 mL of ropivacaine 0.375% with 2 mL of radiopaque contrast, injected lateral or posterior to the QL muscle for the QL1 and QL2 techniques, respectively. For the TOP QL3, the injection was into the plane between the QL and psoas muscles, proximal to the L2 transverse process. Two reviewers, blinded to the allocation, reviewed three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) images to assess the distribution of injectate. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The QL1 block spread in the transversus abdominis plane (TAP), QL2 in the TAP, and posterior aspect of the QL muscle, whereas TOP QL3 spread consistently in the anterior aspect of the QL muscle with occasional spread to the lumbar and thoracic paravertebral areas. CONCLUSIONS: The spread of injectate after QL1, QL2, and QL3 blocks, resulted in different distribution patterns, primarily in the area of injection. The TOP QL3 did not result in consistent interfascial spread toward the thoracic paravertebral space.