[Psoas compartment block with general anaesthesia: descriptive study of 93 cases]. / Bloc du plexus lombaire par voie postérieure réalisé sous anesthésie générale: étude descriptive de 93 cas.

OBJECTIVES: During many years the approach to the lumbar plexus has been the anterior paravascular technique described as a "3-1" block by Winnie. The posterior approach results in a complete block of the principal nerves of the lumbar plexus. The goal of the study was to evaluate the performance of the psoas compartment block with general anaesthesia. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive, non randomized study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety-three patients scheduled for hip surgery were studied after informed consent. Demographic data, technical aspects of the puncture, complications, and intra- and postoperative analgesics were recorded. RESULTS: The block was performed by resident alone, senior alone, both in respectively 44%, 45, and 11% of cases. The mean duration of the procedure was 6+/-3 min for the residents, 5+/-2 min for the seniors, and 9+/-4 min for both. The transverse process was reach in 72% of cases during the first approach, after reorientation of the needle in the others cases, except 3 failures of attempt. The lumbar plexus was assessed within 60-90 mm of depth, with a median of 75 mm. The motor response was mainly a femoral response; the minimal intensity of stimulation was ranged between 0.3 and 1 mA, with a median of 0.6 mA. The duration of analgesic block was 16.5+/-4.5 hours, with a median of 18 hours. The morphine use during the first postoperative 24 hours was 8+/-8 mg, with a median of 5.6 mg. No neurologic complication was recorded at discharge from the hospital. CONCLUSION: The psoas compartment block with general anaesthesia have shown it feasibility and efficiency on intra- and postoperative analgesia during hip surgery.

[Oral contraception and surgery]. / Contraception orale et chirurgie.

PIP: Oral contraceptives (OCs) and surgery are both recognized risk factors for thromboembolism. Observation of a postoperative deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in a 21-year-old OC user prompted the authors to define the risk of OC use in surgical patients through a review of the literature. The patient had no other relevant risk factors except a moderate smoking habit. Surgery increases risk of thromboembolism because of the postoperative hypercoagulation state with declines in AT III, elevation of fibrinogen and products of degradation of fibrin, decline of plasminogen, and elevation of antiplasmin. The risks are greater in the immobile postsurgical phase and are increased as well by direct vascular lesions during surgery. Estimates of rates of deep venous thrombosis are very variable according to different authors because of the difficulties of diagnosis, heterogeneity of risk factors encountered, and variety of prophylactic methods employed. The most thrombogenic surgery is believed to be that on the legs; 1 literature review produced a range of estimates from 45-70% without prophylaxis and with 2% involving fatal pulmonary emboli. Another study estimated the risk of deep venous thrombosis at 2% for young subjects in good health undergoing minor surgery lasting less than 30 minutes and at 10-40% for subjects over 40 undergoing moderately serious general surgical procedures. No ideal method of prevention has been found that is well accepted by patients, nurses, and physicians. OC use entails multiple physiopathologic modifications including among others alterations of the vascular walls with endothelial proliferation and/or thickening of the media, increased blood viscosity, hyperaggregability of platelets, and increases in certain coagulation factors. Synthetic estrogens play the major role in modifications but progestins diminish venous tone and increase stasis. Large epidemiologic studies in the US and Great Britain found a significantly increased thromboembolic risk in OC users beginning in the 1st month of use and persisting until 3-4 weeks after termination of treatment. Most authors believe that OC use increases the postsurgical risk of thromboembolism by a factor of about 3. More selective choice of OC users, reduced estrogen doses, and better surveillance of users appear to have diminished the risk of thromboembolic disease with OC use. But unfortunately there are no sure predictors of thromboembolic disease. All authors recognize the reversibility of modifications caused by OCs on hemostasis by 4 weeks after termination. If therefore is recommended that OC use be interrupted 1 cycle before surgery.^ieng