Effect of regional vs general anesthesia on vital functions after cesarean section: a single center experience.

BACKGROUND: The aim was to determine the effect of regional anesthesia (RA) on postoperative vital functions in contrast to general endotracheal anesthesia (GEA) after the cesarean section. METHODS: Prospective cohort study included consecutive term pregnant women delivered by cesarean section (GEA, n = 284; RA, n = 249). RESULTS: Higher levels of blood pressure and heart rate, as well as lower levels of pulse oximetry were found for GEA in contrast to RA (p < 0.001). The application of RA presented less side-effects (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: RA for cesarean section should be preferred when balancing the risks and benefits for the mother and fetus.

Prevention of Renal Complications Induced by Non- Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly prescribed for the treatment of pain, inflamation and fever. They are usually well tolerated in healthy persons, but in patients with risk factors (advanced age, renal impairment, heart failure, liver disease, concurrent medications with antihypertensive drugs), NSAIDs can induce serious renal adverse effects. They include sodium and water retention with edema, worsening of heart failure, hypertension, hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, renal papillary necrosis and acute interstitial nephritis. The majority of these adverse effects are due to the inhibition of prostaglandins synthesis and they are dose and duration-dependent. Acute forms of kidney injuries are transient and often reversible upon drug withdrawal. Chronic use of NSAIDs in some patients may result in chronic kidney disease. It is recommended that patients at risk should have preventative strategies in place, including the use of the "lowest effective dose" of NSAID for the "shortest possible time" and monitoring renal function, fluid retention and electrolyte abnormalities. Patients who are taking antihypertensive medications should be monitored for high blood pressure and the doses of antihypertensive medications should be adjusted if needed. In general, the combination of NSAIDs and angiotensin inhibitors should be avoided. Some other preventive measures are dietary salt restriction, use of topical NSAIDs/non-pharmacological therapies and use of calcium channel blockers for treating hypertension.

Doppler hemodynamic study in portal hypertension and hepatic encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of our study was to evaluate and compare the differences in the parameters of portal hypertension in two groups of patients with liver cirrhosis, with and without hepatic encephalopathy (HE). METHODOLOGY: 30 patients with liver cirrhosis, 17 (56.7%) of them with HE, were investigated by clinical, neurological, laboratory, endoscopic methods and with color Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) at the Institute for Digestive Diseases, Clinical Center of Serbia, Beograde. RESULTS: Significant correlation was found between the diameters of the right liver lobe and the portal vein (p=0.01), and also between the diameters of the spleen and splenic vein (p=0.0002), in both groups of patients. Mean portal vein diameter significantly increases (p=0.01) in patients with HE (14.87 +/- 1.86mm), compared to those without HE (13.2 +/- 2.31mm), while mean splenic vein diameter was not significantly different in the two groups. In patients with ascites, CDU showed significantly lower (p=0.03) portal flow velocity (11.87 +/- 6.25cm/ sec), compared to those without ascites (14.33 +/- 4.41cm/sec). Splenic flow velocity was not significantly different (16.00 +/- 6.60cm/sec with ascites and 14.61 +/- 5.29cm/sec without ascites). In patients with HE, portal flow velocity was significantly lower (9.00 +/- 5.41cm/sec) compared to those without HE (14.0 +/- 7.03cm/sec) (p=0.04). Mean splenic flow velocity was significantly lower (p=0.03) in patients with HE (12.60 +/- 4.16cm/sec), compared to those without HE (17.77 +/- 5.91cm/sec). Portal flow velocity shows linear decrease, related to the increase of the liver damage (Child-Pugh score), while splenic velocity was not related to this parameter. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonographic parameters of portal hypertension show significant correlation between the diameters of liver/portal vein and spleen/splenic vein. Portal hemodynamic parameter (blood flow velocity) is significantly related to the stages of liver damage, presence of ascites and HE, while splenic hemodynamics is specific and not directly related to these parameters.

[Acute intermittent porphyria in the puerperium].

INTRODUCTION: Acute intermittent porphyria emerges as a result of partial defect of porphobilinogen deaminase and is manifested by repeated episodes of somatic, psychiatric and neurological disorders. The disease is conducted via the autosomal-dominant gene of variable penetration, so most of the carriers never experience seizures. Timely making of diagnosis, screening of blood relatives of the patient and education of patients on avoidance of provoking factors are the key to adequate treatment. CASE OUTLINE: A 23-year-old patient having born the third child was hospitalized due to pains in the abdomen and convulsive seizures nine days after the vaginal delivery. At admittance, she suffered a generalized convulsive seizure of clonic-tonic type. The patient immediately underwent a complete clinical, laboratory, bacteriological and ultrasound examination. Bearing in mind the fact that the patient had several convulsive seizures even after the given neurological therapy, haem-arginate was introduced into therapy during four days. The administration of haem-arginate led to the normalization of blood pressure, pulse and bowel function. The administration of haem-arginate led to the normalization of blood pressure, pulse and bowel function. The patient was treated by a team of doctors, in the intensive care ward, with the use of medicaments, which are allowed in the case of acute porphyria. Sixteen days after the admittance, with clean neurological status and gynaecological and ultra-sound findings, she was released for ambulatory treatment. CONCLUSION: The presented case exhibits the gravity of making a diagnosis of acute intermittent porphyria in puerperium and the necessity of multi-disciplinary approach in treating this disease. Acute intermittent porphyria should be considered in cases of ambiguous abdominal pain, as well as in patients having abdominal pains followed by neuro-psychiatric disorders.

[Successful application of recombinant activated factor VII in a patient with HELLP syndrome and disseminated intravascular coagulation].

INTRODUCTION: HELLP syndrome represents the form of preeclampsia characterized by moderate hypertension, often with absence of proteinuria and oedema. The frequency of HELLP syndrome in pregnant women with preeclampsia is 10-20%. The clinical course of the disease is characterized by the progressive worsening of mother and fetus condition, which can be stopped only by delivery. Disseminated intravascular coagulation is present in 8% of patients with HELLP syndrome and causes significant morbidity and mortality. CASE OUTLINE: We present a case of HELLP syndrome complicated by intrauterine fetal demise and disseminated intravascular coagulation in trigemelar pregnancy. After all surgical and medicamentous methods to establish haemostasis were exhausted, the patient was treated by recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) in intravenous bolus dose of 90 microg/kg twice, which resulted in satisfactory haemostasis. Side effects of the drug were not registered. CONCLUSION: The application of rFVIIa reduced haemorrhage in our patient, both after the Caesarean section and after hysterectomy, contributing to the patient's full recovery, without neurological sequelae and with preserved renal function. RFVIIa is not an alternative to surgical haemostasis, but its administration should surely be considered before deciding to perform hysterectomy, especially in patients who want to preserve fertility. In cases of postpartum haemorrhage, when bleeding persists even after adequate surgical haemostasis, the administration of rFVIIa is to be considered not only as an alternative to hysterectomy, but also an effort to prevent significant maternal morbidity and mortality.