Can point-of-care ultrasound predict spinal hypotension during caesarean section? A prospective observational study.

Spinal anaesthesia for elective caesarean section is associated with maternal hypotension, secondary to alteration of sympathetic tone and hypovolemia, in up to 70% of cases. Measurement of the subaortic variation in the velocity time integral (VTI) after passive leg raising allows prediction of fluid responsiveness. Our objective, in this prospective single-centre observational study, was to assess the ability of change in VTI after 45° passive leg raising to predict hypotension after spinal anaesthesia. Ultrasound measurements were performed just before elective caesarean section. Anaesthesia, intravenous coloading and prophylactic vasopressor treatment were standardised according to current guidelines. We studied 40 women. Hypotension occurred in 17 (45%) women. The area (95%CI) under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve for the prediction of spinal hypotension was 0.8 (0.6-0.9; p = 0.0001). Seventeen women had a change in VTI with leg elevation ≤ 8%, which was predictive for not developing hypotension, and 11 had a change ≥ 21%, predictive for hypotension. The grey zone between 8% and 21%, with inconclusive values, included 12 women. We suggest that cardiac ultrasound provides characterisation of the risk of hypotension following spinal anaesthesia at elective caesarean section, and therefore may allow individualised strategies for prevention and management.

[Comparison of two protocols of prophylactic antibiotic therapy in childhood appendectomy]. / Comparaison de deux protocoles d'antibioprophylaxie associée à l'appendicectomie de l'enfant.

OBJECTIVE: Antibiotic administration during acute appendicitis in children continues to be debated. The purpose of this study was to compare efficacy of two prophylactic antibiotic treatment guidelines in acute appendicitis and peritonitis in children. MATERIEL AND METHODS: The infectious complication rate after appendicectomy was compared during two distinct periods (before/after study). During the first period, the guidelines for antibiotic administration were based on ticarcillin-clavulanic acid. During the second period, the guidelines were based on amoxicillin-clavulanic acid for non-perforated appendicitis or appendicitis with localized peritonitis, and clavulanic acid was reserved for general peritonitis. All children younger than 16 years of age who underwent appendicectomy during the periods studied were included. Data were retrospectively collected from surgical and anesthetics charts. RESULTS: Ninety-five children during the first period and 238 during the second were included. In the children with non-perforated appendicitis, no postoperative infectious complication occurred in 74 children during the first period versus two out of 153 (1%) during the second period. In cases of perforated appendicitis, postoperative infectious complications occurred two cases (10%) during the first period versus nine (11%) during the second. There were no significant differences between the two periods. CONCLUSION: In this population, antibiotic administration guidelines based on amoxicillin-clavulanic acid for stages I-III of appendicitis maintained a low rate of postoperative infectious complications and were not associated with a higher postoperative infectious complication rate than guidelines based on ticarcillin-clavulanic acid.