Maternal anemia and red blood cell requirements in 72 women undergoing ex-utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure.

Background: The ex-utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) allows to ensure fetal airway while keeping uteroplacental circulation. However, EXIT may become a life-threatening procedure due to the increased risk of uterine atony or placenta abruption with increased peripartum blood losses and increased transfusion rates. We aim to review maternal anemia prevalence and transfusion requirements in women undergoing EXIT procedure. Methods: Using data from the Federal German Statistical Office hospitalized women undergoing EXIT procedure between January 1st 2006 and December 31st 2021 were included. The prevalence of anemia, peripartum hemorrhage, comorbidities and administration of red blood cells (RBC) were analyzed. Results: In total, 72 women underwent EXIT procedure with a median age of 31 years (26;33.5). In 43.1% EXIT was conducted at 34-36 weeks of gestational age. "Anemia during pregnancy" was present in 47.2%, "anemia due to acute bleeding" in 25.0% and "iron deficiency anemia" in 15.3%. Postpartum hemorrhage occurred in 11.1%. RBCs were transfused in 15.3% of all women. Most women required 1-5 units of RBCs. Conclusion: Despite the rarity of this procedure, anemia management and blood conservation strategies in order to reduce the need for RBC transfusion are highly important in women undergoing EXIT procedure.

Volatile versus propofol sedation after cardiac valve surgery: a single-center prospective randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Optimal intensive care of patients undergoing valve surgery is a complex balancing act between sedation for monitoring and timely postoperative awakening. It remains unclear, if these requirements can be fulfilled by volatile sedations in intensive care medicine in an efficient manner. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the time to extubation and secondary the workload required. METHODS: We conducted a prospective randomized single-center trial at a tertiary university hospital to evaluate the postoperative management of open valve surgery patients. The study was randomized with regard to the use of volatile sedation compared to propofol sedation. Sedation was discontinued 60 min after admission for critical postoperative monitoring. RESULTS: We observed a significantly earlier extubation (91 ± 39 min vs. 167 ± 77 min; p < 0.001), eye-opening (86 ± 28 min vs. 151 ± 71 min; p < 0.001) and command compliance (93 ± 38 min vs. 164 ± 75 min; p < 0.001) using volatile sedation, which in turn was associated with a significantly increased workload of a median of 9:56 min (± 4:16 min) set-up time. We did not observe any differences in complications. Cardiopulmonary bypass time did not differ between the groups 101 (IQR 81; 113) versus 112 (IQR 79; 136) minutes p = 0.36. CONCLUSIONS: Using volatile sedation is associated with few minutes additional workload in assembling and enables a significantly accelerated evaluation of vulnerable patient groups. Volatile sedation has considerable advantages and emerges as a safe sedation technique in our vulnerable study population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trials registration (NCT04958668) was completed on 1 July 2021.

Adjusting Current Hemoglobin Thresholds: A Way to Improve Outcome in Women Undergoing Major Surgery.

Background/Objective: In the perioperative setting, a suboptimal total hemoglobin (Hb) mass puts women and men at an unreasonable disadvantage. Anemia is an independent risk factor for transfusion, postoperative complications, and mortality. The Hb cut-off value for women was set at <12.0 g/dL by the World Health Organization (WHO) and has been rigorously debated for decades. The aim of this study was to elucidate the risk for postoperative complications in female patients with Hb levels < 12.0, 12.0-12.9, and ≥13.0 g/dL. Material and Methods: Single-center retrospective analysis of female patients undergoing major surgery. Results: In total, 6,516 patients ≥18 years of age had major surgery between 2018 and 2019 and 2,446 female patients were included in analysis. Mean age was 67.4 ± 16.6, 66.4 ± 15.6, and 64.5 ± 15.5 years in female patients with preoperative Hb levels <12.0, 12.0-12.9 and ≥13.0 g/dL, respectively. The transfusion rate of red blood cells (RBCs) was significantly higher in female patients with Hb <12.0 g/dL (53%) and with Hb 12.0-12.9 g/dL (31%) compared to female patients ≥13.0 g/dL (22%). Rates of pneumonia, acute kidney injury, and sepsis were significantly higher in patients with Hb <12.0 and 12.0-12.9 g/dL compared to patients with Hb ≥13.0 g/dL. Total length of hospital stay was significantly longer in female patients with Hb <12.0 g/dL than patients with Hb 12.0-12.9 g/dL and Hb ≥13.0 g/dL (10 days vs. 8 days). Conclusion: Taken together, our data show that Hb values below 12.9 g/dL are associated with increased probability of RBC transfusions and increased risk of postoperative complications. In addition, our results indicate that postoperative outcomes for women might be optimized by increasing cut-off values for anemia. The call to revise the anemia threshold for women by the WHO can no longer be disregarded.

Anaemia and red blood cell transfusion in women with placenta accreta spectrum: an analysis of 38,060 cases.

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) has become a significant life-threatening issue due to its increased incidence and associated morbidity and mortality. Pregnancy is often associated with states of anaemia, and severe maternal haemorrhage represents a major risk factor for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. The present study retrospectively analyzed the prevalence of anaemia, transfusion requirements and outcome in women with PAS. Using data from the German Statistical Office pregnant patients with deliveries hospitalized between January 2012 and December 2021 were included. Primary outcome was the prevalence of anemia and administration of RBCs. Secondary outcome were complications in women with PAS who received RBC transfusion. In total 6,493,606 pregnant women were analyzed, of which 38,060 (0.59%) were diagnosed with PAS. The rate of anaemia during pregnancy (60.36 vs. 23.25%; p < 0.0001), postpartum haemorrhage (47.08 vs. 4.41%; p < 0.0001) and RBC transfusion rate (14.68% vs. 0.72%; p < 0.0001) were higher in women with PAS compared to women without PAS. Women with PAS who had bleeding and transfusion experienced significantly more peripartum complications than those who did not. A multiple logistic regression revealed that the probability for RBC transfusion in all pregnant women was positively associated with anaemia (OR 21.96 (95% CI 21.36-22.58)). In women with PAS, RBC transfusion was positively associated with the presence of renal failure (OR 11.27 (95% CI 9.35-13.57)) and congestive heart failure (OR 6.02 (95% CI (5.2-7.07)). Early anaemia management prior to delivery as well as blood conservation strategies are crucial in women diagnosed with PAS.

Red blood cell transfusion in patients undergoing elective primary glioblastoma resection.

BACKGROUND: Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion in patients undergoing major elective cranial surgery is associated with increased postoperative morbidity and mortality. This study aims to identify the clinical outcome of transfused glioblastoma patients undergoing primary surgical tumor resection and identify risk factors for RBC transfusion. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between 2009 and 2019, 406 patients underwent elective primary glioblastoma resection. For multivariate analysis to assess risk factors for RBC transfusion, logistic regression was conducted. The impact of RBC transfusion on overall survival was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: In total, 36 (8.9%) patients received RBC transfusion. Preoperative anemia rate was significantly higher in transfused patients compared to patients without RBC transfusion (33.3 vs 6.5%; p<0.0001). Postoperative complications as well as hospital length of stay (LOS) (p<0.0001) were significantly increased in transfused patients compared to non-transfused patients. After multivariate analysis, risk factors for RBC transfusion were preoperative anemia (p<0.0001), intraoperative blood loss (p<0.0001), female gender (p=0.0056) and radiation (p=0.0064). Kaplan-Meier curves revealed that RBC transfusion and being elderly (age ≥75 years) were relevant for overall survival. DISCUSSION: RBC transfusion is associated with increased postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing elective primary glioblastoma resection. Preoperative anemia and intraoperative blood loss are major risk factors for RBC transfusion. Preoperative anemia management and blood conservation strategies are crucial in patients undergoing elective primary glioblastoma resection.

Management and Outcome of Women with Placenta Accreta Spectrum and Treatment with Uterine Artery Embolization.

BACKGROUND: Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders are a continuum of placental pathologies with increased risk for hemorrhage, blood transfusion and maternal morbidity. Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is a safe approach to the standardization of complex PAS cases. The aim of this study is to analyze anemia and transfusion rate, outcome and anesthesiological management of women who underwent caesarean delivery with subsequent UAE for the management of PAS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective observational study included all pregnant women admitted to the University Hospital Frankfurt between January 2012 and September 2023, with a diagnosis of PAS who underwent a two-step surgical approach for delivery and placenta removal. Primary procedure included cesarean delivery with subsequent UAE, secondary procedure included placenta removal after a minim of five weeks via curettage or HE. Maternal characteristics, anesthesiological management, complications, anemia rate, blood loss and administration of blood products were analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 17 women with PAS were included in this study. Of these, 5.9% had placenta increta and 94.1% had placenta percreta. Median blood loss was 300 (200-600) mL during primary procedure and 3600 (450-5500) mL during secondary procedure. In total, 11.8% and 62.5% of women received red blood cell transfusion during the primary and secondary procedures, respectively. After primary procedure, postpartum anemia rate was 76.5%. The HE rate was 64.7%. Regional anesthesia was used in 88.2% during primary procedure. CONCLUSION: The embolization of the uterine artery for women diagnosed with PAS is safe. Anemia management and the implementation of blood conservation strategies are crucial in women undergoing UAE for the management of PAS.

Current concepts in postpartum anemia management.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Postpartum anemia (PPA) is common in women after childbirth and affects about 50-80% of all women worldwide. Iron deficiency (ID) is the main cause for anemia and constitutes a potentially preventable condition with great impact on the mother's physical and mental condition after delivery. In most cases, PPA is associated with antenatal ID and peripartum blood losses. Numerous published studies confirmed the positive effect of PPA diagnosis and treatment. RECENT FINDINGS: Iron deficiency as well as iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are common in the postpartum period and represent significant health problems in women of reproductive age. SUMMARY: Important movements towards early detection and therapy of postpartum anemia have been observed. However, postpartum anemia management is not implemented on a large scale as many healthcare professionals are not aware of the most recent findings in the field. Diagnosis and therapy of PPA, particularly iron supplementation in ID and IDA, has proven to be highly effective with a tremendous effect on women's wellbeing and outcome.

Current concepts in the use of cell salvage in obstetrics.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The worldwide leading cause of maternal death is severe maternal hemorrhage. Maternal hemorrhage can be profound leading to an entire loss of blood volume. In the past two decades, Patient Blood Management has evolved to improve patient's care and safety. In surgeries with increased blood loss exceeding 500 ml, the use of cell salvage is strongly recommended in order to preserve the patient's own blood volume and to minimize the need for allogeneic red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. In this review, recent evidence and controversies of the use of cell salvage in obstetrics are discussed. RECENT FINDINGS: Numerous medical societies as well as national and international guidelines recommend the use of cell salvage during maternal hemorrhage. SUMMARY: Intraoperative cell salvage is a strategy to maintain the patient's own blood volume and decrease the need for allogeneic RBC transfusion. Historically, cell salvage has been avoided in the obstetric population due to concerns of iatrogenic amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) or induction of maternal alloimmunization. However, no definite case of AFE has been reported so far. Cell salvage is strongly recommended and cost-effective in patients with predictably high rates of blood loss and RBC transfusion, such as women with placenta accreta spectrum disorder. However, in order to ensure sufficient practical experience in a multiprofessional obstetric setting, liberal use of cell salvage appears advisable.

Effect of using smaller blood volume tubes and closed blood collection devices on total blood loss in patients undergoing major cardiac and vascular surgery.

BACKGROUND: Diagnostic laboratory tests are an integral part of managing hospitalized patients. In particular, patients in the intensive care units (ICUs) can experience a concerning amount of blood loss due to diagnostic testing, which can increase the risk developing iatrogenic anemia. Several interventions exist to curtail avoidable blood loss, for example computerized decision support, smaller phlebotomy tubes, and other blood conservation devices. Nevertheless, use of these interventions is not standardized. Therefore, the objective of our study was to quantify the daily phlebotomy volume taken from patients who had undergone major cardiac or vascular surgery. METHODS: We estimated the number of blood analyses and volumes of drawn blood of 400 consecutive patients (≥ 18 yr) undergoing major cardiac or vascular surgery. The amount of blood saved using small-volume tubes and in combination with blood conservation device rather than standard-volume tubes was estimated for serum chemistry (serum), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) tubes, sodium citrate coagulation (SCC) tubes, and arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis. RESULTS: The mean total blood loss due to phlebotomy drawing using standard-volume tubes during hospitalization was 167.9 mL (95% confidence interval [CI], 158.0 to 177.8), 255.6 mL (95% CI, 226.5 to 284.6), and 695.3 mL (95% CI, 544.1 to 846.4) for patients undergoing cardiac surgery with a hospital length of stay (LOS) of 0-10, 11-20, and ≥ 21 days, respectively. The mean total blood loss due to phlebotomy during hospitalization was 80.5 mL (95% CI, 70.5 to 90.6), 225.0 mL (95% CI, 135.1 to 314.8 mL) and 470.3 mL (95% CI, 333.5 to 607.1) for vascular surgery patients with LOS 0-10, 11-20, and ≥ 21 days, respectively. Patients with at least a two-day stay at the ICU had a mean blood loss of 146.6 mL (95% CI, 134.6 to 158.6 mL) and those with ≥ 11 days incurred a loss of 1,428 mL (95% CI, 1,117.8 to 1,739.2). The use of closed blood collection device and small-volume tubes (serum, EDTA, SCC, and ABG) reduced blood loss by 82.8 mL for patients with an ICU stay of 2 days and up to 824.0 mL for patients with a ICU stay of ≥ 11 days. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic laboratory tests are associated with significant patient blood loss, but are a modifiable risk factor. The use of small-volume tubes and closed blood collection devices decreases the volume of patient blood drawn for analysis and prevents blood waste.

RéSUMé: CONTEXTE: Les tests diagnostiques de laboratoire font partie intégrante de la prise en charge des personnes hospitalisées. Plus spécifiquement, la patientèle des unités de soins intensifs (USI) peut perdre une quantité inquiétante de sang en raison des tests de diagnostic, ce qui peut augmenter le risque d'anémie iatrogène. Plusieurs interventions existent pour réduire les pertes de sang évitables, par exemple une aide à la décision informatisée, des tubes de phlébotomie plus petits et d'autres dispositifs de conservation du sang. Néanmoins, le recours à ces interventions n'est pas normalisé. Par conséquent, l'objectif de notre étude était de quantifier le volume quotidien de phlébotomie prélevée chez des patient·es ayant bénéficié d'une chirurgie cardiaque ou vasculaire majeure. MéTHODE: Nous avons estimé le nombre d'analyses sanguines et les volumes de sang prélevés de 400 personnes consécutives (≥ 18 ans) bénéficiant d'une chirurgie cardiaque ou vasculaire majeure. La quantité de sang économisée à l'aide de tubes de petit volume et en combinaison avec un dispositif de conservation du sang plutôt que des tubes de volume standard a été estimée pour la chimie sérique (sérum), les tubes d'acide éthylène-diamine-tétra-acétique (EDTA), les tubes de coagulation au citrate de sodium (CCS) et l'analyse des gaz du sang artériel (GSA). RéSULTATS: La perte sanguine totale moyenne due au prélèvement de phlébotomie à l'aide de tubes de volume standard pendant l'hospitalisation était de 167,9 mL (intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95 %, 158,0 à 177,8), 255,6 mL (IC 95 %, 226,5 à 284,6) et 695,3 mL (IC 95 %, 544,1 à 846,4) chez les patient·es bénéficiant d'une chirurgie cardiaque avec une durée de séjour à l'hôpital de 0 à 10, 11 à 20, et ≥ 21 jours, respectivement. La perte sanguine totale moyenne due à la phlébotomie pendant l'hospitalisation était de 80,5 mL (IC 95 %, 70,5 à 90,6), 225,0 mL (IC 95 %, 135,1 à 314,8 mL) et 470,3 mL (IC 95 %, 333,5 à 607,1) chez les patient·es ayant bénéficié d'une chirurgie vasculaire avec des durées de séjour de 0-10, 11-20 et ≥ 21 jours, respectivement. Les patient·es ayant séjourné au moins deux jours à l'USI ont eu une perte de sang moyenne de 146,6 mL (IC 95 %, 134,6 à 158,6 mL) et celles et ceux ayant séjourné ≥ 11 jours ont subi une perte de 1428 mL (IC 95 %, 1117,8 à 1739,2). L'utilisation d'un dispositif de prélèvement sanguin fermé et de tubes de petit volume (sérum, EDTA, SCC et gsa) a réduit la perte de sang de 82,8 mL pour les patient·es ayant séjourné à l'USI 2 jours et jusqu'à 824,0 mL pour les patient·es ayant séjourné en USI ≥ 11 jours. CONCLUSION: Les tests de laboratoire diagnostiques sont associés à une perte de sang importante chez les patient·es, mais constituent un facteur de risque modifiable. L'utilisation de tubes de petit volume et de dispositifs fermés de prélèvement sanguin diminue le volume de sang prélevé pour analyse et prévient le gaspillage de sang.

Use of cell salvage in obstetrics in Germany: analysis of national database of 305 610 cases with peripartum haemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: One of the leading causes of maternal death worldwide is severe obstetric haemorrhage after childbirth. Use of intraoperative cell salvage is strongly recommended by international guidelines on patient blood management. Recent data provide strong evidence that use of cell salvage in obstetrics is effective and safe in women with postpartum haemorrhage resulting in fewer transfusion-related adverse events and shorter hospital stay. We retrospectively analysed the use of cell salvage in bleeding women during delivery for a period of 10 yr in German hospitals. METHODS: Data from the German Federal Statistical Office were used that covers all in-hospital birth deliveries from 2011 to 2020. Prevalence of peripartum haemorrhage (pre-, intra-, and post-partum haemorrhage), comorbidities, peripartum complications, administration of blood products, and use of cell salvage were analysed. RESULTS: Of 6 356 046 deliveries in Germany, 305 610 women (4.8%) suffered from peripartum haemorrhage. Of all women with peripartum haemorrhage, postpartum haemorrhage was the main cause for major obstetric haemorrhage (92.33%). Cell salvage was used in only 228 (0.07%) of all women with peripartum haemorrhage (cell salvage group). In women undergoing Caesarean delivery with postpartum haemorrhage, cell salvage was used in only 216 out of 70 450 women (0.31%). CONCLUSION: Cell salvage during peripartum haemorrhage is rarely used in Germany. There is tremendous potential for the increased use of cell salvage in peripartum haemorrhage nationwide.

Anemia, red blood cell transfusion and administration of blood products in obstetrics: a nationwide analysis of more than 6 million cases from 2011-2020.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of anemia is high, especially in obstetrics. There is large evidence, that anemia during pregnancy is associated with increased maternal morbidity and mortality. Anemia and peripartum hemorrhage remain the main causes for transfusion of red blood cells (RBC). Patient Blood Management (PBM) reduces the need for RBC transfusion significantly. The present study retrospectively analyzed the impact and prevalence of anemia and RBC transfusion on pregnant women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were retrieved from the German Statistical Office on pregnant women who delivered in hospital between January 1st 2011 and December 31st 2020. The prevalence of anemia, peripartum hemorrhage, comorbidities, administration of blood products and complications were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 6,356,046 pregnant women were analyzed of whom 78,257 (1.23%) received RBC transfusion (RBC transfusion group) and 6,277,789 (98.77%) did not receive RBC transfusion (non-RBC transfusion group). In all women analyzed anemia rate was 23.74%. The rates of anemia during pregnancy (70.39 vs 23.15%; p<0.0001), postpartum hemorrhage (41.42 vs 4.35%; p<0.0001), hospital length of stay (127.5 vs 87.08 hours; p<0.0001) and single complications were higher in women with RBC transfusion compared to women without RBC transfusion. DISCUSSION: The prevalence of anemia and the increased risk for RBC transfusion show that there is great potential for effective implementation of PBM in obstetrics. The treatment of anemia during pregnancy and reduction of RBC transfusions will decrease maternal morbidity and mortality.

Treatment of very elderly glioblastoma patients ≥ 75 years of age: whom to treat.

PURPOSE: The prognosis of patients ≥ 75 years suffering from glioblastoma is poor. Novel therapies are usually reserved for patients ≤ 70 years. In an aging population, treatment of very elderly patients remains a challenge. METHODS: Between 2010 and 2018, a total of 977 glioblastoma patients were treated at our institution. Of these, 143 patients were ≥ 75 years at diagnosis. Primary procedure was surgical resection or biopsy followed by adjuvant treatment, whenever possible. We retrospectively investigated overall survival (OS) and potential prognostic factors influencing survival, including Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), surgical therapy, adjuvant therapy as well as MGMT promotor status. RESULTS: In very elderly patients, median age was 79 years (range: 75-110). Biopsy only was performed in 104 patients; resection was performed in 39 patients. Median OS for the entire cohort was 5.9 months. Univariate analysis showed that KPS at presentation (≥ 70 vs. ≤60), surgery vs. biopsy, adjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant radiotherapy were significantly associated with OS (6 vs. 3, p < 0.0111; 12 vs. 4, p = 0.0011; 11 vs. 4, p = 0.0003 and 10 vs. 1.5 months, p < 0.0001, respectively). Multivariate analysis confirmed adjuvant radiotherapy (p < 0.0001) and chemotherapy (p = 0.0002) as independent factors influencing OS. CONCLUSION: For very elderly patients, the natural course of disease without treatment is devastating. These patients benefit from multimodal treatment including adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy. A beneficial effect of resection has not been demonstrated. Treatment options and outcomes should be thoughtfully discussed before treatment decisions are made.

[Obstetric Anesthesia]. / Geburtshilfliche Anästhesie.

Patient safety and reduction of possible complications are the top priorities for anesthesiologists in everyday clinical practice. Thus, interdisciplinary early assessment and optimization of patient specific medical conditions and risk factors are crucial. In obstetrics, regional anesthesia and general anesthesia are routinely being performed. To ensure maternal and fetal safety, knowledge regarding physiological changes during pregnancy is highly important. Regional anesthesia, particularly epidural analgesia, has its main field of application in the context of natural birth in the delivery room. Spinal anesthesia, as well as epidural and combined spinal-epidural anesthesia (CSE) are widely used for caesarean section. In this context, special attention should be paid to possible bleeding disorders. The combination of risk stratification and strategies to improve the patient's preoperative medical status is capable to reduce maternal and fetal complications.

Bleeding Complications in COVID-19 Critically Ill ARDS Patients Receiving VV-ECMO Therapy.

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) therapy is rapidly expanding worldwide, yet this therapy has a serious risk of bleeding. Whether coagulation-activating viral infections such as COVID-19 may have an impact on the risk of bleeding is largely unknown. This study conducted a monocentric investigation of severely affected COVID-19 patients receiving VV-ECMO therapy with regard to the occurrence and possible influences of minor and major bleeding and transfusion requirements. Among the 114 included study patients, we were able to assess more than 74,000 h of VV-ECMO therapy. In these, 103 major bleeding events and 2283 minor bleeding events were detected. In total, 1396 red blood concentrates (RBCs) were administered. A statistically significant correlation with the applied anticoagulation or demographic data of the patients was not observed. Contrary to the frequently observed thromboembolic complications among COVID-19 patients, patients with VV-ECMO therapy, even under low-dose anticoagulation, show a distinct bleeding profile, especially of minor bleeding, with a substantial need for blood transfusions. COVID-19 patients show a tendency to have frequent bleeding and require repeated RBC transfusions during VV-ECMO. This fact might not be solely explained by the mechanical alteration of ECMO or anticoagulation.

Safety and Efficiency of Low-Dose Spinal Analgesia Compared to Epidural Analgesia in Treatment of Pain during Labour: A Case Control Study.

BACKGROUND: The epidural catheter for analgesia has been used for decades and has become the gold standard in pain therapy for pregnant women in labour. However, procedural parameters such as time to pain relief and duration to implementation pose hurdles for patients shortly before delivery. Low-dose spinal analgesia (LDSA) is an alternative procedure that was investigated in the study with regard to patient satisfaction and complication rates compared to epidural catheter. METHODS: In a retrospective monocentric study, a total of 242 patients receiving low-dose spinal analgesia or epidural catheters were evaluated using propensity score matching. Subjective patient satisfaction as well as complication rates were primarily analysed. We hypothesise that LDSA is a safe procedure and provides a similar level of satisfaction compared with the epidural catheter. For this purpose, both procedures were performed according to in-house standards and the patients were interviewed afterwards. Patients who required surgical delivery were excluded to prevent bias. RESULTS: The LDSA was rated on average as very good [1.09 ± 0.311 vs. 1.07 ± 0.431] in terms of satisfaction by the patients compared to the epidural catheter without showing a significant difference (p = 0.653). Complications were in the low single-digit non-significant range for both procedures [6 (5%) vs. 7 (6%); p = 0.776]. The evaluation showed more perineal tears I° and II° in the low-dose spinal analgesia group [I°: 28 (23%) vs. 3 (2%); p < 0.001-II°: 30 (25%) vs. 2 (2%); p < 0.001]. Neonatal parameters differed significantly only in umbilical cord base excess and umbilical cord venous pH [-5.40 vs. -6.40; p = 0.005]. CONCLUSIONS: LDSA represents a low complication procedure for patients at the end of labour with a high satisfaction level. With the LDSA in the repertoire of pain relief during childbirth, it is possible to also achieve pain reduction for women with deliveries of high velocity without compromising patient satisfaction or perinatal morbidity.

Rise of public e-learning opportunities in the context of COVID-19 pandemic-induced curtailment of face-to-face courses, exemplified by epidural catheterization on YouTube.

BACKGROUND: In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, countless face-to-face events as well as medical trainings were cancelled or moved to online courses, which resulted in increased digitalization in many areas. In the context of medical education, videos provide tremendous benefit for visualizing skills before they are practised. METHODS: Based on a previous investigation of video material addressing epidural catheterization available on the YouTube platform, we aimed to investigate new content produced in the context of the pandemic. Thus, a video search was conducted in May 2022. RESULTS: We identified twelve new videos since the pandemic with a significant improvement in the new content in terms of procedural items (p = 0.03) compared to the prepandemic video content. Video content released in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic was more often created by private content creators and were significantly shorter in total runtime than those from university and medical societies (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The profound changes in the learning and teaching of health care education in relation to the pandemic are largely unclear. We reveal improved procedural quality of predominantly privately uploaded content despite a shortened runtime compared to the prepandemic period. This might indicate that technical and financial hurdles to producing instructional videos by discipline experts have decreased. In addition to the teaching difficulties caused by the pandemic, this change is likely to be due to validated manuals on how to create such content. The awareness that medical education needs to be improved has grown, so platforms offer specialized sublevels for high-quality medical videos.