[Antimicrobial prophylaxis for caesarean delivery: changes in practice and administration before incision, feasibility study to paediatricians in Auvergne]. / Antibioprophylaxie pour césarienne: modification des pratiques et administration avant incision, enquête de faisabilité auprès des pédiatres du réseau de santé périnatale d'Auvergne (RSPA).

OBJECTIVE: To describe the knowledge of paediatricians regarding the practice of antimicrobial prophylaxis for caesarean section in reference to the Consensus Conference of the French Society of Anesthesia and Intensive Care (SFAR) and assess the feasibility of a change in attitude (injection of the antibiotic prior to incision) among paediatricians Perinatal Health Network of Auvergne (RSPA) working in maternity. STUDY DESIGN: Cross sectional study by survey. METHODS: First questionnaire was sent to 46 RSPA paediatricians working in maternity. Almost one-third of paediatricians who returned the questionnaire said they were not concerned. A second questionnaire was developed with two paediatricians of the CHU and sent to the same 46 paediatricians. The statistical part involved percentages. RESULTS: Response rates were respectively 61% and 67%. For the first questionnaire, only 25% of the paediatricians knew the antibiotic and the time for injection. For the second questionnaire, 87% were in favour of an administration before incision and 42% thought it will not affect the care of the newborn. For 35% of respondents, it could lead to a change in the duration of antibiotic therapy in cases of perinatal infection and for 13% only a delay in the implementation of antibiotic therapy in children. CONCLUSION: The RSPA paediatricians did not know the practices of antibiotic prophylaxis for caesarean section. However, they did not appear opposed to an administration before cord clamping as it would not delay the implementation of any antibiotics in the newborn.

Addition of clonidine to a continuous patient-controlled epidural infusion of low-concentration levobupivacaine plus sufentanil in primiparous women during labour.

We studied the potentiation of analgesia for labour by the addition of clonidine to epidural low-concentration levobupivacaine with sufentanil in a randomised, double-blinded study. We enrolled primiparous women who were in spontaneous labour. The study solutions, made of 100 ml levobupivacaine 0.0625% plus sufentanil 0.45 µg.ml(-1) and either 150 µg clonidine or no clonidine, were used for induction of analgesia, and for its maintenance with self-administered boluses and a continuous background infusion. The need for additional epidural boluses during labour was lower and analgesia and maternal satisfaction were better in the clonidine (n = 57) than in the control group (n = 58). Blood pressure was lower and the rate of instrumental delivery higher in the clonidine group. Clonidine (1.36 µg.ml(-1)) added to the epidural solution of low-concentration levobupivacaine improves the quality of analgesia. The relevance of the haemodynamic effects should be explored in larger validation studies.

[Post-partum haemorrhage in delivery room: anaesthetists' practioner in Auvergne]. / Hémorragie du post-partum en salle de naissance : pratique déclarée des anesthésistes en région Auvergne.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the management of post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) in delivery rooms by the anaesthetists of the Auvergne region. STUDY DESIGN: Cross sectional study. METHODS: An anonymous postal survey was sent to all the anaesthetists working in a public or private hospital with a maternity unit. RESULTS: The response rate was about 70 %. Eight percent of the respondents never practiced in obstetrics; others all declared to have managed PPH at least once. Only 66 % declared to know the right definition of PPH, 98 % declared to have guidelines in the delivery room, 87 % to use graduate blood receipt pockets, 85 % to work under midwives-directed delivery at expulsion, 88 % to have a HemoCue™ system. More than 80 % declared to use first oxytocin and to switch for prostaglandins in case of failure, to put two venous catheters and a urinary catheter, to administer broad-spectrum prophylactic antibiotic and to draw a blood sample for early biology. Packed red cells, platelets and fresh frozen plasma were accessible in less than 30 minutes for 98 %. Transfusion guidelines were applied. Only 27 % could have arterial radiologic embolisation on site. The knowledge about PPH and its consensual care tended to be poorer in practitioners from the university hospital, and younger under 40 also. CONCLUSION: This survey, with a good response rate, showed a practice generally fitting to the guidelines, although with some failures depending on the practioner's age and type of hospital.

Continuous patient-controlled epidural infusion of levobupivacaine plus sufentanil in labouring primiparous women: effects of concentration.

The effects of two different concentrations of epidural levobupivacaine were compared when used to provide analgesia for labour. Primiparous women in spontaneous uncomplicated labour were enrolled in a prospective, randomised and partially double-blinded study. The study solutions were either 0.568 mg x ml(-1) levobupivacaine (low concentration group) or 1.136 mg x ml(-1) levobupivacaine (high concentration group), with sufentanil 0.45 microg x ml(-1) added to both solutions. Epidural analgesia was initiated with 20 ml of the study solution, followed by a standardised algorithm of top-up bolus injections. Epidural analgesia was then continued by self-administered boluses of 5-ml plus a continuous infusion of 5 ml x h(-1). Analgesia was found to be more efficacious in the high-concentration group. The dose of levobupivacaine administered was higher and sometimes overstepping recommended limits in the high concentration group, but with no observed increase in side-effects. The choice between these two concentrations may still be made according to the patient's and the practitioner's preferences. The effects of an intermediate concentration should be studied in the future.

[Epidural analgesia in obstetrics: anaesthesiologists practice in Auvergne]. / Analgésie péridurale obstétricale: pratique declarée des anesthésistes réanimateurs en région Auvergne.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the practice of labour epidural analgesia in Auvergne. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study by a mail survey. METHODS: An anonymous postal questionnaire was sent to all anaesthetists working in public or private hospital having a maternity unit. RESULTS: The response rate was 82%. Eighty-eight percent of the respondents practise epidural analgesia in obstetrics (EAO) for labour pain relief, but 49% of them did so only on call. Fifty percent of the respondents ask for platelets and fibrinogen beforehand and 41% accept a one month validity for these tests. One third uses a full aseptic method (surgical hand washing, cap and face mask, sterile gloves and gown, double disinfection of patient's back). Nearly all respondents practice skin anaesthesia, 67% use saline solution for identification of the epidural space, 58% insert the catheter 4cm into the epidural space and 25% use a lidocaine-epinephrine epidural test dose. The analgesic solution is mostly based on ropivacaine (83%) associated with sufentanil (96%); patient controlled epidural analgesia rate is used by 58% of anaesthetists whereas 37% of them never use epidural clonidine and 52% never practice combined spinal epidural (CSE) analgesia during labour. CONCLUSION: EAO is mainly practiced on call. There are too many laboratory tests ordered before EAO. Technique used to insert epidural catheter is partly uniform and ropivacaine with sufentanil is the analgesic solution most often used. CSE for labour analgesia is still not often used.