Suspected total spinal in patient having emergent Caesarean section, a case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Epidural analgesia is commonly used for management of pain during childbirth. Need for emergent Caesarean section e.g. because of signs of foetal distress or lack of progress is however not an uncommon event. In females having an established epidural; general anaesthesia, top-up of the epidural or putting a spinal are all possible options. Dosing of the spinal anaesthesia in females having epidural is a matter of discussion. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We describe a healthy 32 years, 0 para mother in gestation week 36 having labour epidural analgesia but due to foetal distress scheduled for an emergent Caesarean section category 2 that developed upper extremity weakness and respiratory depression after administration of standard dose high density bupivacaine/morphine/fentanyl intrathecal anaesthesia. She was emergent intubated and resumed motor function after 15-20min. DISCUSSION: A too extensive cephalic spread was the most plausible explanation to the event. Whether or not reducing the dose for a spinal anaesthesia in mothers having an established labour epidural analgesia is a matter of discussion. It is of course of importance to achieve a rapid and effective surgical anaesthesia but also avoiding overdosing with the risk for a too high cephalic spread. CONCLUIOSN: To perform spinal anaesthesia for emergent Caesarean in patients having an epidural for labour pain is a feasible option and should be considered in category 2-3 section. The dose for a convert spinal block should be assessed on an individual basis and reasonably reduced.

Improvement in the hospital organisation of CPR training and outcome after cardiac arrest in Sweden during a 10-year period.

AIM: To describe (a) changes in the organisation of training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the treatment of cardiac arrest in hospital in Sweden and (b) the clinical achievement, i.e. survival and cerebral function, among survivors after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) in Sweden. METHODS: Aspects of CPR training among health care providers (HCPs) and treatment of IHCA in Sweden were evaluated in 3 national surveys (1999, 2003 and 2008). Patients with IHCA are recorded in a National Register covering two thirds of Swedish hospitals. RESULTS: The proportion of hospitals with a CPR coordinator increased from 45% in 1999 to 93% in 2008. The majority of co-ordinators are nurses. The proportions of hospitals with local guidelines for acceptable delays from cardiac arrest to the start of CPR and defibrillation increased from 48% in 1999 to 88% in 2008. The proportion of hospitals using local defibrillation outside intensive care units prior to arrival of rescue team increased from 55% in 1999 to 86% in 2008. During the past 4 years in Sweden, survival to hospital discharge has been 29%. Among survivors, 93% have a cerebral performance category (CPC) score of I or II, indicating acceptable cerebral function. CONCLUSION: During the last 10 years, there was a marked improvement in CPR training and treatment of IHCA in Sweden. During the past 4 years, survival after IHCA is high and the majority of survivors have acceptable cerebral function.

Patients with a history of diabetes have a lower survival rate after in-hospital cardiac arrest.

AIM: To describe the association between a history of diabetes and outcome among patients suffering an in-hospital cardiac arrest. METHOD: All patients suffering an in-hospital cardiac arrest in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was attempted at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Göteborg between 1994 and 2006 and at nine further hospitals in Sweden between 2005 and 2006. RESULTS: In all, 1810 patients were included in the survey, 395 (22%) of whom had a previous history of diabetes. Patients with a history of diabetes differed from those without such a history by having a higher prevalence of previous myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure and renal disease. They were more frequently treated with anti-arrhythmic drugs during resuscitation. Whereas immediate survival did not differ between groups (51.7% and 53.1%, respectively), patients with diabetes were discharged alive from hospital (29.3%) less frequently compared with those without diabetes (37.6%). When correcting for dissimilarities at baseline, the adjusted odds ratio for being discharged alive (diabetes/no diabetes) was 0.57 (95% CL 0.40-0.79). CONCLUSION: Among patients suffering an in-hospital cardiac arrest in Sweden in whom CPR was attempted, 22% had a history of diabetes. These patients had a lower survival rate, which cannot simply be explained by different co-morbidity.

Clonidine vs. midazolam as premedication in children undergoing adeno-tonsillectomy: a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Clonidine administration in the setting of paediatric anaesthesia is associated with a number of desirable effects, e.g. preoperative sedation, analgesia and reduced anaesthetic requirements. The aim of the current study was to compare postoperative outcome variables using a prospective, randomized, double-blind design after premedication with clonidine or midazolam. METHODS: One hundred paediatric ASA physical status 1 patients (age 1-11 year) scheduled for adeno-tonsillectomy were assigned to receive rectal premedication with midazolam (300 microg kg(-1) and atropine 40 microg kg(-1); group M, n = 52) or clonidine (5 microg kg(-1 and) atropine 40 microg kg(-1); group C, n = 48) prior to a standardized sevoflurane anaesthetic. The incidence of immediate postoperative pain (0-2 h), as assessed by repeated Objective Pain Scale (OPS) scores, was chosen as the primary end-point of the study. Degree of sedation (modified Vancouver sedation scale 0-3), occurrence of postoperative vomiting (POV), and incidence of shivering and immediate postoperative confusion were registered as secondary end-points. After hospital discharge parents were instructed to continue the evaluation of pain, sedation, POV and sleep pattern during a 24-h period. Parents were also asked for their preference concerning the postoperative behaviour of their child (calm, sedated vs. alert, active). RESULTS: In the early postoperative period patients in the clonidine group had a significantly lower sum of 5 OPS scores (median = 8.0) compared to group M (median = 11.5) (P = 0.011). Administration of clonidine was also associated with a slightly higher sum of sedation scores (median = 13) in the early postoperative period compared to children receiving midazolam (median = 12) (P < 0.001). No episode of shivering was observed in the clonidine group but was present in five of the patients in the midazolam group (P = 0.057). In younger children (< 5 years) the incidence of postoperative confusion was lower in the clonidine group (P = 0.001). No difference in the frequencies of POV incidences, degree of postoperative pain, need for analgesics, or sleep pattern during the first 24 postoperative hours could be observed between the groups according to the parental evaluation. Children premedicated with clonidine were more calm and sedated compared to children in the midazolam group (P = 0.024) as judged by their parents. A significant majority of parents (75%; P < 0.001) preferred a calm and sedated child during the first postoperative 24-h period. CONCLUSION: Rectal premedication with clonidine was associated with a significant reduction of pain in the early postoperative period compared to midazolam and was also associated with moderately increased sedation during the first 24 postoperative hours. The sedative effect of clonidine is in agreement with the unambiguous finding of a parental preference for a calm and sedated child during the first 24 postoperative hours.

Postoperative nausea and vomiting in paediatric ambulatory surgery: sevoflurane versus spinal anaesthesia with propofol sedation.

BACKGROUND: Descriptive data report a very low rate of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) following spinal anaesthesia in children. In an attempt to corroborate this observation, we designed a prospective randomized study to compare spinal anaesthesia with intravenous propofol sedation (SA) (n=21) to inhalational sevoflurane anaesthesia (IA) (n=19) with regard to PONV and postoperative analgesia in children (aged 3-12 years) undergoing ambulatory inguinal surgery. RESULTS: No difference was found concerning the number of patients experiencing PONV in each group (SA 1/21 versus IA 5/19; P=0.085). However, spinal anaesthesia was associated with a reduced number of PONV episodes (1/21) compared with inhalation anaesthesia (8/19) (P=0.014) and the need for supplemental postoperative analgesia with ketoralac was significantly lower in the SA group (3/21) compared to the IA group (14/19) (P < 0.001). Despite these benefits of spinal anaesthesia compared with inhalational anaesthesia, spinal anaesthesia did not decrease the time to discharge from the ambulatory surgery unit [SA 161 (SD 51) min, IA 164 (SD 41) min; P=NS] and the overall PONV experience was rated as "no problem" by all patients, except one, regardless of anaesthetic protocol used. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the reduced number of emetic episodes and the better immediate postoperative analgesia associated with spinal anaesthesia, no difference could be identified between the two different anaesthetic protocols regarding time to discharge or overall patient satisfaction. Thus, despite minor advantages associated with spinal anaesthesia with propofol sedation, both anaesthetic regimen appear equally suitable for use in the paediatric outpatient setting.

Nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic gynecologic surgery: a study of the incidence and the effects of tropisetron prophylaxis.

We have studied the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and the effect of prophylactic tropisetron, a 5-HT3 antagonist, during the first 24 hr after elective gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. Thirty-two of 68 patients (47%) experienced nausea or vomiting some time during the observation period. Sixteen of these patients (50%) had their first emetic symptoms after discharge from the recovery room. We could see no difference in the frequency of PONV in the patients who were given prophylactic tropisetron 5 mg orally before anesthesia.

Nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic gynecological surgery: a study of the incidence and the effects of tropisetron prophylaxis.

The authors studied the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and the effect of prophylactic tropisetron, a 5-HT3 antagonist, during the first 24 h following elective gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. Thirty-two of 68 (47%) of the patients experienced nausea or vomiting some time during the observation period. Sixteen of the 32 PONV patients (50%) had their first emetic symptoms after discharge from the recovery room. We could see no difference in the frequency of PONV in the patients who were given prophylactic tropisetron 5 mg orally before anesthesia.

Patient evaluation of four different combinations of intravenous anaesthetics for short outpatient procedures.

We studied 200 female patients (ASA group 1) scheduled for termination of pregnancy under general anaesthesia. The patients were randomly allocated to receive one of four anaesthetic combinations; (1) propofol in combination with ketamine 20 mg, (2) propofol in combination with fentanyl 0.1 mg, (3) thiopentone in combination with fentanyl 0.1 mg, (4) methohexitone in combination with fentanyl 0.1 mg. All patients were breathing oxygen in nitrous oxide 1:2. Patients' self assessments of per- and postoperative course and time to discharge were compared. No patient's response suggested light anaesthesia, but dreams were frequently experienced during anaesthesia especially among the propofol-ketamine combination (29 out of 50). Time to discharge was shortest for the groups of patients given propofol; the mean time was 93 and 96 min for the ketamine and fentanyl groups respectively. During the recovery period significantly more patients experienced pain in the ketamine-propofol group. Complaints of nausea were seen in only 15 patients, and seven patients noted psycho-mimetic side effects during recovery, without any differences between the groups. All four combinations tested offered good conditions for short outpatient procedures. However, the propofol-fentanyl combination was found to offer the best quality of anaesthesia as assessed by the patients themselves.