Perioperative use of angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor antagonists.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Clinical repercussions of perioperative treatment with ACEIs/ARBs. DESIGN: Systematic review according to PRISMA statement. SETTING: Perioperative period. PATIENTS: 29 studies 11 cases/cases series, 12 observational studies and 6 randomized studies. MEASUREMENTS: Arterial blood pressure differences, refractory hypotension, other comorbidities. MAIN RESULTS: The studies show different results regarding the topics measured. They are divided in the results regarding blood pressure, long term morbidities and effects in neuraxial anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: Withholding AECI/ARBs on the morning prior to surgery could be recommended as a potentially effective measure, with a low level of evidence, in order to reduce the appearance of hypotension in the perioperative period of non-cardiac surgery.

Caudal Neuromodulation with the Transforaminal Sacral Electrode (InterStim®): Experience in a Pain Center Regarding 12 Implants.

BACKGROUND: Sacral nerve stimulation is a therapeutic option with demonstrated efficacy for conditions presenting with perineal pain caused by different etiologies. We aimed to assess whether a sacral electrode (InterStim®, Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA) inserted through the caudal pathway is able to offer an acceptable level of sacral stimulation and rate of catheter migration. METHODS: We present 12 patients with pelvic pain who received sacral neuromodulation via the sacral hiatus with the InterStim electrode. We evaluated patient satisfaction as well as migration and removal of the electrode, if necessary. RESULTS: Our experience included 12 patients, 10 women and two men, with a mean age of 60 years. In eight of the 12 patients, the initial therapy was effective, and the final system implantation was performed. During subsequent follow-up, patient satisfaction was good. To date, there have been no cases of electrode displacement or migration. CONCLUSIONS: The caudal insertion of the InterStim electrode, with its own fixation system, and initially designed for transsacral insertion, appears in our experience to be a satisfactory option which can minimize electrode displacements, achieving similar results in therapeutic efficacy and causing no difficulties in removal.