To assess the analgesic efficacy of adjuvant magnesium sulfate added with ropivacaine over ropivacaine alone as a continuous infiltration in total abdominal hysterectomy wound: A randomized controlled trial.

Background and Aims: Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) has been demonstrated to have analgesic property in various clinical settings. This study explores if addition of MgSO4 to ropivacaine increases its analgesic efficacy when infiltrated continuously in the postsurgical wound following total abdominal hysterectomy. Material and Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at a tertiary care referral hospital in New Delhi, India. Fifty-two patients were randomized into two groups to receive the intervention of which 48 were able to complete the study. The first group (n = 26) received 0.25% ropivacaine infiltration and the second group (n = 26) received 0.25% ropivacaine with 5% MgSO4 at the incision site for 48 h postoperatively. Primary objective was to compare the total postoperative opioid (morphine) consumption by the study participants in both the groups and the secondary objectives were pain scores at rest and at movement, patient satisfaction score, and wound quality of life on the 7th postoperative day among the two groups. Results: Both the groups were comparable in their demographic characteristics. The median morphine consumed at 48 h postoperatively was 16.5 [0-77] mg in the ropivacaine group and 13[1-45] mg in the ropivacaine with MgSO4 group and the difference was statistically insignificant (P = 0.788). There was no statistical difference between the groups with respect to the pain scores, patient satisfaction, or wound quality of life at 7 days. Conclusion: The addition of MgSO4 to ropivacaine does not confer any additional postoperative analgesic benefits over ropivacaine alone in continuous wound infiltration following total abdominal hysterectomy.

Medication Use and Pain Management in Pregnancy: A Critical Review.

BACKGROUND: Pain during pregnancy is common, and its management is complex. Certain analgesics may increase the risk for adverse fetal and pregnancy outcomes, while poorly managed pain can result in adverse maternal outcomes such as depression and hypertension. Guidelines to assist clinicians in assessing risks and benefits of exposure to analgesics for the mother and unborn infant are lacking, necessitating evidence-based recommendations for managing pain in pregnancy. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted to assess pregnancy safety data for pharmacological and nonpharmacological pain management methods. Relevant clinical trials and observational studies were identified using multiple medical databases, and included studies were evaluated for quality and possible biases. RESULTS: Paracetamol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are appropriate for mild to moderate pain, but NSAIDs should be avoided in the third trimester due to established risks. Short courses of weaker opioids are generally safe in pregnancy, although neonatal abstinence syndrome must be monitored following third trimester exposure. Limited safety data for pregabalin and gabapentin indicate that these are unlikely to be major teratogens, and tricyclic antidepressants and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors have limited but overall reassuring safety data. Many of the included studies were limited by methodological issues. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this review can guide clinicians in their decision to prescribe analgesics for pregnant women. Treatment should be tailored to the lowest therapeutic dose and shortest possible duration, and management should involve a discussion of risks and benefits and monitoring for response. Further research is required to better understand the safety profile of various analgesics in pregnancy.

Epidural Catheterization in Obstetrics: A Checklist-Based Video Assessment of Free Available Video Material.

Epidural catheterization has become an indispensable part of modern pain therapy, for example, in obstetrics. Learning how to master this skill is an important competency. Videos are among the information sources with the highest information content for learning such skills. The present study aims to analyze videos regarding epidural catheter placement provided on the YouTube platform based on a validated checklist. An expert workshop selected crucial items for learning epidural catheterization in obstetrics. Items were identified and optimized in a five-step testing process. Using this checklist, videos from YouTube were evaluated by eleven health care professionals. Sixteen videos were identified and analyzed. Concerning the catheterization-specific part of the checklist, only two videos showed satisfactory quality. In the didactic part, eleven out of 21 items reached a mean score >50% of the points. Regarding interrater reliability, the catheterization-specific checklist was shown to be substantial (Fleiss' kappa = 0.610), and the didactic part was shown to be fair (Fleiss' kappa = 0.401). Overall, standard monitoring and appropriate aseptic technique were followed in only 42% and 49% for the procedure. There was a significant correlation between the runtime and the content quality (p < 0.001). No correlation could be found in terms of platform rating parameters. The video quality varied highly in terms of the requirements of this practical skill. The majority appear unsuitable for self-study due to serious errors and deficiencies regarding patient safety. However, there is no quality control on free platforms. Accordingly, it is difficult to identify suitable videos for educational purposes.

[Neuraxial analgesia in a parturient with the VACTERL association undergoing labor and vaginal delivery]. / Analgesia neuraxial em uma parturiente com síndrome de Vacterl em trabalho de parto normal.

INTRODUCTION: The term VACTERL is an acronym for an association of congenital malformations: including vertebral, anal, cardiac, tracheo-esophageal, renal and limb anomalies. VACTERL anomalies pose a formidable challenge to anesthesiologists. We describe the anesthetic management of a parturient with VACTERL association, who underwent neuraxial analgesia for labor and vaginal delivery. CASE REPORT: A 23 year old primigravida at 39 weeks gestation presented in labor at 4cm cervical dilatation, completely effaced, requesting labor analgesia. Past medical history included VACTERL association with an imperforate anus and a partial endocardial cushion defect, both repaired in early childhood. She also had significant dorso-lumbar scoliosis with an extra lumbar vertebra. An MRI performed at 14 years age revealed the above findings with no spinal cord abnormalities. With a normal neurologic exam, a combined spinal epidural technique was performed. Despite significant scoliosis, the epidural space was identified at approximately the L3-L4 interspace at a depth of 5cm. Spinal Fentanyl 25mcg was administered followed by continuous patient-controlled epidural analgesia. The patient experienced excellent pain relief throughout her labor, and had an uneventful vaginal delivery 5h after epidural placement. DISCUSSION: The rarity of VACTERL association in the obstetric population with its extensive anomalies mandates a multidisciplinary approach in the prenatal period as it can pose major challenges to all health care providers, including airway, ventilatory, cardiac and neuraxial problems. This is the first reported case of a successful and safe neuraxial technique in a laboring patient with the VACTERL association with albeit limited vertebral and spinal cord anomalies.

Neuraxial analgesia in a parturient with the VACTERL association undergoing labor and vaginal delivery / Analgesia neuraxial em uma parturiente com síndrome de Vacterl em trabalho de parto normal

Abstract Introduction: The term VACTERL is an acronym for an association of congenital malformations: including vertebral, anal, cardiac, tracheo-esophageal, renal and limb anomalies. VACTERL anomalies pose a formidable challenge to anesthesiologists. We describe the anesthetic management of a parturient with VACTERL association, who underwent neuraxial analgesia for labor and vaginal delivery. Case report: A 23 year old primigravida at 39 weeks gestation presented in labor at 4 cm cervical dilatation, completely effaced, requesting labor analgesia. Past medical history included VACTERL association with an imperforate anus and a partial endocardial cushion defect, both repaired in early childhood. She also had significant dorso-lumbar scoliosis with an extra lumbar vertebra. An MRI performed at 14 years age revealed the above findings with no spinal cord abnormalities. With a normal neurologic exam, a combined spinal epidural technique was performed. Despite significant scoliosis, the epidural space was identified at approximately the L3-L4 interspace at a depth of 5 cm. Spinal Fentanyl 25 mcg was administered followed by continuous patient-controlled epidural analgesia. The patient experienced excellent pain relief throughout her labor, and had an uneventful vaginal delivery 5 h after epidural placement. Discussion: The rarity of VACTERL association in the obstetric population with its extensive anomalies mandates a multidisciplinary approach in the prenatal period as it can pose major challenges to all health care providers, including airway, ventilatory, cardiac and neuraxial problems. This is the first reported case of a successful and safe neuraxial technique in a laboring patient with the VACTERL association with albeit limited vertebral and spinal cord anomalies.

Resumo Introdução: O termo Vacterl é um acrônimo para uma associação de malformacões congênitas que inclui anomalias vertebral, anal, cardíaca, traqueal, esofágica, renal e dos membros (Limbs em inglês). As anomalias Vacterl representam um enorme desafio para os anestesiologistas. Descrevemos o manejo anestésico de uma parturiente com síndrome de Vacterl submetida à analgesia neuraxial para parto normal. Relato de caso: Paciente primípara, 23 anos, 39 semanas de gestação, apresentava em trabalho de parto 4 cm de dilatação cervical, apagamento completo, exigiu analgesia de parto. A história médica incluía síndrome de Vacterl com ânus imperfurado e defeito parcial do coxim endocárdico, ambos corrigidos na primeira infância. A paciente também apresentava escoliose dorso-lombar acentuada com uma vértebra lombar adicional. Uma RM feita aos 14 anos revelou os achados mencionados acima sem anormalidades na medula espinhal. Com um exame neurológico normal, a técnica anestésica combinada raquiperidural (CRP) foi usada. Apesar de escoliose significativa, o espaço peridural foi identificado próximo ao interespaço L3-L4 a uma profundidade de 5 cm. Fentanyl (25 mcg) foi administrado por via espinhal, seguido de analgesia peridural contínua controlada pela paciente. A paciente sentiu grande alívio da dor durante todo o trabalho de parto; o parto vaginal ocorreu 5 horas após a anestesia CRP sem intercorrências. Discussão: A raridade da síndrome de Vacterl na população obstétrica com suas extensas anomalias exige uma abordagem multidisciplinar no pré-natal porque pode representar grandes desafios para todos os prestadores de cuidados de saúde, inclusive problemas respiratórios, de ventilação, cardíacos e do neuroeixo. Este é o primeiro caso relatado de uma técnica neuraxial bem-sucedida e segura em uma paciente em trabalho de parto com síndrome de Vacterl, embora com anomalias limitadas da coluna vertebral e medula espinhal.

Comparison of Obstetric Pain, Anxiety, and Cervical Dilatation between Epidural Analgesia and No Analgesia group during Labor Stage I.

PURPOSE: This research was done to compare obstetric pain, anxiety and cervical dilatation between an epidural analgesia group and a control group. METHODS: Participants were assigned to the experimental or control group depending on their decisions for pain relief. Subjective / objective obstetric pain, anxiety level and cervical dilatation were measured and ANOVA was used for comparison of groups and paired t-test to make pre-post comparisons. RESULTS: Homogeneity of pain, anxiety and cervical dilatation were assessed at the latent phase. Cervical dilatation was larger in the control group than the experimental group, at both the active and the transitional phase (F=22.9, p<.001; F=39.9, p<.001 respectively). The degree of pain and anxiety were not significantly different between the groups. Within the experimental group, subjective / objective pain and anxiety level were significantly lower postanalgesia compared to pre-analgesia in the active phase. All variables, except for sweating in the objective pain measurement, changed significantly at the transient phase. CONCLUSION: The results of this evidence-based research indicate that epidural analgesia while effective in relieving pain and anxiety may have an adverse effect on the cervix during labor stage I. Epidural analgesia should be used carefully during cervical dilatation in labor stage I.

Comparison of Obstetric Pain, Anxiety, and Cervical Dilatation between Epidural Analgesia and No Analgesia group during Labor Stage I

PURPOSE: This research was done to compare obstetric pain, anxiety and cervical dilatation between an epidural analgesia group and a control group. METHODS: Participants were assigned to the experimental or control group depending on their decisions for pain relief. Subjective / objective obstetric pain, anxiety level and cervical dilatation were measured and ANOVA was used for comparison of groups and paired t-test to make pre-post comparisons. RESULTS: Homogeneity of pain, anxiety and cervical dilatation were assessed at the latent phase. Cervical dilatation was larger in the control group than the experimental group, at both the active and the transitional phase (F=22.9, p<.001; F=39.9, p<.001 respectively). The degree of pain and anxiety were not significantly different between the groups. Within the experimental group, subjective / objective pain and anxiety level were significantly lower postanalgesia compared to pre-analgesia in the active phase. All variables, except for sweating in the objective pain measurement, changed significantly at the transient phase. CONCLUSION: The results of this evidence-based research indicate that epidural analgesia while effective in relieving pain and anxiety may have an adverse effect on the cervix during labor stage I. Epidural analgesia should be used carefully during cervical dilatation in labor stage I.