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Biomedical subjects

C M Palmer

Publications and source records attributed to C M Palmer.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Coagulation studies in the preeclamptic parturient: a survey.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To delineate current practice with regard to how coagulation status is evaluated before induction of regional anesthesia in the preeclamptic parturient, with the goal of defining appropriate testing. DESIGN: A confidential survey was mailed to the chairmen of all 113 anesthesiology residency training programs in the United States listed in the American Medical Association's American Medical Graduation Education guide, to be passed on to the director of obstetric anesthesia. SETTING: Academic institutions providing obstetric anesthesia services in the United States. INTERVENTIONS: Following the original study, there was no additional follow-up or intervention. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The 21-question survey explored institutional characteristics such as the number of deliveries, the use of regional anesthesia, and the laboratory tests required prior to placement of a regional anesthetic in the mildly or severely preeclamptic parturient under two degrees of operative urgency. In the 74 programs entered into the analysis, we found that regional anesthesia was used in the majority of cesarean sections and more than half of the vaginal deliveries. In an urgent situation, most of the programs required no test of coagulation status in the mild preeclamptic parturient and only a platelet count in the severe preeclamptic parturient. CONCLUSIONS: In the majority of academic programs in the United States, we found that the evaluation of coagulation status in the preeclamptic parturient was based primarily on a platelet count. A review of the literature supports this pattern of testing.

Anesthesia, Conduction↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Subarachnoid fentanyl augments lidocaine spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Fentanyl at doses of 6.25 microgram or more, when to hyperbaric bupivacaine for spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery, has been reported to markedly increase the duration of analgesia. In this study, subarachnoid fentanyl 15 micrograms was evaluated as the sole adjunct to hyperbaric lidocaine spinal anesthesia in parturients undergoing cesarean delivery at term, to determine its effect on the duration of analgesia and side effects perioperatively. METHODS: Twenty-eight parturients scheduled for elective cesarean delivery at term were randomized to one of two groups in a prospective, double-blind fashion. Patients in group F received 15 micrograms fentanyl in addition to 80 mg hyperbaric lidocaine for subarachnoid anesthesia, while patients in group N received 0.3 mL normal saline in addition to 80 mg hyperbaric lidocaine. Visual analog pain scores were recorded preoperatively and at regular intervals until the first patient request for additional analgesia. The occurrence of side effects (nausea, vomiting, pruritus, shivering) was recorded at intervals for 4 hours postinduction. All patients received patient-controlled analgesia after delivery, and analgesic requirements for 24 hours postinduction were recorded. RESULTS: There was no difference between groups with respect to visual analog pain scores intraoperatively. The mean duration of effective analgesia was increased in the patients receiving fentanyl from 71 minutes to 101 minutes (Student's t-test, P < .01). No difference was observed between groups with regard to 4-hour or 24-hour analgesic requirements. Patients in group F were significantly less likely to experience nausea (Fisher's exact test, P < .05) and vomiting (chi-square test, P < .05) in the immediate perioperative period, but no differences were noted between groups in the incidence of pruritus or shivering. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of fentanyl 15 micrograms to hyperbaric lidocaine for subarachnoid anesthesia for cesarean delivery increases the duration of effective analgesia by approximately 30 minutes compared to plain hyperbaric lidocaine, and provides a protective effect regarding nausea and vomiting in the perioperative period.

Adjuvants, Anesthesia↗