Background Hypotension following spinal anesthesia for Cesarean delivery is common. Fluid loading is recommended to prevent hypotension, but preload is often ineffective. In non-pregnant patients, coloading has been shown to better maintain cardiac output after spinal anesthesia. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine whether the timing of the fluid infusion, before (preload) or during (coload) induction of spinal anesthesia for Cesarean delivery, influences the incidence of maternal hypotension or neonatal outcome. Methods We retrieved randomized controlled trials that compared a fluid preload with coload in patients undergoing spinal anesthesia for elective Cesarean delivery. We graded the articles for quality of reporting (maximum score = 5) and recorded the incidence of hypotension, lowest blood pressure, the incidence of maternal nausea and vomiting, umbilical cord pH, and Apgar scores. We combined the results using random effects modelling. Results We retrieved eight studies comprised of 518 patients. The median quality score for the published studies was three. The incidence of hypotension in the coload group was 159/268 (59.3%) compared with 156/250 (62.4%) in the preload group (odds ratio [OR] = 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.54-1.6). There were no significant differences between groups in any of the other outcomes. Conclusions It is unnecessary to delay surgery in order to deliver a preload of fluid. Regardless of the fluid loading strategy, the incidence of maternal hypotension is high. Prophylactic or therapeutic vasopressors may be required in a significant proportion of patients. RésuméContexte L'hypotension est un phe´nome`ne courant a`la suite d'une rachianesthe´sie pour un accouchement par ce´sarienne. Il est recommande´d'administrer une charge liquidienne pour pre´venir l'hypotension, mais la pre´-charge est souvent peu efficace. Chez les patients et patientes non enceintes, il a e´te´de´montre´que la co-charge maintenait mieux le de´bit cardiaque apre`s une rachianesthe´sie. L'objectif de cette me´ta-analyse e´tait de de´terminer si le moment de perfusion liquidienne, soit avant (pre´-charge) ou pendant (co-charge) l'induction de la rachianesthe´sie pour un accouchement par ce´sarienne, influençait l'incidence d'hypotension chez la me`re ou le devenir du nouveau-ne´. Méthode Nous avons extrait des e´tudes randomise´es contrôle´es comparant une pre´-charge a`une co-charge liquidienne chez des patientes subissant une rachianesthe´sie pour un accouchement par ce´sarienne non urgent. Nous avons attribue´une note aux articles selon la qualite´de la pre´sentation (score maximal = 5) et note´l'incidence d'hypotension, la tension arte´rielle la plus basse, l'incidence de nause´es et vomissements chez la me`re, le pH du sang du cordon ombilical et les scores d'Apgar. Nous avons combine´les re´sultats a`l'aide d'un mode`le a`effets ale´atoires. 123Can J Anesth/J Can Anesth (2010) 57:24-31 DOI 10.1007 Résultats Nous avons retenu huit e´tudes comprenant 518 patientes. Le score ...

Intraoperative conversion to GA may increase both maternal and fetal risks. Strategies to reduce the incidence may include early recognition of inadequate labour analgesia and reliable assessment of adequacy of surgical anaesthesia.

PurposeModern neuraxial labour analgesia reflects a shift in obstetrical anesthesia thinking – away from a simple focus on pain relief towards a focus on the overall quality of analgesia. However, advances in the methods used to measure outcomes have not kept pace with clinical progress, and these approaches must evolve to facilitate meaningful assessment of the advances provided towards the quality of analgesia. Developing a tool to measure the quality of neuraxial labour analgesia that research has achieved is best guided by women’s perspectives. As the initial step in developing an instrument to quantitatively measure quality neuraxial labour analgesia, this qualitative descriptive study explored childbearing women’s experiences and perspectives regarding this subject.MethodsTwenty-eight postpartum women, all delivering with neuraxial labour analgesia, were recruited from three hospitals in the greater Toronto area. Twenty-five women described a priori plans to use neuraxial labour analgesia, or they described themselves as having been open to the idea. Women’s experiences and perspectives of neuraxial labour analgesia were explored in focus groups and in-depth interviews ≤72 hr following childbirth.ResultsFour major themes emerged: 1)The Enormity of Labour Pain; 2) Fear and Anxiety Related to Epidural Pain Relief; 3) What Women Value about Epidural Pain Relief; and 4) The Relative Value of Achieving Epidural Pain Relief vs Avoidance of Epidural Drug Side Effects. Participants broadly described quality neuraxial labour analgesia as pain relief without side effects. Responses affirmed the importance of traditionally measured outcomes as attributes of quality neuraxial labour analgesia, e.g., pain relief and side effects, as well as the overall importance of pain control during labour and delivery. For research to capture the experience of quality neuraxial labour analgesia, findings suggest that this outcome involves physical, cognitive, and emotional dimensions that must be measured. The findings further suggest an important relationship between each of these dimensions and perceptions of control.ConclusionsWomen’s perspectives must be incorporated into the assessment of quality neuraxial labour analgesia in order for research to measure this outcome in a meaningful manner. Study findings have important implications for scale development, interpretation of existing research, and antenatal education.