In this randomized, multicenter study we compared the hemodynamic effects of spinal and epidural anesthesia for cesarean delivery in severely preeclamptic patients. The epidural group (n = 47) received 2% lidocaine with epinephrine 1:400,000, 18-23 mL, followed by 3 mg of morphine after delivery. The spinal group (n = 53) received 2.2 mL of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine plus 0.2 mg morphine. We hypothesized that the lowest MAP (mean arterial blood pressure, the primary outcome) during the delivery period would have to be at least 10 mm Hg less in the spinal group to be of clinical importance. We found that there was a statistically significant difference in MAP, with more patients in the spinal group exhibiting hypotension (P < 0.001). Although the incidence of hypotension (systolic arterial blood pressure, SAP < or =100 mm Hg) was more frequent in the spinal group than in the epidural group (51% versus 23%), the duration of significant hypotension (SAP < or =100 mm Hg) was short (< or =1 min) in both groups. There was more use of ephedrine in the spinal group than in the epidural group (median, 6 versus 0 mg) but hypotension was easily treated in all patients. Neonatal outcomes assessed by Apgar scores and the umbilical arterial blood gas analysis were similar in both groups. Adverse neonatal outcomes (5-min Apgar score < 7 and umbilical arterial blood pH < 7.20) were found in only 2 premature newborns (weight < 1500 g) who were born without maternal hypotension after regional anesthesia. We conclude that the results of this large prospective study support the use of spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery in severely preeclamptic patients.
SummaryWe have evaluated the effects of the volume and speed of administration of local anaesthetic during peribulbar anaesthesia. One hundred and forty patients scheduled for cataract surgery were randomly allocated to one of four groups of 35. Each patient received an injection of the same mixture of lignocaine, bupivacaine and hyaluronidase. Patients in group A were given 9 ml at a speed of 5 ml.min À1 , group B were given the same volume at 12 ml.min À1 , group C were given 13.5 ml at 5 ml.min À1 and group D were given 13.5 ml at 12 ml.min À1 . A significantly higher incidence of satisfactory akinesia was found in group D, whose pain score at injection was no higher than for the other groups. Large volumes of local anaesthetic significantly affected intraocular pressure. The incidences of early and late ptosis or diplopia were not affected by either the rate of injection or the volume of local anaesthetic.
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