Obstetric anesthesia management of the patient with cardiac disease

Anesthetic Management of a Pregnant Patient With Mixed Aortic Valve Disease Undergoing Cesarean Section

Aortic stenosis is a condition with multiple etiologies that can remain clinically silent for years. The enhanced cardiovascular demands of pregnancy can unmask a previously undetected disease or worsen existing symptoms. Managing anesthesia in pregnant patients with cardiac valvular disease is a complex task that requires a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach. This case report presents a 28-year-old pregnant Hispanic patient with known severe aortic stenosis who was admitted to our hospital at 30 weeks of gestation for multidisciplinary management and delivery planning. Her only symptom was dyspnea, classified as NYHA class II. Upon admission, a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) revealed severe subvalvular aortic stenosis caused by a membrane and moderate aortic valve regurgitation with a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.  Initially, a cesarean section was planned due to breech presentation. The procedure was scheduled for 34 weeks but postponed to 36 weeks of gestational age due to the patient's stable hemodynamic status. The anesthetic approach was a combined spinal-epidural technique that provided better hemodynamic stability and effective pain control and minimized the risk of broncho-aspiration and the maternal-fetal transfer of obstetric drugs associated with general anesthesia. Careful patient selection and continuous hemodynamic monitoring were essential to avoid complications and guarantee a successful outcome. This approach proved to be safe and effective for our patient. This case highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary team approach in managing pregnant patients with cardiac disease. It also demonstrated that combined spinal-epidural anesthesia is a safe and viable option for anesthesiologists caring for these patients.

Obstetric anesthesia considerations in pregnancy-associated myocardial infarction: a focused review

Pregnancy-associated myocardial infarction (PAMI) is a rare but serious complication that can occur either during pregnancy or postpartum. The etiologies of PAMI are atherosclerosis, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, coronary thrombosis, coronary embolism, and coronary vasospasm. Therapy of acute PAMI depends largely on the ECG presentation, hemodynamic stability, and suspected etiology of myocardial infarction. Anesthetic management during delivery in patients with PAMI should consist of early and carefully titrated neuraxial analgesia and anesthesia, maintenance of normal sinus rhythm, preservation of afterload, and monitoring for and avoiding myocardial ischemia. To improve the care of women with PAMI, a multidisciplinary team of cardiologists, maternal fetal medicine specialists, obstetric providers, neonatologists, and anesthesiologists must work collectively to manage these complex patients.

Peripartum management of cardiac arrhythmias: a narrative review

Cardiac arrhythmias are responsible for a significant portion of cardiovascular disease among pregnant people. As the incidence of arrhythmias in pregnancy continues to increase, anesthesiologists who care for obstetric patients should be experts managing arrhythmias in pregnancy. This article examines the most common arrhythmias encountered in pregnancy, including risk factors, diagnosis, and management strategies. Peripartum monitoring and labor analgesia recommendations are discussed. Additionally, management of cardioversion, management of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, and advanced cardiac life support in the setting of pregnancy is reviewed.

Obstetric anesthesia management of dilated cardiomyopathies and heart failure: a narrative review

Pregnancy in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy carries a significantly increased risk of maternal mortality or severe morbidity, and pregnancy is typically considered contraindicated for patients with severely reduced ventricular function. Nonetheless, anesthesiologists will still encounter patients with cardiomyopathy requiring delivery or termination care. This review describes how NT-ProBNP testing and echocardiography can help with early recognition of heart failure in pregnancy, and describes a suggested approach to anesthetic management of patients with cardiomyopathies or acute heart failure, including hemodynamic goals, use of vasoactive medications and mechanical support. Vaginal delivery, with effective neuraxial anesthesia is the preferred mode of delivery in most patients with cardiomyopathy, with cesarean delivery reserved for maternal or fetal indications. The Pregnancy Heart Team is vital in coordinating the multidisciplinary care necessary to safely support these patients through pregnancy.

The Fontan Circulation in Pregnancy: Hemodynamic Challenges and Anesthetic Considerations

Pregnancy in patients with Fontan physiology presents unique challenges due to altered cardiovascular dynamics inherent to both conditions. The Fontan procedure reroutes venous blood directly to the pulmonary arteries, bypassing the heart, and necessitating precise regulation of pulmonary venous resistance and systemic venous pressure to maintain effective cardiac output. The significant cardiovascular adaptations required during pregnancy to meet the metabolic demands of the mother and fetus can overburden the limited preload capacity and venous compliance in Fontan patients, predisposing them to a spectrum of potential complications, including arrhythmias, heart failure, thromboembolism, and obstetric and fetal risks. This review delineates the essential physiological adaptations during pregnancy and the challenges faced by Fontan patients, advocating for a comprehensive care approach involving multidisciplinary collaboration, vigilant monitoring, tailored anesthetic management, and postpartum care. Understanding the complex dynamics between Fontan physiology and pregnancy is crucial for anesthesiologists to develop and execute individualized management strategies to minimize risks and optimize outcomes for this high-risk population.

Preeclamptic heart failure - perioperative concerns and management: a narrative review

Preeclampsia is an important cause of heart failure during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The aim of this review is to elucidate the pathophysiology and clinical features of preeclamptic heart failure and describe the medical and anesthetic management of these high-risk parturients. This article reviews the current evidence base regarding preeclamptic heart failure and its pathophysiology, types, and clinical features. We also describe the medical and anesthetic management of these patients during the peripartum period. Heart failure due to preeclampsia can present as either systolic or diastolic dysfunction. The management strategies of systolic heart failure include dietary salt restriction, diuresis, and cautious use of beta-blockers and vasodilators. Diuretics are the mainstay in the treatment of diastolic heart failure. In the absence of obstetric indications, vaginal delivery is the safest mode of delivery in these high-risk patients, and the use of an early labor epidural for analgesia is recommended. These patients would require increased invasive monitoring during labor and vaginal delivery. Neuraxial and general anesthesia have been used successfully for cesarean section in these patients but require crucial modifications of the standard technique. Uterotonic drugs have significant cardiovascular and pulmonary effects, and a clear understanding of these is essential during the management of these patients. Preeclamptics with heart failure require individualized peripartum care, as cardiac decompensation is an important risk factor for maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. These high-risk parturients benefit from timely multidisciplinary team inputs and collaborated management.

Multidisciplinary care of peripartum heart failure: A scientific statement of the Heart Failure Association of the ESC

Heart failure is the most common cardiovascular complication during pregnancy and the postpartum period. It is associated with increased risk of maternal morbidity and mortality as well as potentially life-threatening foetal pathology. Management of heart failure in pregnancy requires expert knowledge of cardiovascular disease as well as obstetrics which underscores the importance of multidisciplinary cardio-obstetrics teams in order to optimize diagnosis, treatment and outcome. This includes counselling of women at risk before and during the course of pregnancy in order to strengthen the relationship between medical specialists and patients, as well as to allow patient-centred delivery of care and improve quality of life.

Care for the Obstetric Patient with Complex Cardiac Disease

The prevalence of cardiac disease-related maternal morbidity and mortality is on the rise in the United States. To ensure safe management of pregnancy in patients with cardiovascular disease, pre-delivery evaluation by a multidisciplinary Pregnancy Heart Team should occur. Appropriate anesthetic, cardiac, and obstetric care are essential. Risk stratification tools evaluate the etiology and severity of cardiovascular disease to determine the appropriate hospital type and location for delivery and anesthetic management. Intrapartum hemodynamic monitoring may need to be intensified, and neuraxial analgesia and anesthesia are generally appropriate. The anesthesiologist must be prepared for obstetric and cardiac emergencies.

Mode of delivery among women with maternal cardiac disease

OBJECTIVE

To determine if maternal cardiac disease affects delivery mode and to investigate maternal morbidity.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study performed using electronic medical record data. Primary outcome was mode of delivery; secondary outcomes included indication for cesarean delivery, and rates of severe maternal morbidity.

RESULTS

Among 14,160 deliveries meeting inclusion criteria, 218 (1.5%) had maternal cardiac disease. Cesarean delivery was more common in women with maternal cardiac disease (adjusted odds ratio 1.63 [95% confidence interval 1.18-2.25]). Patients delivered by cesarean delivery in the setting of maternal cardiac disease had significantly higher rates of severe maternal morbidity, with a 24.38-fold higher adjusted odds of severe maternal morbidity (95% confidence interval: 10.56-54.3).

CONCLUSION

While maternal cardiac disease was associated with increased risk of cesarean delivery, most were for obstetric indications. Additionally, cesarean delivery in the setting of maternal cardiac disease is associated with high rates of severe maternal morbidity.

Peripartum anesthetic management in patients with Ebstein anomaly: a case series

Ebstein anomaly is a rare congenital cardiac condition associated with displacement and incompetence of the tricuspid valve. Peripartum anesthetic management can be particularly challenging since these patients are at high risk of cardiac failure and tachyarrhythmias. Risk stratification is important since it helps to identify high-risk patients who should deliver at a tertiary care center where a multidisciplinary team (obstetrics, cardiology, anesthesiology, and neonatology) is immediately available. We describe the peripartum anesthetic management of 9 patients with Ebstein anomaly who underwent 12 deliveries at our institution. All patients tolerated neuraxial anesthesia and analgesia well. No maternal or fetal deaths occurred.

Development of delivery plans for pregnant women with complex heart disease

The population of pregnant patients with complex cardiac disorders is increasing. The overarching goal of guidelines and best practices revolve around optimal patient outcome and experience. This is achieved through collaborative practice models focused on the goal of the management of these high-risk patients. A coordinated multidisciplinary delivery plan is a centerfold of this iterative collaborative team approach to safe pregnancy care of the pregnant person and her neonate. Here, we provide an overview of how the delivery plan is developed and integrated into the clinical management of pregnant women with complex cardiac disease.

Acute Myocardial Infarction in Pregnancy

Cardiovascular disease, and particularly ischemic heart disease, is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in high-income countries. The incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been rising over the past two decades due to increasing maternal age and a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in the pregnant population. Causes of AMI in pregnancy are diverse and may require specific considerations for their diagnosis and management. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of physiologic changes, risk factors, and etiologies leading to AMI in pregnancy, as well as diagnostic tools, reperfusion strategies, and pharmacological treatments for this complex population. In addition, we outline considerations for labor and delivery planning and long-term follow-up of patients with AMI in pregnancy.

Peripartum anesthetic management in patients with left ventricular noncompaction: a case series and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

This retrospective review focuses on peripartum anesthetic management and outcome of a series of five pregnant women with left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC).

METHODS

The Mayo Clinic Advanced Cohort Explorer medical database was utilized to identify women diagnosed with LVNC who had been admitted for delivery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota between January 2001 and September 2021. Echocardiograms were independently reviewed by two board-certified echocardiographers, and those determined by both to meet the Jenni criteria and/or having compatible findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included. Electronic medical records were reviewed for information pertaining to cardiac function, labor, delivery, and postpartum management.

RESULTS

We identified 44 patients whose medical record included the term "noncompaction" or "hypertrabeculation" and who had delivered at our institution during the study period. Upon detailed review of the medical records, 36 did not meet criteria for LVNC, and three additional patients did not receive the diagnosis until after delivery, leaving five patients with confirmed LVNC who had undergone six deliveries during the study interval. All five patients had a history of arrhythmias or had developed arrhythmias during pregnancy. One patient underwent emergency cesarean delivery due to sustained ventricular tachycardia requiring three intra-operative cardioversions.

CONCLUSIONS

This case series adds new evidence to that already available about pregnancies among women with LVNC. Favorable obstetrical outcomes were achievable when multidisciplinary teams were prepared to manage the maternal and fetal consequences of intrapartum cardiac arrhythmias and hemodynamic instability.

Reproductive Issues in Patients With the Fontan Operation

Patients with the Fontan operation have a unique circulation, with a limited ability to increase cardiac output, and high central venous pressure. They may have diastolic and/or systolic ventricular dysfunction, arrhythmias, thromboembolic complications, or multiorgan dysfunction. All of these factors contribute to reproductive issues, including menstrual irregularities, infertility, recurrent miscarriage, and complications during pregnancy. Although atrial arrhythmias are the most common cardiac complications during pregnancy, patients can develop heart failure and thromboembolic events. Obstetric bleeding, including postpartum hemorrhage, is common. In addition to maternal complications, adverse fetal and neonatal events, such as prematurity and low birthweight, are very common. Counselling about these reproductive issues should begin early. For those who become pregnant, care should be provided by a multidisciplinary cardio-obstetric team familiar with the specific issues and needs of the Fontan population. In this review, we discuss infertility, contraception, and pregnancy in patients with the Fontan operation.

Comparison of carbetocin as a bolus or an infusion with prophylactic phenylephrine on maternal heart rate during Cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia: a double-blinded randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

Carbetocin, an oxytocin analog, given as a postpartum hemorrhage prophylaxis in elective Cesarean deliveries, frequently causes tachycardia and hypotension. Phenylephrine infusion has been shown to prevent spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension. The goal of this study was to evaluate if a slow infusion of carbetocin would reduce maternal heart rate variation and hemodynamic disturbances compared with a rapid bolus in parturients receiving a prophylactic phenylephrine infusion during elective Cesarean delivery.

METHODS

In this double-blinded randomized controlled trial, 70 healthy parturients were allocated to either a bolus group or an infusion group. At cord clamping, participants in the bolus group received carbetocin 100 µg as a rapid intravenous bolus, while participants in the infusion group received carbetocin 100 µg over 10 min. The primary outcome was the variation in maternal heart rate from baseline during the 20 min following cord clamping. Secondary outcomes included blood pressure, cardiac output, and stroke volume variations during the study period, measured with the ClearSight™ hemodynamic monitor.

RESULTS

Maximum heart rate variation was not different between the groups: bolus group, mean (standard deviation) 29.8 (25.2)% vs infusion group, 27.2 (23.3)%; P = 0.67. The increase in heart rate occurred significantly earlier in the bolus group than in the infusion group (median [interquartile range] time, 105 [69-570] sec vs 485 [255-762] sec; P = 0.02; group × time interaction: two-way repeated measures ANOVA, P = 0.04). There was no significant difference in maximum variations for the other hemodynamic parameters between the groups.

CONCLUSION

Carbetocin infused over ten minutes did not reduce the magnitude of maternal heart rate variation but delayed its occurrence. This finding could be relevant to the anesthesiologist caring for parturients in whom a slight increase in maternal heart rate is clinically undesirable.

STUDY REGISTRATION

www.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov (NCT03404544); registered 19 January 2018.

A ten-year retrospective review of maternal cardiac arrest: Incidence, characteristics, causes, and outcomes in a tertiary-care hospital in a developing country

OBJECTIVE

Maternal cardiac arrest is rare. We retrospectively reviewed and reported (1) the incidence of maternal cardiac arrests during admissions for delivery; (2) the characteristics and causes of cardiac arrest; and (3) the mortality rate and outcomes in a referral, single-university, teaching hospital in Thailand.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data on 23 cardiac arrests during admissions for delivery in the decade January 2006-December 2015 were retrospectively chart-reviewed. Patients with gestational ages under 24 weeks or cardiac arrests and death occurring before hospital arrival were excluded. The clinical characteristics of the arrests and outcomes were collected.

RESULTS

Of 89,368 deliveries during the decade, 23 women suffered cardiac arrest (incidence, 1:3885), with 3 of those arrests occurring before delivery (incidence, 1:29,789). One patient underwent a perimortem cesarean delivery in the operating theatre. The most common reasons for the arrests were hypertension during pregnancy and cardiovascular causes (30.4% and 21.7%, respectively). Amniotic fluid embolisms were suspected for 2 patients (8.7%) with unidentified causes. The incidence of maternal deaths in peripartum cardiac arrests was 20/23, representing 86.9% (95% CI, 67.9-95.5) or 1:4468 of deliveries. Three patients suffering cardiac arrests after delivery survived to discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a high maternal mortality rate following cardiac arrests during hospitalization for delivery. To decrease the incidence of arrests during the peripartum period and diminish the maternal mortality rate, identification of the causes and precipitating factors is vital. High-risk pregnant women require multidisciplinary care to improve the survival-to-discharge rate.

Delivering Coordinated Cardio-Obstetric Care from Preconception through Postpartum

Coordinated preconception through postpartum cardio-obstetrics care is necessary to optimize both maternal and fetal health. Maternal mortality in the United States is increasing, largely driven by increasing cardiovascular (CV) disease burden during pregnancy and needs to be addressed emergently. Both for women with congenital and acquired heart disease, CV complications during pregnancy are associated with increased future risk of CV disease. Comprehensive cardio-obstetrics care is a powerful way of ensuring that women's CV risks before and during pregnancy are appropriately identified and treated and that they remain engaged in CV care long term to prevent future CV complications.

Complex Pathology and Management in the Obstetric Patient: A Narrative Review for the Anesthesiologist

Pregnant patients may present with multiple complex comorbidities that can affect peripartum management and anesthetic care. The preanesthesia clinic is the ideal setting for early evaluation of high-risk pregnant patients. Comorbidities may include cardiovascular pathology such as valvular abnormalities, septal defects, aortopathies, arrythmias and cardiomyopathies. Additional comorbidities include pulmonary conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea as well as preexisting neuromuscular and skeletal disorders that may impact anesthetic management. Hematologic conditions involving both bleeding diathesis and thrombophilias may present unique challenges for the anesthesiologist. Patients may also present with endocrinopathies including diabetes and obesity. While not as common, high-risk patients may also have preexisting gastrointestinal conditions such as liver dysfunction, renal failure, and even post-transplant status. Ongoing and prior substance abuse, obstetric conditions such as placenta accreta spectrum disorders, and fetal conditions needing ex utero Intrapartum treatment also require advanced planning. Preanesthesia evaluations also help address important ethical and cultural considerations. Counseling patients regarding anesthetic considerations as well as addressing concerns will play a role in reducing racial and ethnic disparities. Anticipatory guidance by means of pre-anesthetic planning can facilitate multidisciplinary communication and planning. This can allow for an impactful and meaningful role in the care provided, allowing for safe maternal care and optimal outcomes.

Obstetric Anesthesia and Heart Disease: Practical Clinical Considerations

Maternal morbidity and mortality as a result of cardiac disease is increasing in the United States. Safe management of pregnancy in women with heart disease requires appropriate anesthetic, cardiac, and obstetric care. The anesthesiologist should risk stratify pregnant patients based upon cardiac disease etiology and severity in order to determine the appropriate type of hospital and location within the hospital for delivery and anesthetic management. Increased intrapartum hemodynamic monitoring may be necessary and neuraxial analgesia and anesthesia is typically appropriate. The anesthesiologist should anticipate obstetric and cardiac emergencies such as emergency cesarean delivery, postpartum hemorrhage, and peripartum arrhythmias. This clinical review answers practical questions for the obstetric anesthesiologist and the nonsubspecialist anesthesiologist who regularly practices obstetric anesthesiology.

Pulmonary Hypertension Complicating Pregnancy

Purpose of review

This study aims to describe the pathophysiology of pregnancy in pulmonary hypertension (PH) and review recent literature on maternal and fetal outcomes.

Recent findings

There is an increasing number of pregnant women with PH. Maternal mortality in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) ranges from 9 to 25%, most commonly from heart failure and arrythmias. The highest risk of death is peri-partum and post-partum. Fetal/neonatal morbidity and mortality are also substantial. There are high rates of prematurity, intrauterine growth retardation, and preeclampsia. Women should be referred to expert centers for management. Combination PAH therapy with parenteral prostacyclin and a phosphodiesterase type V inhibitor is recommended. Induced vaginal delivery is preferred, except in cases of severe heart failure or obstetric indications for cesarean section.

Summary

Despite advances in management, pregnancy in PAH remains a high-risk condition and should be prevented.

The risk factors for delayed recovery in patients with cardiopulmonary bypass: Why should we care?

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is very commonly performed among the cardiovascular surgeries, and delayed recovery (DR) is a kind of serious complications in patients with CPB. It is necessary to assess the risk factors for DR in patients with CPB, to provide evidence into the management of CPB patients.Patients undergoing CPB in our hospital from January 2018 to March 2020 were included. Cases that consciousness has not recovered 12 hours after anesthesia were considered as DR. The preoperative and intraoperative variables of CPB patients were collected and analyzed. Logistic regressions were conducted to analyze the potential influencing factor.A total of 756 CPB patients were included, and the incidence of DR was 9.79%. There were significant differences on the age, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), glutamic pvruvic transaminase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and serum creatinine (SCr) between patients with and without DR (all P < .05); there were no significant differences in the types of surgical procedure (all P > .05); there were significant differences on the duration of CPB, duration of aortic cross clamp (ACC), duration of surgery, minimum nasopharyngeal temperature, and transfusion of packed red blood cells between patients with and without DR (all P < .05). Logistic regression analysis indicated that duration of CPB ≥132 minutes (odds ratio [OR] 4.12, 1.02-8.33), BUN ≥9 mmol/L (OR 4.05, 1.37-8.41), infusion of red blood cell suspension (OR 3.93, 1.25-7.63), duration of surgery ≥350 minutes (OR 3.17, 1.24-5.20), age ≥6 (OR 3.01, 1.38-6.84) were the independent risk factors for DR in patients with CPB (all P < .05).Extra attention and care are needed for those CPB patients with duration of CPB ≥132 minutes, BUN ≥9 mmol/L, infusion of red blood cell suspension, duration of surgery ≥350 minutes, and age ≥60.

The Real Maternal Risks in a Pregnancy: A Structured Review to Enhance Maternal Understanding and Education

This review sought to use high-level published data sources for system knowledge translation, collaborative enhanced maternal education and understanding, and prospective maternal quality and safety care planning. The goal was to answer the following question: What are the short- and long-term maternal risks ("near misses," adverse events, severe morbidity and mortality) associated with pregnancy and childbirth? A structured analysis of the literature (systematic review, meta-analysis, observational case-control cohort), focusing on publications between 2016 and April 2019, was undertaken using the following key word search strategy: maternal, morbidity, mortality, co-morbidities (BMI, fertility, hypertension, cardiac, chronic renal disease, diabetes, mental health, stroke), preconception, antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, "near miss," and adverse events. Only large cohort database sources with control comparison studies were accepted for inclusion because maternal mortality events are rare. Systematic review and meta-analysis were not undertaken because of the wide clinical scope and the goal of creating an education algorithm tool. For this educational tool, the results were presented in a counselling format that included a control group of common maternal morbidity from a regional maternity cohort (2017) of 54 000 births and published risk estimates for pre-conception, pregnancy-associated comorbidity, pregnancy-onset conditions, long-term maternal health associations, and maternal mortality scenarios. Because issues related to maternal comorbidities are increasing in prevalence, personalized pre-conception education on maternal pregnancy risk estimates needs to be encouraged and available to promote greater understanding. This maternal morbidity and mortality evaluation tool allows for patient-provider review and recognition of the possible leading factors associated with an increased risk of maternal morbidity: pre-conception risks (maternal age >45 years; pre-existing cardiac or hypertensive conditions) and pregnancy-obstetrical risks (gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia; caesarean delivery, whether preterm or term; operative vaginal delivery; maternal sepsis; placenta accreta spectrum; and antepartum or postpartum hemorrhage).

Anesthetic management of women with heart failure during pregnancy: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The incidence of heart failure among pregnant women with pre-existing cardiac disease is quoted as 13%, with 10% requiring hospitalization. There is limited literature on heart failure in the pregnant population. The study objective was to describe the etiology and management of women hospitalized in our institution for heart failure during pregnancy.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study investigated women who presented with heart failure in pregnancy between 2004 and 2017. Hospital records were interrogated using International Classification of Diseases v10 codes for heart failure. Patient characteristics, investigations, treatment, obstetric and anesthetic management, and maternal-fetal outcome data were collected and summarized using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

One-hundred-and-twenty cases (in 93 122 deliveries) were identified across the 13-year period (antepartum heart failure 51%, postpartum heart failure 49%).The most common etiologies were pre-eclampsia (28%), cardiomyopathy (22%), and valvular heart disease (18%). Cesarean delivery occurred in 76% of cases (13% because of the maternal cardiac condition). Neuraxial techniques were used for most deliveries (cesarean 83%; vaginal 90%). For cesarean delivery, titrated epidural or general anesthesia was employed in 48% and 16%, respectively. Cardiac arrest occurred in two cases (1.7%) and 44% required coronary or intensive care unit admission.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of heart failure was 0.13% (1:776 deliveries). Pre-eclampsia was the leading cause but may have been historically under-acknowledged. Anesthetic and obstetrical decisions were tailored by means of multidisciplinary input, with cesarean delivery and regional anesthesia used in the majority. The postpartum period warrants heightened attention for these patients.

Anesthesia for Urgent Cesarean Section

Cesarean section (CS) is a common surgical procedure worldwide. The anesthesiologist is responsible, together with obstetrician and neonatologist, for safe perioperative management. A continuum of risk exists for urgent CS. The decision-to-delivery interval is an important audit tool, to ensure international standards are upheld and good outcomes for mother and neonate are achieved. Urgent CS may be performed under either GA or RA, with benefits and risks attributable to each. Specific clinical scenarios require an individualized approach to anesthesia, including hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, cardiac disease, the difficult airway and fetal compromise. Ongoing training is integral to the provision of safe anesthesia.

Characteristics of labor-onset hypertension persist after neuraxial labor analgesia

AIM

This study aimed to investigate the rate of labor-onset hypertension (LOH) under neuraxial labor analgesia and the effect of neuraxial labor analgesia on LOH.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary university hospital from 2015 to 2016. Patients who were admitted to the hospital for vaginal delivery under combined spinal and epidural anesthesia were selected. LOH was defined as the elevation of systolic blood pressure (BP) to ≥140 mmHg or diastolic BP to ≥90 mmHg for the first time after the onset of labor. Cases of LOH that persisted after neuraxial labor analgesia (prolonged LOH) were further analyzed to determine the hypertension severity and therapeutic intervention rate.

RESULTS

Among 775 patients, 213 (28.4%) developed LOH. Prolonged LOH was observed in 30 patients (3.9%). LOH severity and the likelihood of prolonged LOH were positively correlated. Therapeutic intervention was administered only to the patients with prolonged LOH, that is, to 100% of those with emergent hypertension, to 21.1% of those with severe hypertension during labor, and to 36.8% of those with severe hypertension, to 55.6% of those with mild hypertension in the post-partum period.

CONCLUSION

The rate of LOH was reduced significantly after neuraxial labor analgesia. Patients with prolonged LOH should be carefully followed up during labor and in the post-partum period because such patients often require antihypertensive therapy.