Effect of a decision aid on the choice of pregnant women whether to have epidural anesthesia or not during labor

OBJECTIVE

Decision aids (DAs) are useful in providing information for decision-making on using epidural anesthesia during birth. To date, there has been little development of DAs for Japanese pregnant women. Herein, we investigated the effect of a DA on the decision of pregnant women whether to have epidural anesthesia or not for labor during vaginal delivery. The primary outcome was changes in mean decision conflict score.

METHODS

In this non-randomized controlled trial, 300 low-risk pregnant women in an urban hospital were recruited by purposive sampling and assigned to 2 groups: DA (intervention) and pamphlet (control) groups. Control enrollment was started first (until 150 women), followed by intervention enrollment (150 women). Pre-test and post-test scores were evaluated using the Decision Conflict Scale (DCS) for primary outcome, knowledge of epidural anesthesia and satisfaction with decision making for secondary outcomes, and decision of anesthesia usage (i.e., with epidural anesthesia, without epidural anesthesia, or undecided).

RESULTS

Women in the DA group (n = 149: 1 excluded because she did not return post-test questionnaire) had significantly lower DCS score than those in the pamphlet group (n = 150) (DA: -8.41 [SD 8.79] vs. pamphlet: -1.69 [SD 5.91], p < .001). Knowledge of epidural anesthesia and satisfaction with decision-making scores of women who used the DA were significantly higher than those of women who used the pamphlet (p < .001). Women in the DA group showed a significantly lower undecided rate than those in the pamphlet group. The number of undecided women in the DA group significantly decreased from 30.2% to 6.1% (p < .001), whereas that in the pamphlet group remained largely unchanged from 40.7% to 38.9%.

CONCLUSION

This study indicates that a DA can be useful in helping women make a decision whether to have epidural anesthesia or not for labor during vaginal delivery.

An Updated Analysis of Utilization of Epidural Procedures in Managing Chronic Pain in the Medicare Population from 2000 to 2018

BACKGROUND

With increasing costs of health care in the United States, attention is focused on expensive conditions. Musculoskeletal disorders with low back and neck pain account for the third highest amount of various disease categories. Minimally invasive interventional techniques for managing spinal pain, including epidural injections, have been considered to be growing rapidly. However, recent analyses of utilization of interventional techniques from 2000 to 2018 has shown a decline of 2.6% and a decline of 21% from 2009 to 2018 for epidural and adhesiolysis procedures.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this analysis of epidural procedures from 2000 to 2018 are to provide an update on utilization of epidural injections in managing chronic pain in the fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare population, with a comparative analysis of 2000 to 2009 and 2009 to 2018.

STUDY DESIGN

Utilization patterns and variables of epidural injections in managing chronic spinal pain from 2000 to 2009 and from 2009 to 2018 in the FFS Medicare population in the United States.

METHODS

This analysis was performed by utilizing master data from CMS, physician/supplier procedure summary from 2000 to 2018. The analysis was performed by the assessment of utilization patterns using guidance from Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE).

RESULTS

Overall, epidural procedures declined at a rate of 20.7% per 100,000 Medicare enrollees in FFS Medicare in the United States from 2009 to 2018, with an annual decline of 2.5%. However, from 2000 to 2009, there was an increase of 89.2%, with an annual increase of 7.3%. This analysis showed a decline in all categories, with an annual decrease of 4.7% for lumbar interlaminar and caudal epidural injections, 4.7% decline for cervical/thoracic transforaminal epidural injections, 1.1% decline for lumbar/sacral transforaminal epidural injections, and finally 0.4% decline for cervical/thoracic interlaminar epidural injections. Overall declines from 2009 to 2018 were highest for cervical and thoracic transforaminal injections with 35.1%, followed by lumbar interlaminar and caudal epidural injections of 34.9%, followed by 9.4% for lumbar/sacral transforaminal epidurals, and 3.5% for cervical and thoracic interlaminar epidurals.

LIMITATIONS

This analysis was limited by noninclusion of Medicare Advantage plans, which constitutes almost 30% of the Medicare population. In addition, utilization data for individual states continues to be sparse and may not be accurate or representative of the population.

CONCLUSIONS

The declining utilization of epidural injections in all categories with an annual of 2.5% and overall decrease of 20.7% from 2009 to 2018 compared with annual increases of 7.3% and overall increase of 89.2% from 2000 to 2009 shows a slow decline of utilization of all epidural injections.

KEY WORDS

Chronic spinal pain, interlaminar epidural injections, caudal epidural injections, transforaminal epidural injections, utilization patterns.

Regional anesthesia in hip surgery

Historically, general anesthesia has been the "gold standard" for surgeons and patients when major hip surgery is being done. The recent introductions of improved techniques and catheters for continuous peripheral nerve blocks have made regional anesthesia more attractive to patients and surgeons. We focus on current trends and future directions in perioperative pain management for major orthopaedic procedures done on the hip. The use of epidural or spinal anesthesia during major hip surgery has been linked to a reduced risk of perioperative complications like deep venous thrombosis, less deterioration of cerebral and pulmonary functions in patients who are at high risk for complications, and overall reduced blood loss. In addition, continuous peripheral nerve blocks showed effective and safe postoperative pain control, allowing for lower opioids consumption, improved and earlier rehabilitation, and high patient satisfaction. Accurate patient selection and patient education are fundamental for the success of any regional anesthesia technique. Modern regional anesthesia for major hip surgery includes the use of a single shot and continuous epidural injections, single-shot and continuous spinal injection, continuous lumbar plexus blockade, and continuous peripheral blockade of the femoral and sciatic nerves. Continuous peripheral nerve blocks represent an adjunctive, effective, and safe technique for postoperative pain control after total hip arthroplasty. Future directions in postoperative pain control include the creation of a comprehensive system that supervises the use of continuous peripheral nerve blocks outside the acute inpatient setting for few days following the surgical procedure.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic study, Level V (expert opinion). See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

[Development and current status of combined spinal epidural anaesthesia]

Combined spinal and epidural anaesthesia/analgesia is a method whereby drugs are applied intrathecally as a single dose and epidurally either continuously or intermittently via an epidural catheter. More than 50 years ago, first attempts were made to introduce this method into clinical practice but they found little general acceptance. Only during the last decades has tremendous progress been made in developing new, highly-sophisticated equipment: matching spinal and epidural needles and catheters, epidural needles with a separate conduit for the spinal needle or with an additional hole for the exit of the spinal needle as well as fixation devices for the spinal needle. A specific feature of the method is the only recently recognised epidural volume extension, which allows the use of low-dose drug combinations with sufficient analgetic properties but less cardiovascular compromise and fewer side-effects. This review describes the main and most important developmental steps and offers practical examples for its use in day-case surgery of the lower limb, in the "walking epidural" in obstetrics and in caesarean section. The method has become a valuable new tool in the armamentarium of the anaesthetist and part of daily routine in many clinics.

Thoracic epidural anesthesia in cardiac surgical patients: A prospective audit of 2,113 cases

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to present an audit report of thoracic epidural anesthesia without permanent neurologic deficits in more than 2,000 patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

DESIGN

A prospective audit of cases conducted over a 13-year period.

SETTING

Tertiary referral heart hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Two thousand one hundred thirteen patients over a period of 13 years.

INTERVENTIONS

Epidural catheters were inserted at the C7 to T3 intervertebral space on the day before the operation in all patients; cardiac surgery was performed with or without cardiopulmonary bypass.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

The authors did not encounter any permanent neurologic deficits in their series. The authors encountered 18 (0.85%) primary dural punctures and 4 cases (0.18%) of temporary neurologic deficits.

CONCLUSION

This series adds to the worldwide experience of the use of epidural analgesia concomitantly with anticoagulation in cardiac surgery without serious complications.

Anaesthesia for Caesarean section: a survey in a UK region from 1992 to 2002

Data are presented for anaesthesia for Caesarean section (CS) in the South-west Thames region of the UK. The CS rate rose from 12.7% in 1987 to 24.2% in 2002. The rate of increase shows no sign of slowing. The rate of regional anaesthesia (RA) for elective CS rose from 69.4% in 1992 to 94.9% in 2002, when spinal anaesthesia was used for 86.6% of cases. This may limit the opportunities to teach other anaesthetic techniques. The rate of RA for emergency CS rose from 49.3% in 1992 to 86.7% in 2002. There is an unacceptable rate of failure of RA for both elective and emergency CS, 1.3% of RAs for elective CS and 4.9% of RAs for emergency CS were converted to general anaesthesia.

Future of regional anaesthesia and pain management

Consideration of the future practice of regional anaesthesia and pain management must include more than scientific advances. With advances in technology, the practice of medicine will increasingly become international in scope. Socio-economic issues will also have increasing impact on the practice of regional anaesthesia and pain management. More attention will be given to improved outcome and reduced morbidity as addressed by the "closed claims study" of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. Advances in the practice of spinal and epidural anaesthesia will come through improved understanding of nociceptive conduction and receptor physiology. New drugs will focus on specific neural function so that motor, sensory and autonomic blockade may be invoked and antagonized as clinical circumstances require. Advances in peripheral neural blockade will focus on drugs that can provide markedly prolonged effects in the range of days to weeks. Alternate approaches will be the development of neural specific lytic agents that will not spread to or damage surrounding tissues.

[Acquired experience in anesthesia and perioperative intensive care in percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Current approach in the endoscopic treatment of lithiasis and pyelo-ureteral junction anomalies]

Percutaneous endoscopic treatment of the kidney retains a place in the treatment of renal stones (percutaneous nephrolithotomy--PCNL) and ureteropelvic junction abnormalities (endopyeloplasty). It requires anaesthesia ensuring surgical comfort and safety for the patients despite changes in position and the prolonged ventral supine position. The operation carries certain iatrogenic risks related to caliceal irrigation in patients with more or less documented episodes of infection and carries risks of haemorrhage and effraction of adjacent organs. 282 patients treated by PCNL between 1984 and 1991 were reviewed in order to define the respective indications for general anaesthesia and peridural anaesthesia and to determine the modalities, to evaluate the risk and severity of absorption of irrigation fluid and to assess the risk of infection by defining the indications for prophylactic antibiotics. General anaesthesia, using etomidate and propofol via an infusion pump, ensures surgical comfort, anaesthetic safety and better control of intraoperative complications. The renewed interest in this technique must be counterbalanced by the growing incidence of anaphylactic reactions related to anaesthetic drugs. Operations lasting more than 2 hours, raised intracaliceal pressure, the initially exclusive use of glycine for irrigation induce haemodilution complications, possibly aggravated by glycine intoxication. Repeated surgery is preferable with the use of an Amplatz tube as often as possible and physiological saline, except when required by the operation. Patients with a history of urinary tract infection or infected stones should receive prolonged and effective antibiotics before, during and after the operation. Prophylactic antibiotics are reserved for those patients with no history of infection. These principles equally apply to percutaneous nephrolithotomy and endopyeloplasty.

Are physicians changing the way they practise obstetrics?

OBJECTIVE

To examine trends in obstetric interventions in women at low risk over approximately 3 years. It was postulated that there would be a general reduction in most intervention rates.

DESIGN

Retrospective review of hospital records.

SETTING

Three downtown hospitals of the University of Toronto, in which academic and nonacademic family physicians and obstetricians practised.

PATIENTS

A total of 2365 women in phase 1 (April 1985 to March 1986) and 1277 in phase 2 (May to September 1988) met the inclusion criteria for grade A (pregnancy at no predictable risk) of the Ontario Antenatal Record at the time of admission to hospital.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Rates of artificial rupture of the membranes, induction, augmentation, epidural anesthesia, continuous electronic fetal monitoring (EFM), instrumental delivery, episiotomy and cesarean section.

RESULTS

The family physicians and the obstetricians had significant decreases (p < 0.01) over time in the rates of episiotomy, especially mediolateral, and low forceps delivery. The rate of epidural anesthesia decreased significantly in the obstetrician group. The rates of artificial rupture of the membranes, induction and continuous EFM increased in the two physician groups; the increased rate of EFM was significant in the obstetrician group (p < 0.01). There was no significant change in the rates of augmentation, midforceps delivery, vacuum extraction or cesarean section. All of the trends were found to hold when the intervention rates were analysed according to the women's parity.

CONCLUSIONS

Some of the findings reflect recommendations and trends reported in the literature, whereas others are not supported by clear medical evidence. The unpredictable nature of the trends suggests that further study is warranted of the reasons for obstetric trends and for the changes in physicians' practice patterns.

[Status of obstetrical anesthesia in Germany]

A study on actual trends in obstetric analgesia and anaesthesia was conducted on data received from 385 German departments of obstetrics with a total of 267441 deliveries. On the basis of these extensive data quantitative results could be obtained about analgesic procedures for spontaneous deliveries, operative-vaginal deliveries, Caesarean sections and in cases of foetal or maternal risks. The type of analgesics and local anaesthetics used, their side effects and complications were recorded. In addition the cooperation and interaction between obstetricians and anesthesiologists in practising and monitoring obstetrical analgesia and anaesthesia are described.