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A Van Elstraete

Publications and source records attributed to A Van Elstraete.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

[Labour epidural analgesia in Martinique: evaluation of quality and accessibility to epidural analgesia by the patients in level one obstetric clinic].

OBJECTIVES: The main aim of this study was to evaluate real-life experience and the quality of labor epidural analgesia (LEA) by the patients, from the anaesthesia consultation to leaving the clinic after childbirth. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study took place over a period of 8 weeks, at the level I obstetric clinic in Martinique. One hundred and thirty-four successive patients completed an anonymous questionnaire following childbirth. RESULTS: During the study period (134 patients completed the questionnaire, corresponding to 100% return) 127 women had asked for LEA (94%), which was possible in 94%, with a patient satisfaction level of 94% and an average mark for quality at 18/20. The quality of information given at the anaesthesia consultation was judged excellent for 97%, and 91% were reassured by the consultation. The delay between the demand and the LEA procedure was less than 15 min in 63%, and in 39% the procedure was done during the night. The procedure was painless in 63%, and 97% of women were ready to begin the same procedure again. CONCLUSION: This study seems to underline the fact that the needs and the acceptability of LEA are the same in Martinique as in mainland France. This study does not support the hypothesis of the cultural barrier to justify the low level of LEA in the Overseas Departments. An obvious result seems to be that good organization of anaesthesia and obstetric services results in a natural increase in LEA demand.

Adult↗

[Opioid spinal anesthesia at the end of labor for potentially difficult deliveries].

We report two cases of difficult delivery, one vaginal breech presentation and one vaginal twin delivery in agitated parturients who were not given epidura analgesia. Maternal agitation was caused by pain and led to the risk of difficult fetal extraction. Epidural analgesia is not useful during the second stage of labor because of delayed onset of action of the administered drugs. Spinal injection of 10 microg of sufentanil was followed by rapid analgesia, maternal sedation and atraumatic deliveries. The usefulness of this technique is discussed for analgesia during the second stage of labor when epidural analgesia has not been performed.

Adult↗

Effect of preincision versus postincision infiltration with bupivacaine on postoperative pain.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of preincision wound infiltration with bupivacaine to wound infiltration at the end of the operation. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, double-blind study. SETTING: University medical center. PATIENTS: 56 ASA status I and II women scheduled for abdominal hysterectomy were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups. INTERVENTIONS: Group 1 (control) received no local anesthetic infiltration. Group 2 received subcutaneous infiltration with 40 ml of bupivacaine 0.5% (pH 6.9) 15 minutes prior to incision. Group 3 received wound infiltration with a similar solution at the end of surgery. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental 3.0 mg/kg i.v., droperidol 50 micrograms/kg i.v., and sufentanil 0.5 microgram/kg i.v. and maintained with nitrous oxide 67% in oxygen and sufentanil 0.1 microgram/kg IV boluses as required. Postoperative pain was treated with morphine via a patient-controlled analgesia delivery system for 24 hours, followed by oral hydrocodone for 3 days. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The opioid consumption was recorded for 4 days postoperatively. Pain scores were measured at 4 to 8-hour intervals using 100 mm visual analog scales. There was no difference in either the opioid analgesic requirements or the pain scores between the three study groups. CONCLUSIONS: Wound infiltration, either preincision or postincision, had no clinically significant effect on the pain scores or analgesic requirements following abdominal hysterectomy.

Adult↗