Exam 3: Labor & Analgesia Pt. 2 Flashcards
(77 cards)
Absolute contraindications for epidural placement
- Refusal
- Uncooperative patient
- Uncontrolled hemorrhage w/ ↓volume
- Epidural site infection
- Bleeding issues/disorder
- Anticoagulated (usually there’s a policy for how long you have to wait based on the drug)
Rotten Urologists Hush Iconic Blushing Alcoholics
Relative contraindications for epidural placement
- elevated ICP
- LA allergy
- language barrier w/o interpreter
- severe fetal depression
- severe maternal cardiac disease
- active coagulopathy
- untreated systemic infection
- pre-existing neurologic deficit
- skeletal abnormalities
- hardware in spine
What are the risks associated with epidural placement that is too early in labor?
- ↑ risk for instrumented delivery (vacuum or forceps)
- Prolonged 2ⁿᵈ stage of labor
- Risk of ineffective epidural and need for replacement
Risks of placing the epidural too late
- pt cant get into a good position
- pt cant stay still anymore
- provider preference
Bailey considers “too late” when the head is crowning
Name the anatomy pertinent to an epidural/spinal.
- Skin
- Subcutaneous tissue
- Supraspinous ligament
- Interspinous ligament
- Ligamentum flavum
- Epidural space
- Dura mater
What three interspinous spaces are typical for epidural placement?
L2-3
L3-4
L4-5
What are the disadvantages of a continuous epidural?
- 10 - 15 min onset of analgesia (slow)
- Higher drug requirement (volume block)
- ↑ Maternal LAST risk
- ↑ fetal drug exposure
- Risk of sacral “sparing”, slow blockade, hot spots, patchy block etc.
What is the standard “test dose” used for epidurals?
Lidocaine 1.5% w/ 1:200k epi (3mLs)
What tells you the catheter is intrathecal or intravascular when giving the test dose?
- Lidocaine tells you the catheter is intrathecal. Pt will feel leg numbness & warmth (Lidocaine 1.5% going intrathecal). Heavy and high spinal risk.
- Epi tells you the catheter is placed intravascular you will see HR increase 20 bpm within 1 min
Can a test dose be administered during a contraction?
No because then the change in HR can’t be solely attributed to the test dose.
What are the disadvantages of a CSE (combined spinal epidural) ?
- ↑ risk of fetal bradycardia b/c of the more profound sympathectomy)
- ↑ risk of PDPH
- ↑ risk of neuraxial infection
- Uncertainty of proper epidural catheter placement (until spinal wears off).
What is a Dural Puncture Epidural?
Similar to CSE but no medications are injected into the spinal space.
The dura now has a very small hole
What are the advantages of a Dural Puncture Epidural?
- Faster onset than regular epidural b/c some med can get intrathecal
- Transdural migration of medications injected into epidural space
- More rapid anaglesia
- ↓ risk of maternal HoTN and fetal bradycardia compared to CSE.
Single shot spinal for labor duration?
Trick question, single shot spinals are very rarely used for labor because the labor may outlast the spinal - mostly used for c-sections
When is a continuous spinal utilized?
After a “Wet Tap”.
Accidental placement of epidural Tuohy into the spinal space.
Change your doses to spinal doses! huge risk for other providers accidentally overdosing
What are the disadvantages of a continous spinal?
- Large dural puncture = PDPH
- Risk of other provider mistaking catheter for an epidural catheter instead of a spinal.
What types of pain do epidural local anesthetics treat?
- Visceral Pain: lower uterine & cervical distention
- Somatic Pain: Fetal birth canal descent
Which two LA’s are most commonly used for labor?
Bupivacaine & Ropivacaine
Bupivacaine has a differential block, what is a differential block?
- Separation of motor & sensory effects
- Sparing of A-α motor neurons
What are the advantages of Bupivacaine?
- Differential Block
- Long duration
- No tachyphylaxis
- Safety (↓ placental transfer)
What are the disadvantages of neuraxial bupivacaine?
- Slow onset time (10 - 15 min)
- latency is improved with lipophilic opioid
- Risk of CV & neuro toxicity
What epidural dosing of bupivacaine is typical?
0.0625 - 0.25%
10 - 20mls
lower concentration, larger volume
What are the advantages of Ropivacaine?
- Differential Block (even better than bupivacaine).
- Safety (less toxic than bupivacaine)
What are the disadvantages of ropivacaine?
- Slow onset (10 - 15 minutes)
- latency is improved with lipophilic opioid
- CV & Neuro toxicity