Introduction/Objective Spinal anesthesia (SA) for cesarean section may lead to significant changes in hemodynamic parameters, especially hypotension. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the efficacy and safety of preemptive infusion protocols of the two most commonly used vasopressors, ephedrine (Group E, n = 29) and phenylephrine (Group P, n = 31) not only on prevention of hypotension but also to determine their effect on hemodynamic parameters, such as stroke volume (SV) and cardiac output (CO) using a continuous non-invasive hemodynamic monitor. Methods The infusion of ephedrine was administered at the rate of 5 mg/min. immediately after SA. Phenylephrine was administered at an infusion rate of 25 mu g/min for two minutes prior to SA. Results In Group E, mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) were similar to baseline. CO was higher (p <0.001), while systemic vascular resistance (SVR) was lower than baseline (p < 0.001). In Group P, mean SBP and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were lower than baseline, respectively (p =0.006, p < 0.001). SBP, DBP, CO, SV, SVR, and HR were significantly different between the E and P groups (p < 0.001). Conclusion E and P vasopressors are both effective in the prevention of hypotension during SA.

Introduction/Objective. Despite frequent side effects such as hypotension, spinal anesthesia (SA) is still one of the best anesthetic methods for elective cesarean section (CS). Intermittent, oscillometric, non-invasive blood pressure monitoring (NIBP) frequently leads to the missed hypotensive episodes. Our goal was to compare continuous non-invasive arterial pressure (CNAP) monitoring with NIBP in the terms of efficiency to detect hypotension. Methods. In this study, we compared CNAP and NIBP monitoring for hypotension detection in 76 patients divided into two groups of 38 patients treated with ephedrine (E) or phenylephrine (P), during 3 min intervals, starting from SA, by the end of the surgery. Results. In group E, significantly lower mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) values with CNAP compared with NIBP (p = 0.008) was detected. CNAP detected 31 (81.6%) hypotensive patients in E group and significantly lower number 20 (52.6%) with NIBP (p = 0.001), while in P group CNAP detected 34 patients (89.5%) and NIBP, only 18 (47.3%), p = 0.001. CNAP detected significantly higher number of hypotensive intervals in E and P groups (p < 0.001). Umbilical vein pH was lower within hypotensive compared with normotensive patients in E and P groups, with CNAP and NIBP, respectively (p < 0.001, p = 0.027 in E, and p = 0.009, p < 0.001, in P group). Conclusion. CNAP is much more efficient in hypotension detection for CS during SA, which allows faster treatment of hypotension, thus improving fetal and maternal outcome.

Malignant hyperthermia is a hypermetabolic disorder of skeletal muscle that occurs in genetically susceptible individuals after exposure to anesthetic. Basic disorder is an increase of calcium ions inside the skeletal muscle, increasing metabolism and reducing cell energy supplies leading to development of acidosis, cell membrane destruction and cell death. Due to the increased metabolism occurs hypercarbia and strong stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system (tachycardia, hypertension, ventricular arrhythmia, tachypnea dropped for the neuromuscular blockade). Sweating, cyanosis, muscle rigidity and hyperthermia are also present. This work presents the case of a female patient aged 32 who was heterozygous for the mutation RYR1 gene and therefore has an increased risk of malignant hyperthermia. Per anamnesis we got data that patient’s brother suffers from central core disease (myopathy). Patient has no muscle disease, 41^st week of pregnancy and was admitted to the hospital for childbirth. Vaginal delivery in epidural analgesia was planned. Epidural catheter is placed in the space L3 - L4, through which she received 0.25% levobupivacaine 10 ml. Due to adverse obstetric findings cesarean section underwent after two hours. Given the increased risk of malignant hyperthermia, the safest type of anesthesia for cesarean is epidural anesthesia. Over the epidural catheter has received 0.5% levobupivacaine 18 ml. Anesthesia machine was verified, hoses were replaced with new ones, CO2 absorber system was replaced, and whole system is flushed with pure oxygen, before surgery started. During the operation the patient had stable vital parameters that are monitored. She got a male child Apgar score of 9/10 and saw her child at birth. After the operation was transferred to the intensive care unit where we monitored the vital parameters, laboratory analysis, the amount and color of urine. Since all parameters were satisfactory, following day she was transferred to the ward, and she was discharged with a child on the fourth day after the surgery.