Uterotonics update.

Uterotonics are the mainstay of management for postpartum haemorrhage and an understanding of their use is essential for the obstetric anaesthetist. First-line uterotonics comprise oxytocin and carbetocin, which act on the oxytocin receptor, and recent research has shown that lower doses of first-line uterotonics can be used to adequate effect. The oxytocin receptor is known to undergo desensitisation with exposure to the agonist over time and with increasing concentrations.

Gastric emptying in pregnancy and its clinical implications: a narrative review.

Delayed gastric emptying increases the risk of pulmonary aspiration during anaesthesia for Caesarean delivery. Our aim in conducting this narrative review was to consider the effect of pregnancy on gastric emptying. The indices of gastric emptying after liquids, solids, or both and when fasted in the various trimesters of pregnancy, at the time of Caesarean delivery, in labour, and the postpartum period were assessed.

Comparison of intravenous versus perineural dexamethasone as a local anaesthetic adjunct for peripheral nerve blocks in the lower limb: A meta-analysis and systematic review.

Background: As a local anaesthetic adjunct, the systemic absorption of perineural dexamethasone in the lower limb could be restricted because of decreased vascularity when compared with the upper limb.

Objectives: To compare the pharmacodynamic characteristics of intravenous and perineural dexamethasone in the lower limb.

Design: Systematic review of randomised controlled trials with meta-analysis.

Evaluation of neuraxial analgesia on outcomes for patients undergoing robot assisted abdominal surgery.

Study Objective: Following robot assisted abdominal surgery, the pain can be moderate in severity. Neuraxial analgesia may decrease the activity of the detrusor muscle, reduce the incidence of bladder spasm and provide effective somatic and visceral analgesia. In this systematic review, we assessed the role of neuraxial analgesia in robot assisted abdominal surgery.