Refusal of Epidural Anesthesia for Labor Pain Management by African American Parturients: An Examination of Factors.

Most parturients use epidural anesthesia for labor pain management, with excellent pain relief possible within minutes of administration. An examination of the literature revealed a disparity of use that existed along ethnic and racial lines, with African Americans less likely to accept epidural anesthesia. No known studies to date had explored the reasons for this disparity.

Anesthetic Management of a Patient With Type 1 von Willebrand Disease and Uterine Placental Abruption: A Case Report.

Von Willebrand disease is the most common inherited blood disorder, occurring in about 1% of the population. It results from a deficiency in the quality or quantity of von Willebrand factor, which is necessary for adequate hemostasis. An evidenced-based approach is prudent when this derangement is coupled with a potentially fatal obstetric complication.

A review of the evidence for active preoperative warming of adults undergoing general anesthesia.

Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia, a common occurrence in the operating suite, is associated with many adverse outcomes. It is the nurse anesthetist's goal to attenuate the incidence of this problem. Although active intraoperative warming is a widely accepted practice, active preoperative warming may be a less explored option for temperature maintenance.