5 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
The Accuro is a three dimensional handheld ultrasound device. This device uses sound waves to create pictures of the spine in three dimensions. This may allow the physician to view the spine in more detail for procedures such as spinal anesthesia and other diagnostic procedures. We aim to assess the benefit of using both the Accuro and traditional landmark palpation technique to determine accurate spinal level in women who undergo cesarean section. This study will also assess provider preference for use of both Accuro and palpation compared with palpation alone or use of Accuro alone. Anesthesia Providers will first identify the L4/L5 space using the traditional technique of palpating the iliac crests to estimate spinal level, which will be marked with a single dot from a marking pen. The provider will then use the Accuro 3000 to identify the L4/L5 interspace. Results will be compared to results obtained in IRB 18070 "Handheld 3D lumbar spine navigation: A clinical validation study RM002" where subjects who were undergoing a C-section were randomized to either palpation or Accuro alone.
The following obstetric procedures are commonly performed with spinal anesthesia on labor and delivery: bilateral tubal ligation, external cephalic version, cerclage insertion, cerclage removal, minimally invasive fetal surgery, and evacuation of retained products of conception. Bupivacaine is currently the standard spinal medication for these procedures because of its long history of safe use, its low incidence of transient neurologic symptoms, and its ability to provide a dependable, dense block with a high degree of maternal satisfaction. While bupivacaine has the aforementioned advantages, it unfortunately has a long duration of action, up to 240-380 minutes, which far exceeds the time necessary to complete most obstetric procedures. Clorotekal®, the first Food and Drug Administration approved chloroprocaine solution created for spinal injection, is a potential alternative. When compared with bupivacaine spinals, chloroprocaine spinals have been shown to facilitate clinically significant shorter times to resolution of motor and sensory block, first ambulation, micturition, and discharge readiness. The objective of this study is to determine if a strategy of spinal anesthesia with chloroprocaine will reduce the duration of motor block, compared with equivalent block with hyperbaric bupivacaine..
The purpose of this study is to see if an educational intervention provided to pregnant women in early labor has an effect on their decision to use epidural anesthesia for relief of labor pain. The study will also investigate differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women in their attitudes and beliefs regarding epidurals in labor. Previous studies have shown that Hispanic women receive epidural anesthesia in labor much less frequently than their non-Hispanic white counterparts. The investigators hypothesize that the rate of epidural use will be higher in subjects who receive the educational intervention than in those who do not. Women who have been admitted to the OHSU labor and delivery unit will be screened for study eligibility. In order to minimize the influence of socioeconomic factors, only women receiving Medicaid will be enrolled. Other inclusion criteria include age of at least 18 years, having a fetus of at least 24 weeks gestational age, and being categorized as American Society of Anesthesiologist category 1 to 3. Exclusion criteria include any condition that either excludes or mandates neuraxial anesthesia. Midwife patients are also excluded from this study. Those who meet study criteria will be approached by a member of the study team and informed consent will be obtained. Subjects will be randomly assigned to receive an educational intervention about epidurals or no educational intervention. Hispanic and non-Hispanic subjects will be randomized separately, yielding four study groups (Hispanic - intervention; Hispanic - control; non-Hispanic - intervention, non-Hispanic - control). The investigators expect to enroll approximately 176 women, 44 in each group. All subjects will complete a survey in early labor and again 1 to 2 days postpartum that asks about common beliefs and misconceptions regarding epidurals. Subjects in the intervention group will receive an educational pamphlet and watch a video in their native language (spanish or english) about epidurals, and have an opportunity to ask questions. Study staff will collect limited information about the subject's labor and delivery from the electronic medical record.
The investigators intend to perform a large randomized trial using standardized obstetrical and anesthetic practice at a single institution to determine the effects of patient controlled epidural analgesia on obstetrical and neonatal outcomes.
Both hydromorphone and morphine are administered as part of spinal anesthesia to help improve pain control after cesarean delivery. In this study, the investigators are going to determine the doses of each of those medicines that provides optimal pain control to women undergoing cesarean delivery while limiting side effects related to those medicines. The investigators hypothesize that the doses of hydromorphone and morphine that provide optimal pain control without significant side effects will be 100 micrograms and 150 micrograms, respectively. The investigators further hypothesize that at each respective optimal dose, side effects will be less in the hydromorphone group.