Epidural anesthesia

Question 1

How do you position a patient for an epidural anesthesia?

Answer 1

• lie on left side (to prevent vena cava compression)
• legs flexed
• back not as arched as lumbar puncture because we are not getting into CSF

-or-

She can use the bedside table, sit indian style and put elbows on her knees

Question 2

In which stage of labor is it usually given?

Answer 2

stage 1 at 3 - 4 cm dilation

Question 3

will this patient experience headache?

Answer 3

no; because we did not get into the CSF

Question 4

what’s the major complication of epidural anesthesia?

Answer 4

Hypotension

Question 5

What do we do we before an epidural anesthesia?

Answer 5

give them a bolus dose of a 1000ml of LR or N.S to fight the hypotension

Question 6

Why do we want pregnant women to lie on left or side side?

Answer 6

to prevent vena cava compression.

Question 7

what happens when the vena cava is compressed?

Answer 7

it will decrease venous return, reduce cardiac output and blood pressure, and decrease placental perfusion.

Question 8

how often should she change positions from side to side?

Answer 8

hourly