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Electrogastrography during and after cesarean delivery

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Abstract

Purpose

Although it has been generally believed that parturients have delayed gastric emptying during anesthesia, the most recent reports suggest that gastric emptying is not delayed during pregnancy except during labor. Electrical slow waves in the stomach determine the frequency and the peristaltic nature of gastric contractions. In this study we performed electrogastrography during and after elective cesarean section (CS) in an attempt to evaluate gastric motility.

Methods

Sixteen American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II term parturients undergoing elective CS were enrolled. Combined spinal-epidural anesthesia was initiated with 10 mg of bupivacaine plus 10 μg of fentanyl. Fourchannel electrogastrography was obtained for 10 min prior to venous catheter insertion (baseline), 10 min following spinal injection of bupivacaine and fentanyl (Sp-1), 10 to 20 min following spinal injection (Sp-2), 10 min prior to the end of operation (end), and finally 10 min on the seventh postoperative day (POD 7).

Results

The mean ± SD values for dominant frequency of electrogastrography (DF) were determined as: 1.57 ± 0.36 cpm (baseline), 1.81 ± 0.32 cpm (Sp-1), 2.08 ± 0.36 cpm (Sp-2), 1.96 ± 0.36 cpm (end), and 3.02 ± 0.28 cpm (POD 7). The DF of Sp-1, Sp-2, and end were significantly higher than that of baseline (P < 0.05). The DF of POD 7 was significantly higher than that of baseline, Sp-1, Sp-2, and end (P < 0.01).

Conclusion

Electrogastrography analysis suggests that the frequency of gastric contractions during CS was less than that in the postpartum period.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Juntendo University, School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan

    Masayuki Oshima, Kazuyoshi Aoyama, Kengo Warabi, Toshimasa Akazawa & Eiichi Inada

Authors
  1. Masayuki Oshima
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  2. Kazuyoshi Aoyama
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  3. Kengo Warabi
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  4. Toshimasa Akazawa
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  5. Eiichi Inada
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Additional information

Presented, in part, at the American Society of Anesthesiologists 2005 Annual Meeting, October 22–26, 2005, Atlanta.

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Oshima, M., Aoyama, K., Warabi, K. et al. Electrogastrography during and after cesarean delivery. J Anesth 23, 75–79 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00540-008-0692-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00540-008-0692-5

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