Difficult Airway in Obstetrics — Flashcards

Flashcard 1: _____ anesthesia is the first choice for most patients with preeclampsia during labor, vaginal delivery, and cesarean section

Answer: Epidural

Flashcard 2: _____ is 50:50 mixtures of nitrous oxide and oxygen, popularly used as labour analgesia

Answer: Entonox

Flashcard 3: Most common cause of death during GA in obstetrics is _____ syndrome

Answer: Mendelson's syndrome

Flashcard 4: In an obstetric emergency (eg. cord prolapse), the ideal anaesthetic of choice would be _____ anesthesia

Answer: general

Flashcard 5: Which type of anesthesia is preferred for the management of a patient with severe **post-partum hemorrhage** and hemodynamic instability?

Answer: General anesthesia

Extra: General anesthesia (GA) is the technique of choice in the presence of hypovolemic shock because neuraxial anesthesia (spinal/epidural) causes sympathectomy, which can lead to profound, life-threatening hypotension. **Note on Inhalational Agents:** Volatile anesthetics (like Sevoflurane or Isoflurane) are potent uterine relaxants. While this is beneficial for manual removal of a retained placenta or uterine inversion, these agents should be used at very low concentrations (<0.5 MAC) if the PPH is due to uterine atony to avoid worsening the hemorrhage.

Flashcard 6: Which anesthetics have the most potent effect on uterine relaxation?_____

Answer: Halogenated anesthetics (halothane)

Flashcard 7: Which inhalational agent is the best uterine relaxant?_____

Answer: Halothane