Neuroanesthesia and pregnancy: Uncharted waters

Neuroanaesthetic challenges in a pregnant patient with a huge cerebellopontine angle meningioma

Intracranial malignancy among pregnant women is extremely rare. Neuroanaesthesia for such high-risk patients demands extreme precautions. Our patient presented with a huge right cerebellopontine angle meningioma during the first trimester of her pregnancy. We share our valuable perianaesthetic challenges in managing her tumour-debulking surgery and a brief review of intracranial neoplasm during pregnancy.

Anaesthetic management of cerebral arteriovenous malformation hemorrhage during pregnancy: A case series

RATIONALE

There is no clear consensus guidance for anesthesiologists on how to manage patients with cerebral arteriovenous malformation (cAVM) rupture and hemorrhage during pregnancy who need craniotomy. Our objective was to review the anesthesia management of pregnant women who underwent resection of cAVM at our institution and to provide opinions and suggestions.

PATIENT CONCERNS

Herein, we report of 3 patients with cAVM rupture and hemorrhage during pregnancy who underwent neurosurgery at the 22nd, 28th, and 20th weeks of pregnancy.

DIAGNOSES

All 3 patients were admitted to the emergency department of our hospital due to sudden symptoms. Subsequently, their head imaging results confirmed the rupture and hemorrhage of cAVM. The rupture and hemorrhage of cAVM during pregnancy has a low incidence and high mortality, which seriously endangers the safety of the mother and fetus. For this emergency condition, craniotomy for removing intracranial lesions and clear hematoma can result in a chance of a successful delivery. Especially in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, the management goal of anesthesia is to ensure the maternofetal safety and to maintain continuous pregnancy.

INTERVENTIONS

This article describes the process of intraoperative anesthesia management and maternal-fetal outcomes and discusses the key issues for the anesthesia management of cAVM rupture during pregnancy, including considerations of physiological changes during pregnancy and anesthesia medication, intraoperative monitoring, the maintenance of hemodynamic stability, and the control of intracranial pressure, among other considerations. Resection of intracranial lesions should be performed whenever possible while maintaining the pregnancy for better maternal and infant outcomes.

OUTCOMES

The operations of the 3 pregnant women were successfully completed under our detailed anesthesia planning and careful anesthesia management. All the patients recovered well after the operation, and underwent cesarean section to give birth smoothly.

LESSONS

The preservation of pregnancy under cAVM resection is a complex challenge for anesthesiologists, and these 3 cases provide an extensive amount of experience for anesthesia management in similar situations. Detailed anesthesia planning and careful anesthesia management by anesthesiologists are important guarantees for good maternal and fetal outcomes.

Eating Disorders in Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women: A Systematic Review

Background: Pregnancy is a stage associated with various biopsychosocial changes. These changes, along with concerns about keeping an adequate weight, can modulate an individual's risk for psychological disorders, especially eating disorders (EDs). The aim of this review was to investigate the prevalence, associated risks, and consequences of eating disorders in pregnancy and in breastfeeding mothers. Materials and Methods: A systematic review was carried out following the PRISMA guidelines in the scientific databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO. Search terms related to EDs, pregnancy, and breastfeeding were used. The evaluation of the methodological quality of the studies was carried out using different scales; CASP (Checklist for Cohort Study), NICE (Methodology Checklist for Cohort Study), ARHQ (Methodology Checklist for Cross-Sectional), and NOS (Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for Cohort). Results: From 2920 studies, 16 were selected to study EDs in pregnant women and 2 studies in nursing mothers. Most of the studies used questionnaires and scales as tools for the diagnosis of EDs. Binge eating, anxiety, and depression were the most common comorbidities of EDs, accompanied in most cases by excessive concern about weight gain. The consequences of EDs are diverse. The prevalence of EDs in this population is estimated to be 1 out of 20. Conclusions: Eating disorders are related to anxiety and depression and have negative consequences for both mothers and fetuses (cesarean, miscarriages, premature births). More research on the field to determine the risk factors for EDs in the population of pregnant and lactating women is needed.