Positioning a proned patient with cauda equina syndrome who presents at 15 weeks gestation: a case report

Systematic Review and Critical Appraisal of Cauda Equina Syndrome Management During Pregnancy

Cauda equina during pregnancy represents a rare entity, with data regarding optimal treatment being very scarce in the pertinent literature. Given the scarcity of current evidence on the topic, this study conducts a systematic review and analysis of existing literature concerning cauda equina syndrome (CES) management in pregnant women. A comprehensive search was performed across multiple databases, yielding 26 level IV peer-reviewed articles that met the inclusion criteria. These studies collectively encompassed 30 pregnant patients with CES, with a mean age of 31.2 years and an average gestational age of 26 weeks. Disc herniation emerged as the primary cause in 73% of cases. Regarding surgical interventions, the prone position was utilised in 70% of cases, with 73% receiving general anaesthesia. Notably, third-trimester spinal surgeries exhibited a higher complete recovery rate compared to earlier trimesters. Minimally invasive spinal surgery demonstrated superior outcomes in terms of complete recovery and reduced risk of persistent post-operative symptoms when compared to open approaches. Moreover, patients undergoing caesarean section (CS) after spinal surgery reported higher rates of symptom resolution and lower symptom persistence compared to those with CS before spinal surgery or vaginal delivery post-spinal surgery. Despite these study's findings, the overall evidence base remains limited, precluding definitive conclusions. Consequently, the study underscores the importance of multidisciplinary team discussions to formulate optimal treatment strategies for pregnant individuals presenting with CES. This highlights a critical need for further research to expand the knowledge base and improve the guidance available for managing CES in pregnant populations.

Use of the prone position in pregnant women with COVID-19 or other health conditions

OBJECTIVE

to analyze, in the scientific literature, the knowledge available on the use of the prone position in pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19 or other health conditions.

METHOD

an integrative literature review developed through the following guiding question: What is the scientific knowledge available on the use of the prone position in pregnant women with COVID-19 or other health conditions? The search for studies was carried out in eight databases.

RESULTS

using the prone position in pregnant women with Acute Respiratory Distress syndrome allowed for improvements in lung compliance and oxygenation. It also allowed reducing uterine compression on the maternal large vessels, and a reduction in blood pressure was observed in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia. The prone position was also safe in the surgical management of pregnant patients. In addition, the following conditions stood out as disadvantages related to the prone position in pregnant women: possibility of aortocaval compression, causing severe hypotension, and inability to easily monitor fetal status or to perform emergency Cesarean sections.

CONCLUSION

the prone position was considered safe, reliable and comfortable for its use in the clinical management of pregnant women, where specific care measures must be taken to avoid compression of gravid abdomen, as well as fetal monitoring is important to detect placental circulation impairment.

SURGICAL TREATMENT OF LUMBAR DISC HERNIATION IN PREGNANT WOMEN: REPORT OF TWO CASES AND A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

ABSTRACT Objective: To review the surgical treatment of lumbar disc herniation in pregnancy. Methods: We systematically reviewed cases of surgical treatment of pregnant patients with lumbar IVD herniations in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. We searched on electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, to find relevant articles by keywords. Results: A literature review of 42 cases is presented. Conclusions: The authors’ own data and the literature data demonstrate that decompression surgery in pregnancy is effective and safe for both mother and fetus; however, radical surgery (fusion) can lead to very adverse sequelae for the fetus. Level of Evidence III; Systematic reviewb of Level III studies.

Influence of the prone position on a stretcher for pregnant women on maternal and fetal hemodynamic parameters and comfort in pregnancy

OBJECTIVES:

To analyze the influence of lying in prone position on a specially designed stretcher on the maternal-fetal hemodynamic parameters and comfort of pregnant women.

METHODS:

A randomized, controlled trial with 33 pregnant women divided into 2 groups: pregnant group sequence 1 and pregnant group sequence 2. The order of positions used in sequence 1 was Fowler's position, prone position, supine position, left lateral, Fowler's position 2, supine position 2, prone position 2 and left lateral 2. The order of positions used in sequence 2 was Fowler's position, prone position, left lateral, supine position, Fowler's position 2, left lateral 2, prone position 2 and supine position 2. Each woman remained in each position for 6 minutes. For the statistical analyses, we used Wilcoxon's test for 2 paired samples when comparing the prone position with the other positions. The variables are presented in graphs showing the means and 95% confidence intervals. Trial Registration: Clinical Trial No. ISRCTN41359519.

RESULTS:

All the parameters were within the standards of normality. There were no differences between positions in terms of maternal heart rate, diastolic blood pressure, oxygen saturation and fetal heart rate. However, there were significant decreases in respiratory rate and systolic blood pressure in prone position 2 compared with left lateral 2. There was an increase in oxygen saturation in prone position compared with Fowler's position and supine position 2 in both sequences. All the women reported feeling comfortable in the prone position.

CONCLUSIONS:

The prone position was considered safe and comfortable and could be advantageous for improving oxygen saturation and reducing the systolic blood pressure and respiratory rate.