OBJECTIVE: Postpartum hemorrhage is most common cause of maternal mortality. Active management of third stage of labor minimizes the risk of postpartum hemorrhage. To compare the effect of methylergonovine and 15-methyl prostaglandin F2alpha (15-methyl PGF2alpha) in active management of third stage of labor. METHODS: A randomized open labelled parallel study with 50 women in normal labor, 25 in each group were included. The drugs methylergonovine (0.2 mg) intravenous and 15-methyl PGF2alpha (250 microg) intramuscular were administered at the time of delivery of anterior shoulder. Main outcomes measured were amount of blood loss during the first four hours of delivery and objective measurement of hemoglobin and hematocrit levels before delivery and third day postpartum. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the blood loss between the two groups at delivery (P = 0.130), at 1 hour of delivery (P = 0.453). The blood loss with 15-methyl PGF2alpha was significantly less as compared to that of blood loss with methylergonovine at four hours of delivery (P = 0.014) and the total, i.e., during first four hours, amount of blood loss was significantly less with 15-methyl PGF2alpha (P = 0.026). There was no statistically significant difference in the hemoglobin and hematocrit levels measured predelivery and postpartum third day between both the drugs. CONCLUSION: Both the drugs were effective in controlling the amount of blood loss during the third stage of labor, 15-methyl PGF2alpha being more efficacious.
Dinoprost ; Female ; Hematocrit ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Maternal Mortality ; Methylergonovine ; Postpartum Hemorrhage ; Postpartum Period ; Shoulder

BACKGROUND: Levobupivacaine is an attractive alternative to racemic bupivacaine for spinal anesthesia due to the lower potential for cardio-toxicity and faster recovery profile. This study was designed to compare isobaric levobupivacaine with hyperbaric racemic bupivacaine with respect to intraoperative quality of anesthesia and the postoperative recovery profile in patients undergoing inguinal hernia surgery. METHODS: A total of 100 American Society of Anesthesiologists 1 and 2 patients, aged 18–60 years, undergoing elective daycare unilateral inguinal hernia surgery, were randomized into two groups. Group L received spinal anesthesia with 3 ml of 0.5% plain levobupivacaine. Group B received 3 ml of 0.5% hyperbaric racemic bupivacaine. Quality of anesthesia, sensory and motor block characteristics, duration of effective analgesia, time to mobilization, and incidence of side effects were compared. RESULTS: The quality of anesthesia was comparable between the two groups. No difference was observed in the block onset time or maximum block height. The duration of anesthesia was significantly shorter in group L compared with that in group B (206.2 ± 18.9 min vs. 224.1 ± 15.6 min, P < 0.001), as was duration of motor block (185.9 ± 20.3 min vs. 196.4 ± 21.2 min, P = 0.016) and time to walk unaided (321.9 ± 19.2 min vs. 356.7 ± 26.6 min, P < 0.001). The incidence of hypotension was less in group L (12%) compared to group B (32%) (P = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: Levobupivacaine is an effective alternative to bupivacaine for patients undergoing unilateral inguinal hernia surgery. It has a shorter duration of sensory and motor block, allowing earlier mobilization in daycare surgeries, and a lower incidence of intraoperative hypotension.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Bupivacaine* ; Hernia, Inguinal* ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence