In Vitro Evaluation of Spontaneous and Oxytocin-induced Contractility of Pregnant Human Myometrium During Exposure to Dexmedetomidine

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Trial end date: 2023-06-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: Female

Summary

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains to be one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. It has been noted that an increasing number of PPH is attributed to the increased incidence of uterine atony. Myometrial contraction is affected by the choice of anesthetic technique and medications during cesarean delivery (CD). It has been proven that exposure to oxytocin during labor results in a decrease in myometrial contractions.

Dexmedetomidine is a drug which has been used in obstetric practice due to its desirable effects such as decreasing pain, reduced elevation in blood pressure and heart rate, sedation, and diminished anesthetic requirement. It has been used as an adjunct during spinal or epidural anesthesia during CD and even during general anesthesia for some obstetric surgeries.

The use of dexmedetomidine has been continuously rising due to its favorable effects. Its use as an adjunct in general anesthesia for obstetrical surgeries has been shown to have promising advantages. During this pandemic, dexmedetomidine has been utilized largely as a sedative in critically ill and intubated patients. This does not exclude critically ill pregnant patients who may also need to deliver urgently. Thus, it is important to investigate its effect on uterine contractility on this particular group of patients.

The investigators hypothesize that dexmedetomidine causes a dose-dependent increase in contractility of the pregnant human myometrium, both spontaneous and oxytocin-induced.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital
• Treatments: Dexmedetomidine; Oxytocin

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant patients scheduled for elective CD under regional anesthesia at 37-41 weeks of gestational age will be included in this study.

• Only patients for primary CD or repeat CD (1x) will be included in this study since excessive uterine scarring from multiple CD may affect the contractility of myometrial sample.

Exclusion Criteria:

• patient refusal

• emergency CD

• general anesthesia

• placenta accreta spectrum disorder

• any condition predisposing the patient to uterine atony (e.g. polyhydramnios, multiple gestation)

• patients taking medications affecting myometrial contractions(labetalol, magnesium etc.).