(Anaesthesia. 2018;73:71–92) The objective of this comprehensive consensus statement was to provide practical and independent advice to physicians for treating and managing spinal anesthesia-induced maternal hypotension in both resource-rich and resource-poor environments. This clinical best practices summary was necessary as there has been much variation in the methods used to manage spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension during cesarean section, and maternal hypotension increases risks to both maternal and fetal/neonatal health. While generalized recommendations have been made for the management of this problem by professional organizations, the authors indicated this was the first consensus statement providing specific, pragmatic recommendations for managing spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension.

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(Anesth Analg. 2019;128(6):1208–1216) Care providers frequently use point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) on pregnant women diagnosed with preeclampsia to prevent serious afflictions such as cerebral complications or cardiorespiratory failure. Present-day ultrasound research has found a number of indicators for pulmonary interstitial syndrome (PIS) and a higher optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), the latter of which could indicate elevated intracranial pressure. As of now, irregular laboratory markers of oncotic pressure and cardiac dysfunction have inconclusive clinical applications; many experts posit that reduced serum albumin level is a contributor to excessive brain fluid and brain swelling. These investigators examined patients with preeclampsia to determine how PIS, ONSD, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and serum albumin level contribute to cardiac dysfunction. They also aimed to study the comparison of information acquired from a POCUS examination to information recorded with traditional clinical methods.