Cardiac Output Changes With Uterine Displacement

Aortocaval compression is a well-recognized physiologic concern in pregnancy. The gravid uterus can compress the inferior vena cava, impeding venous return and thereby reducing stroke volume and cardiac output. The 2014 Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology consensus statement on the management of cardiac arrest in pregnancy, and the 2010 American Heart Association guideline on maternal cardiac arrest recommend relieving aortocaval compression during chest compressions by performing uterine displacement There is currently little information regarding the hemodynamic differences amongst the recommended uterine displacement techniques. Previous studies examining the hemodynamic effects of uterine displacement maneuvers have focused on incidence of hypotension and use of ephedrine. Noninvasive cardiac output monitoring (NICOM) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) are becoming popular techniques in anesthesiology because they can provide noninvasive, valid, and precise hemodynamic data.There has been no study specifically examining the hemodynamic differences between the uterine displacement techniques using NICOM or TTE. While all three uterine displacement techniques are recommended, whether one technique may maximize maternal cardiac output is currently unknown.