Obstetric Anaesthetists Association Three Day Course in Obstetric Anaesthesia 2025

We are looking forward to welcoming you back to the Three Day Course in Obstetric Anaesthesia (3DC). Join us for three jam-packed days of obstetric anaesthesia educational content, with expert speakers and plenty of time for discussion.
2. Learning Objectives

To review and critically appraise the latest literature and updates in obstetric anaesthesia from leading journals (IJOA, EJA, Anaesthesia, BJA).

To navigate “Goldilocks” obstetric anaesthesia for caesarean sections, managing blocks that are too high, too low, or completely absent.

To evaluate and manage epidural analgesia dilemmas including maternal fever, Arnold Chiari malformations, and postpartum neurological sequelae.

To explore practical alternatives to epidural analgesia, with an emphasis on remifentanil PCA and implementation of new OAA guidance.

To refine neuraxial techniques for initiating and maintaining labour analgesia (e.g., CSE).

To address pain during and after caesarean birth, incorporating updates on Enhanced Recovery After Caesarean (ERAC) and medicolegal considerations.

To improve decision-making and performance in high-pressure scenarios, such as general anaesthesia for caesarean section, managing critical airways, and dealing with obstetric haemorrhage.

To tackle contemporary complications and 21st-century challenges, including perinatal mental health, bariatric surgery implications, cardiac disease in pregnancy, and gastrointestinal complications.

Target Audience
This event is designed for Consultant (or equivalent) and Resident delegates engaging in obstetric anaesthesia educational content. Best for Obstetric Anaesthetists, Obstetricians, Perinatal Psychiatrists, Pain Medicine Specialists, Gastroenterologists, and Cardiologists.
Topics
Monday 3 November 2025

SESSION 1 – What’s new in the literature – highlights from the journals

IJOA (Prof Ruth Landau)

EJA (Prof Marc Van de Velde)

Anaesthesia (Prof Cliff Shelton)

BJA (Dr Neel Desai)

SESSION 2 – Goldilocks obstetric anaesthesia for caesarean section

Not too little – low or no blocks – what to do and how to avoid (Dr Sarah Armstrong)

Not too much – high blocks – what to do and how to avoid (Dr Marcelle Crowther)

Other blocks! (Dr Kris Vermeylen)

SESSION 3 – Epidural analgesia dilemmas

Maternal fever and epidurals – still relevant or time to move on? (Prof Rachel Kearns)

Arnold Chairi and obstetric neuraxial blocks (Dr Yavor Metodiev)

Postpartum neurological sequelae – don’t always blame the epidural (Dr Kirsty Maclennan)

SESSION 4 – Epidural alternatives

New OAA guidance – remifentanil PCA (Dr Damien Hughes)

Remifentanil in practice – how it is used and tips for better practice (Dr Tatjana Stopar Pintarič)

Remifentanil PCA and beyond – expert panel discussion

Tuesday 4 November 2025

SESSION 5 – Neuraxial techniques for labour analgesia

To initiate: CSE for all, some or none? (Prof Ruth Landau and Dr Malcolm Broom)

To maintain: the regimen of choice (Dr Rose Kearsley)

SESSION 6 – Pain during and after caesarean birth

Pain during CS under neuraxial anaesthesia – new reflections, old challenges (Dr Matt Rucklidge)

ERAC – what’s new (Dr Jim Bamber)

Medicolegal considerations of pain during caesarean delivery & how to stay out of trouble (Dr Kate McCombe)

SESSION 7 – Obstetric anaesthesia under pressure

HFNO in obstetrics – promise or practice (Dr Craig Lyons)

Choice of airway in general anaesthesia for caesarean section (Dr Nuala Lucas)

Decision making in a crisis (Dr Matt Rucklidge)

SESSION 8 – The Geraldine O’Sullivan Lecture

Reflections on safe and equitable obstetric anaesthesia care: from relevant publications to clinical practice (Prof Ruth Landau)

SESSION 9 – Obstetric haemorrhage – what matters most

Navigating uterotonic options in practice (Dr Desire Adansi)

Optimising coagulation in obstetric haemorrhage (Dr Anne Wikkelsø)

Escalation of care in postpartum haemorrhage (Dr Amrit Dhadda)

Wednesday 5 November 2025

SESSION 10 – Complications in obstetric anaesthesia

Obstetrics update (Dr Susie Crowe)

Gastrointestinal challenges in obstetric anaesthesia (Prof Catherine Williamson)

Anaesthetic management of preeclampsia – risks and responses (Dr Vinnie Sodhi)

SESSION 11 – Two sides of the same story

Perinatal Mental Health: what the obstetric anaesthetist should know (Dr Chiara Petrosellini)

Making SPACE for recovery: chronic pain after caesarean delivery (Dr Sarah Ciechanowicz)

SESSION 12 – 21st century challenges for obstetric anaesthetists

Intrathecal catheters in obstetric anaesthesia: when, why, and how? (Dr Sarah Devroe)

Cardiac disease in pregnancy: anaesthetic challenges & solutions (Dr Daryl Dob)

The parturient after bariatric surgery (Dr Nikki Higgins)