Questions

Question 1: Why is spinal anaesthesia a safe and popular technique for caesarean section?

Answer 1:

It avoids complications associated with general anaesthesia in pregnancy such as:
- Acid aspiration
- Failed intubation
Allows the mother to be awake, see and care for her baby
It provides good pain relief in the first few hours post-op
The baby is not sedated by drugs given to the mother
Cheap and easy to perform

Question 2: What is the incidence of failed intubation in the obstetric patient compared to the non-obstetric patient?

Question 1: Why is spinal anaesthesia a safe and popular technique for caesarean section?

Answer 1:

It avoids complications associated with general anaesthesia in pregnancy such as:
- Acid aspiration
- Failed intubation
Allows the mother to be awake, see and care for her baby
It provides good pain relief in the first few hours post-op
The baby is not sedated by drugs given to the mother
Cheap and easy to perform

Question 2: What is the incidence of failed intubation in the obstetric patient compared to the non-obstetric patient?

Answer 2: The incidence of failed intubation is about ten times higher for the obstetric patient than for the non-obstetric patient.

Question 3: When should you not perform a spinal anaesthetic?

Question 1: Why is spinal anaesthesia a safe and popular technique for caesarean section?

Answer 1:

It avoids complications associated with general anaesthesia in pregnancy such as:
- Acid aspiration
- Failed intubation
Allows the mother to be awake, see and care for her baby
It provides good pain relief in the first few hours post-op
The baby is not sedated by drugs given to the mother
Cheap and easy to perform

Question 2: What is the incidence of failed intubation in the obstetric patient compared to the non-obstetric patient?

Answer 2: The incidence of failed intubation is about ten times higher for the obstetric patient than for the non-obstetric patient.

Question 3: When should you not perform a spinal anaesthetic?

Answer 3: You should not perform a spinal anaesthetic when:

The patient refuses the technique
The patient is shocked from blood or fluid loss
The patient has major heart valve problems, especially stenotic valves
The patient has bleeding disorder (in pre-eclampsia/eclampsia platelets and clotting function should be checked)
The patient has localized sepsis at the injection site or major systemic infection
The patient is suspected of having raised intracranial pressure