Jawad Zahir, Shazia Syed, Nadia Jabeen, Qudsia Anjum, Shafiqur Rehman.
Maternal and neonatal outcome after spinal versus general anaesthesia for caesarean delivery.
Ann Pak Inst Med Sci Jan ;7(3):115-8.

Objective: To compare maternal and neonatal outcome after spinal and general anaesthesia for the caesarean delivery. Study Design: Comparative Observational study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Holy Family Hospital from July 2008 to December 2008. Materials and Methods: After an informed written consent, 160 patients who subsequently underwent caesarean section at Holy Family Hospital from July 2008 to December 2008 were randomly recruited for this study. According to patient’s choice and/or indication for caesarean section, they were randomly assigned to one of the two anaesthesia groups; Group-1: Spinal(S) (n=80) and Group-2: General anesthesia (GA) (n=80). Data was collected on a specially designed Performa. Our Primary outcome measures were; duration of patient’s postoperative hospital stay and fetal APGAR score at one and five minutes. While Secondary outcome measures were mother’s overall satisfaction with the selected anaesthesia and the need for baby admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Results: A total of 160 candidates for cesarean delivery were recruited in the study, eighty cesarean sections were done under Spinal and eighty under General anesthesia. Spinal anesthesia was given in emergency situations in 69% (55/80) of cases and General anesthesia was used in 80% (64/80) of cases. There was no significant difference in Spinal versus GA groups regarding age (value represent mean ±SD) (28.3 ±0.74 VS 28.2 ±0.95) and gavidity (3.421.12 VS 3.72 ±1.03). Mothers who received spinal anesthesia had significantly shorter hospital stay than those who underwent general anesthesia (3.14 ±0.56 VS 4 ± 0.65, p <0.05). Babies born to mothers who underwent spinal anesthesia had significant better one minute (8.6 ± 0.52 VS 6.4 ± 0.67, p<0.05) and five minute (9.6 ± 0.47 VS 8.27 ± 0.50, p <0.05) APGAR score. Maternal satisfaction was also better with spinal anaesthesia. NICU admission was significant in babies born with general anesthesia (28%) as compared to babies born under spinal anaesthesia (06%). Conclusion: Spinal Anaesthesia is the better form of anesthesia in cesarean section than general anesthesia, as it is associated with better out come in terms of shorter length of hospital stay, greater maternal satisfaction and better fetal APGAR scores.

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