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Evaluating the decision--to--delivery interval in emergency caesarean sections
I Sayegh1, O Dupuis, H J Clement
1Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, 93 Grande rue de la Croix-Rousse, 69317 Lyon Cedex 04, France.
Summary
The average time from deciding on an emergency caesarean section to delivery is nearly 40 minutes, exceeding the recommended 30 minutes. Improving team communication can shorten this critical interval.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine
- Surgical Outcomes Research
Background:
- Emergency caesarean sections are critical surgical procedures.
- Timely delivery is crucial for maternal and fetal well-being during obstetric emergencies.
- Current guidelines recommend a maximum decision-to-delivery interval for emergency caesarean sections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the actual decision-to-delivery interval for emergency caesarean sections.
- To identify factors influencing this interval.
- To explore potential strategies for shortening the interval.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study conducted in a French maternity hospital over six months.
- Inclusion of all caesarean sections performed during labor.
- Classification of caesarean sections into emergency/urgent and scheduled groups based on Lucas's classification.
Main Results:
- The mean decision-to-delivery interval was 39.5 minutes for emergency/urgent caesarean sections.
- The interval was significantly influenced by the time required to transfer the patient to the operating theatre.
- The decision-to-operating theatre interval constituted over 45% of the total decision-to-delivery time.
Conclusions:
- The recommended 30-minute interval for emergency caesarean sections is not consistently met.
- Enhancing communication among the perinatal team is a key factor in reducing the decision-to-operating theatre time.
- Promoting improved team communication is essential for optimizing emergency caesarean section timeliness.