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[Case of postoperative increased anesthesia level with spinal anesthesia]
Kiyoshi Katsumata1, Hiroyuki Seki, Toru Kaneda
1Department of Anesthesiology, Shizuoka Red Cross Hospital, Shizuoka 420-0853.
Masui. the Japanese Journal of Anesthesiology
|June 19, 2007
Summary
A rare case of high spinal anesthesia occurred during a cesarean delivery. Patient repositioning during transport may have contributed to the increased anesthetic level, highlighting the need for caution.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Obstetrics
Background:
- Spinal anesthesia is a common technique for cesarean sections.
- Hyperbaric bupivacaine is frequently used for spinal anesthesia due to its density.
Observation:
- A 35-week pregnant patient undergoing cesarean section received spinal anesthesia.
- Immediate supine positioning was followed by a T5 sensory block level.
- Post-operatively, the patient experienced respiratory distress and hand paralysis, with a C4 sensory block level.
Findings:
- The patient developed an unexpectedly high spinal anesthetic level (C4).
- Complete sensory and motor recovery occurred within 4 hours.
- Patient repositioning using a moving slide hatch machine was identified as a potential cause for the increased anesthetic spread.
Implications:
- Careful patient monitoring is crucial after spinal anesthesia, especially during intra-hospital transport.
- Repositioning techniques may influence the spread of spinal anesthetics.
- Anesthesiologists should be aware of potential factors that can increase spinal anesthesia levels.
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