Electrogastrography during and after cesarean delivery

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Anesthesiology
• Obstetrics

Background:

• Pregnancy generally does not delay gastric emptying, except during labor.
• Gastric motility is regulated by electrical slow waves, influencing peristalsis.
• Electrogastrography (EGG) measures gastric electrical activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate gastric motility during and after elective cesarean section (CS).
• To assess changes in gastric electrical slow wave frequency during anesthesia and the postpartum period.

Main Methods:

• Electrogastrography (EGG) was performed on 16 parturients undergoing elective CS.
• Measurements were taken at baseline, during spinal anesthesia (Sp-1, Sp-2), end of operation, and on postoperative day 7 (POD 7).
• Combined spinal-epidural anesthesia with bupivacaine and fentanyl was used.

Main Results:

• The dominant frequency (DF) of gastric contractions increased significantly during spinal anesthesia compared to baseline (P < 0.05).
• The DF on POD 7 was significantly higher than during CS and baseline (P < 0.01).
• Gastric electrical activity suggests altered motility during and after CS.

Conclusions:

• Electrogastrography indicates that gastric contraction frequency during CS is lower than in the postpartum period.
• Postoperative recovery shows a significant increase in gastric electrical activity.
• Findings contribute to understanding gastric function in parturients under anesthesia.