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Updated: Jun 6, 2026
03:14
Spinal Sonography for Ultrasound-Guided Lumbar Neuraxial Anesthesia
Published on: January 31, 2025
Anaesthesia preference, neuraxial vs general, and outcome after caesarean section
A Fassoulaki1, C Staikou, A Melemeni
1Department of Anaesthesiology, Aretaieio Hospital, University of Athens, Greece. fassoula@aretaieio.uoa.gr
Summary
For caesarean sections, most women prefer neuraxial anesthesia over general anesthesia. Neuraxial anesthesia offers benefits like earlier bonding with the baby, reduced pain, and shorter hospital stays.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Anesthesiology
Background:
- Parturients undergoing caesarean sections often have prior experience with different anesthesia techniques.
- Patient preference plays a crucial role in selecting anesthesia for surgical procedures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare patient preference for neuraxial versus general anesthesia in elective caesarean sections.
- To evaluate maternal outcomes and satisfaction associated with each anesthesia type.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire was administered to 102 parturients who had experienced both neuraxial and general anesthesia for prior caesarean sections.
- Outcomes assessed included maternal-infant bonding, postoperative pain, ambulation, hospital stay duration, and overall satisfaction.
Main Results:
- Significantly more women saw their baby sooner and ambulated earlier with neuraxial anesthesia (98% vs 51% and 51% vs 29%, respectively).
- Neuraxial anesthesia resulted in lower pain scores (Verbal Analogue Scale), shorter hospital stays (4 vs 5 days), and higher satisfaction (77% vs 52%).
- 80% of participants expressed a preference for neuraxial anesthesia for future caesarean sections.
Conclusions:
- Neuraxial anesthesia is associated with superior maternal outcomes and higher patient satisfaction compared to general anesthesia for caesarean sections.
- Patient preference strongly favors neuraxial anesthesia due to improved early postoperative experiences and reduced pain.
- These findings support the use of neuraxial anesthesia for elective caesarean sections when feasible and desired by the patient.
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