Accidental Awareness Under General Anesthesia During Cesarean Section: An Observational Study

Background A Caesarean section (CS) if performed under general anesthesia (GA) is a procedure with an increased risk of accidental awareness. This study aimed to examine the incidence of accidental awareness under GA in hospitals in the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) where GA for CS is performed in a significantly higher percentage compared to spinal anesthesia. Methodology In the period from 2016 to 2018, a multicenter, prospective, observational study was conducted in five medical centers in the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina). The study included 1,161 patients who underwent CS. A total of 427 (36.7%) patients had elective and 734 (63.3%) had emergency CSs. The patients were surveyed postoperatively using the modified Brice questionnaire. Results Of the 1,161 patients included in the study, 12 (1.03%) reported memory in the period between induction and emergence of anesthesia. Five (0.43%) of them reported definite and seven (0.6%) possible and unlikely awareness. Significant psychological trauma due to pain was reported by two patients. Dreams during anesthesia were reported by 42 patients (3.61%) and five of them stated that the dreams were unpleasant. Conclusions Accidental awareness under GA during CS has a significant incidence in medical centers in the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina). According to our findings, creating new protocols for GA when performing CS is necessary.