Comparison of the effects of spinal anaesthesia and general anaesthesia on postoperative oxygenation and perioperative mortality

One hundred patients presenting for surgical treatment of fractured neck of femur were allocated to receive either spinal (SAB) or general (GA) anaesthesia. Before operation, the mean PaO2 was 9.04 kPa. There was a significant decrease in PaO2 of 0.68 kPa in GA group at 1 h after operation, while blood-gas values were unchanged in SAB group. Eight patients (15.7%) in GA group and five patients (10.2%) in SAB group died within 4 weeks of surgery. The difference was not statistically significant.