A retrospective comparison of spinal and general anesthesia for vaginal hysterectomy: a time analysis

The authors sought to compare time efficiency of spinal versus general anesthesia. The charts of 106 consecutive patients who had undergone a vaginal hysterectomy were analyzed. This analysis divided the patients into three groups: Group 1, spinal anesthesia; Group 2, general anesthesia; Group 3, spinal anesthesia with subsequent general anesthesia. The perioperative time course was divided into six intervals from entry into the operating room to discharge from the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). Total time was calculated by adding the six intervals. There were 85 patients in Group 1, 17 patients in Group 2, and 4 patients in Group 3. The mean times for surgical readiness once the anesthesiologist was present for Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3 were 21.4 +/- 7.3, 21.4 +/- 6.0, and 25.0 +/- 5.8 min, respectively. The total time for the three groups was 278.3 +/- 72.0, 245.9 +/- 23.1, and 295.0 +/- 101.2 min, respectively (P < 0.01 Group 1 vs Group 2). The difference in total time between Groups 1 and 2 was accounted for mainly by the stay in the PACU. This study concludes that there is no difference in the efficiency of operating room time use between spinal and general anesthesia.