The sitting position in neurosurgical anaesthesia: a survey of British practice in 1991

A postal survey of 160 members of the Neurosurgical Anaesthetists' Travelling Club was conducted in 1991 to investigate the current use of the sitting position in neurosurgery. There was a 78% response rate; at least one reply was received from every neurosurgical centre in the UK. Patients were placed normally in the sitting position for posterior fossa surgery in eight (20%) of the centres, compared with 19 (53%) in 1981. For posterior cervical spinal surgery, only three (7%) centres routinely used the sitting position, compared with 11 (31%) in 1981. Thus in the period 1981-1991, the number of neurosurgical centres using the sitting position routinely, decreased by more than 50%. Current techniques of ventilation and monitoring for the sitting position are discussed briefly.