Preanesthetic wrapping of legs for prevention of spinal induced hypotension

Forty-four male patients undergoing herniorrhaphy under spinal anesthesia were allocated to 2 groups. Group I had 15 ml/kg of lactated ringer intravenously as prehydartion for prevention of spinal induced hypotension. Group 11 had the trendelenbourg position to 30 degrees for 2 minutes and the legs wrapped with elastic Esmarch bandage prior to spinal anesthesia without fluid prehydration. In both groups, ephedrine was used to treat spinal induced hypotension. The later was defined as a decrease in the systolic arterial pressure less than 75% of the baseline value. The incidence of hypotension was greater in the fluid prehydration group (4 of 22) as well as the mean dose of ephedrine required to treat hypotension (7 +/- 10 mg) than the group with wrapping of the legs (1 of 22 and 5 +/- 0 mg). It is concluded that trendelenbourg position and wrapping of the legs prior to the spinal block might prevent the sudden decrease in arterial blood pressure that occurs during spinal anesthesia.