title: Obstetric anesthesia practice in Canada.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe obstetric anesthesia in Canada as practiced in 1997: to identify practices at variance with the literature and the opinions of experts: and to identify questions for future research.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 1997, a detailed postal questionnaire asking about the practice of obstetric anesthesia was mailed to all 1,539 specialist anesthesiologist members of the Canadian Anaesthetists' Society residing in Canada. Nonresponders were mailed a second questionnaire three months later
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 865 completed questionnaires returned for analysis (56.2%). Of these, 522 anesthesiologists practiced obstetric anesthesia (60.3%). The data were subdivided into those from anesthesiologists with a full or part-time university based practice (40.1%) and those from a community based practice (59.9%). University based and community-based anesthesiologists have very similar patterns of practice. Specific areas where anesthesia practice was different from current recommendations included: (1) information provided when obtaining consent for labour epidural analgesia, (2) use of opioids and local anesthetics for initiation of epidural analgesia, (3) use of coagulation testing in preeclampsia, (4) the common use of cutting spinal needles, (5) use of neuraxial morphine and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents after Cesarean deliveries, (6) optimal treatment of neuraxial opioid side effects, (7) when to insert an endotracheal tube for general anesthesia after delivery, and (8) withdrawing epidural catheters through epidural needles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey presents reference data on the practice of obstetric anesthesia in Canada in 1997. Anesthesiologists with university affiliation have very similar practices to those without university affiliations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Foothills Medical Centre, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. breen003@mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Breen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McNeil
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dierenfield
mesh_terms: D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016362:Analgesia, Obstetrical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000639:trends*; D002170:Canada; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D011364:Professional Practice; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires