A survey of obstetric an aesthesia practice in Flanders.
The use of locoregional anaesthesia in obstetrics in Flanders was assessed by a postal questionnaire sent to the directors of the anaesthesia departments of the 72 hospitals with an obstetric unit. 59 (82%) answers were returned. In the group of parturients who had a vaginal delivery a neuraxial technique was requested by 65% of the patients and consisted of epidural analgesia in 84%, and combined spinal epidural analgesia in 16%. Test doses are used in labour in 67%. To perform the block--spinal as well as epidural--the sitting position is somewhat preferred over the left lateral (55 versus 45%). For caesarean section general anaesthesia was used in only 5% of the deliveries, whereas spinal, single or as a part of a CSE technique, was preferred in 80%; the epidural technique was applied in 15%. There is no clear preference in technique for postoperative analgesia after caesarean delivery as both parenteral and epidural analgesia are used in 50% of the cases.
Van Houwe
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Dienst Anesthesie AZ Sint-Augustinus, Oosterveldlaan 24, 2610 Wilrijk.
Heytens
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L
Vercruysse
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P
D000328:Adult; D000765:Anesthesia, Conduction; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001530:Belgium; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D009407:Nerve Block; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires