[General anaesthesia is used too frequently for caesarean section].
As general anaesthesia (GA) for caesarean section (CS) compared to regional anaesthesia (RA) can increase maternal risks, it has been suggested that 85% of all acute CS should be performed in RA. We observed whether anaesthesiologists at a Danish university hospital over a 4,5 year-period fulfilled this objective. Only five out of 27 anaesthesiologists had a rate of GA that was below 15%. Our results indicate that anaesthetising for CS routinely helps to keep the frequency of RA for CS above 85%. Further studies are necessary to investigate whether GA for CS is used according to recommendations.
Anæstesiologisk Afdeling I, Herlev Hospital, Denmark. andreas.fryd@get2net.dk
Andreas
A
Frydshou
Anja U
AU
Mitchell
Ann M
AM
Møller
D000765:Anesthesia, Conduction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors