Supplemental oxygen for caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia.
BACKGROUND
Routine administration of supplemental oxygen to parturients undergoing Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia has been criticised in recent times.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the need for routine supplementary oxygen in healthy women undergoing Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia in resource challenged setting and establish the efficacy of administration of oxygen at 4L/min.


METHODS
Simple randomized trial using sealed envelopes.


METHODS
The Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital; a 580 bed hospital situated in Ile-Ife in South-western Nigeria.


METHODS
Seventy parturients with ASA physical status I or II undergoing Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia.


METHODS
Outcome measures were arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) and Apgar scores at one and five minutes.


RESULTS
The mean pre-induction arterial oxygen saturation in the two groups were similar. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean SaO2 at one minute between the two groups, with the control group being higher (97.7% +/- 1.5% versus. 96.7% +/- 1.5%; p-value = 0.008). The mean least SaO2 during surgery was also higher in the control group (95.9% +/- 1.5% versus 94.9% +/- 2.0%, p-value = 0.015). The Apgar score of the babies at one and five minutes for the study and control group were similar.


CONCLUSIONS
Healthy parturients undergoing Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia do well without supplemental oxygen; administration of supplemental oxygen from the common gas outlet of anaesthetic machine with the breathing circuit and standard anaesthetic facemask at 4L/min causes relative desaturation.
Department of Anaesthesia, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, PMB 5538, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
A T
AT
Adenekan
A F
AF
Faponle
E A
EA
Azebi
D000328:Adult; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D001034:Apgar Score; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009549:Nigeria; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D055815:Young Adult