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Abstract
The first spinal anaesthetic for obstetrics was administered in 1900. Epidural anaesthesia, as a single injection technique, was introduced around the same time, and by the 1950s had become the more popular technique. The use of spinal anaesthesia for Caesarean section has increased since the late 1980s due to the introduction of the pencil-point spinal needles which are associated with a low incidence of headache. Spinal anaesthesia has a number of advantages. It is a reliable, easily learned technique which requires a low dose of local anaesthetic and, hence, has a low risk of toxicity. The quality of the block is better and the onset is more rapid than with epidural anaesthesia. Unlike the epidural, spinal anaesthesia largely remains a single injection technique which has some disadvantages. The side-effect profile of spinal anaesthesia is similar to that seen with epidural anaesthesia.
In summary, spinal anaesthesia produces rapid, effective, reliable and safe anaesthesia f or Caesarean section while using low doses of local anaesthetic. This makes it the preferable technique for elective procedures.
Résumé
En obstétrique, on a administré le premier anesthésique rachidien en 1900. La technique d’anesthésie péridurale par injection unique a été adoptée vers la même époque et, dans les années 1950, elle est devenue la technique la plus populaire. Le recours à l’anesthésie rachidienne en cas de césarienne a augmenté depuis la fin des années 1980, en raison de l’adoption d’aiguilles pour ponction lombaire à pointe conique qui sont liées à une faible incidence de céphalée.
L’anesthésie rachidienne présente un certain nombre d’avantages. C’est une technique fiable, facile à apprendre, nécessitant une faible dose d’anesthésique local et se traduisant donc par un faible risque de toxicité. L’anesthésie est de meilleure qualité et débute plus rapidement que l’anesthésie péridurale. Au contraire de la péridurale, l’anesthésie rachidienne demeure principalement une technique à injection unique qui comporte certains inconvénients. Le profil d’effets secondaires de l’anesthésie rachidienne est semblable à celui que l’on observe par suite de l’anesthésie péridurale.
En résumé, l’anesthésie rachidiénne produit une anesthésie rapide, efficace, fiable et sûre en vue d’une césarienne, tout en nécessitant de faibles doses d’anesthésique local. Cette technique est donc préférable pour les interventions non urgentes.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
October 10,
1997
Received in revised form:
October 10,
1997
Received:
September 10,
1997
Identification
Copyright
© 1998 Published by Elsevier Inc.
