S Rajagopalan1, M Suresh2, S L Clark3, B Serratos2, S Chandrasekhar2. 1. Department of Anesthesiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: srajagop@bcm.edu. 2. Department of Anesthesiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. 3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: With the increasing popularity of neuraxial anesthesia, there has been a decline in the use of general anesthesia for cesarean delivery. We sought to examine the incidence, outcome and characteristics associated with a failed airway in patients undergoing cesarean delivery under general anesthesia. METHODS: A retrospective review of airway management in women undergoing cesarean delivery under general anesthesia over an eight-year period from 2006-2013 at an academic medical center was conducted. RESULTS: During the study period, 10 077 cesarean deliveries were performed. Neuraxial anesthesia was used in 9382 (93%) women while general anesthesia was used in 695 (7%). Emergent cesarean delivery was the most common indication for general anesthesia. Failed intubation was encountered in only three (0.4%) women, who were successfully managed with a laryngeal mask airway. The overall incidence of failed intubation was 1 in 232 (95% CI 1:83 to 1:666) and general anesthesia was continued in all cases. There were no adverse maternal or fetal outcomes directly related to failed intubation. CONCLUSION: Advances in adjunct airway equipment, availability of an experienced anesthesiologist and simulation-based teaching of failed airway management in obstetrics may have contributed to our improved maternal outcomes in patients undergoing cesarean delivery under general anesthesia.
BACKGROUND: With the increasing popularity of neuraxial anesthesia, there has been a decline in the use of general anesthesia for cesarean delivery. We sought to examine the incidence, outcome and characteristics associated with a failed airway in patients undergoing cesarean delivery under general anesthesia. METHODS: A retrospective review of airway management in women undergoing cesarean delivery under general anesthesia over an eight-year period from 2006-2013 at an academic medical center was conducted. RESULTS: During the study period, 10 077 cesarean deliveries were performed. Neuraxial anesthesia was used in 9382 (93%) women while general anesthesia was used in 695 (7%). Emergent cesarean delivery was the most common indication for general anesthesia. Failed intubation was encountered in only three (0.4%) women, who were successfully managed with a laryngeal mask airway. The overall incidence of failed intubation was 1 in 232 (95% CI 1:83 to 1:666) and general anesthesia was continued in all cases. There were no adverse maternal or fetal outcomes directly related to failed intubation. CONCLUSION: Advances in adjunct airway equipment, availability of an experienced anesthesiologist and simulation-based teaching of failed airway management in obstetrics may have contributed to our improved maternal outcomes in patients undergoing cesarean delivery under general anesthesia.
Authors: J Adam Law; Laura V Duggan; Mathieu Asselin; Paul Baker; Edward Crosby; Andrew Downey; Orlando R Hung; Philip M Jones; François Lemay; Rudiger Noppens; Matteo Parotto; Roanne Preston; Nick Sowers; Kathryn Sparrow; Timothy P Turkstra; David T Wong; George Kovacs Journal: Can J Anaesth Date: 2021-06-18 Impact factor: 5.063