Effect of Anesthesia Techniques on Pain Severity, Hemodynamic Changes, and Patients’ Satisfaction in Elective Cesarean Section

The severity of postoperative pain and hemodynamic changes during and post-cesarean section have a direct effect on the neonatal and maternal condition. This study aimed to compare pain severity, hemodynamic changes, and patient satisfaction following two anesthesia techniques in elective cesarean section. In this blinded study, 60 women who were candidate for cesarean section were allocated into two equal groups of general anesthesia (GA) and spinal anesthesia (SA). Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), and O2 Saturation at pre cesarean (T0), the uterine incision time (T1), end of surgery (T2), 6h (T3), 12h (T4), and 24 hours post-cesarean (T5) were measured. A Visual Analog Scale assessed post-cesarean pain, 6, 12, and 24 hours post-cesarean. Gender, birth weight, first- and fifth- minutes’ apgar score was recorded in the checklists. The VAS score was significantly higher in the GA group at 6h, 12h, and 24 hours post-cesarean (P=0.014, P=0.002, P=0.017, respectively). SBP and DBP at T1 in the GA group were significantly higher than in the S.A group (P<0.001). The heart rate at T0 and T1 in the GA group was lower than the SA group (P=0.001, P=0.045 respectively). The difference between the apgar scores of the two groups was not significant. SA for cesarean section was associated with lower postoperative pain, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. However, the two groups had no significant difference in terms of patients’ satisfaction and apgar scores.