Effect of Anesthesia Type on Pain and Hemodynamic Parameters in Cesarean Section Surgery: Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: General and spinal anesthesia are commonly used for cesarean sections, each with implications for both the mother and the fetus. The choice of anesthesia technique depends on various factors. While spinal anesthesia is often preferred for cesarean surgeries due to its well-known benefits, general anesthesia may be chosen in emergency situations. The decision is ultimately based on the safety profile and benefits for both the mother and the fetus. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted at Fatemieh Hospital in Hamadan and involved 60 patients undergoing elective cesarean section. The patients were randomly divided into two groups of 30: One group received spinal anesthesia, and the other group received general anesthesia. Variables such as intraoperative bleeding, the Apgar score of the newborn, postoperative pain, and postoperative systolic and diastolic blood pressure were analyzed and compared between the two groups using SPSS software version 16. Results: The mean age of participants in the spinal and general anesthesia groups was 32 ± 3.5 years and 34 ± 3.4 years, respectively. The results showed that the amount of intraoperative bleeding in the general anesthesia group was higher than in the spinal anesthesia group, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.85, P < 0.05). The Apgar scores at the first and fifth minutes in the spinal anesthesia group were higher than those in the general anesthesia group, but this difference was also not statistically significant (P = 0.32, P < 0.05). Postoperative pain in the spinal anesthesia group was significantly lower than in the general anesthesia group (P = 0.001, P < 0.05). Regarding hemodynamic parameters, systolic blood pressure after the operation was higher in the spinal anesthesia group compared to the general anesthesia group (P < 0.05). Conversely, diastolic blood pressure in the general anesthesia group was higher than in the spinal anesthesia group at all measurement stages, though not statistically significant in some measurements (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The results of our study indicate that spinal anesthesia is a preferable and safer method compared to general anesthesia, based on the parameters examined, particularly in emergency cesarean sections.