Spinal Anaesthesia for Laparoscopic Abdominal Surgeries: A Comparison with General Anaesthesia Regarding Haemodynamic and Respiratory Stability

Abstract Introduction: Laparoscopic surgery has remarkably shown advancement in recent years, due to which there are reduced morbidity and shorter hospital stays when compared with open surgeries. Presently, most laparoscopic operations are usually performed under general anaesthesia, except for patients who have some contraindication for general anaesthesia. Given the advantages of spinal anaesthesia, we conducted a study to see the feasibility of spinal anaesthesia concerning cardiovascular and respiratory stability and postoperative outcomes. Materials and Methods: 120 patients of ASA Grades I or II undergoing various abdominal surgeries were randomly divided into 2 groups with 60 patients in each group. Group A underwent the procedure under GA as per the preset protocol. Group B underwent the procedure under spinal anaesthesia (SA). In both the groups BP, Heart rate and ECG were recorded. Patients were enquired about nausea, vomiting, headache, sore throat, transient neurological symptoms, and pain in the post-operative area. Statistical Analysis: Student t-test and Chi-square tests were applied to calculate statistical significance. Results: Group B, receiving spinal anaesthesia, was more hemodynamically stable than Group A. Post-operative analgesia was better in Group B for a duration of 6-h, after which there was not much difference in both groups. Conclusion: SA is a feasible, safe and effective alternative to GA, furnishing stable hemodynamics, lower neuroendocrine stress response, good surgical conditions, pain-free post-operative period and minimal post-operative effect