A Descriptive Study of Spinal Anesthesia and Intra-Operative, Post-Operative Complications Associated With It

Spinal anaesthesia is a technique in which lower limbs, abdomen and pelvis of the patient is anaesthetised by injecting a local anaesthetic drug (Bupivacaine, tetracaine, procaine or Lignocaine) into the subarachnoid space.This space is filled with a fluid called as CSF (cerebrospinal fluid).Usually, the drug is injected at the level of L2-L3, L3-L4 or L4-L5 intervertebral space.Epidural anaesthesia is safer than spinal anaesthesia in certain aspects in some patients particularly hypertensive patients.It also provides analgesia in the post operative period through epidural catheter.Spinal anaesthesia has advantage of rapid onset of action (within 4 to 8 minutes) and profound pain relief.We can approach the sub-arachnoid space by either of the following two methods that are commonly used in clinical practices: MID-LINE or PARA-MEDIAN APPROACH.This gives us rough estimation of spinous process visibility and inter-spinous space.A prospective study aimed to investigate and evaluate the different complications that happen after injecting the local anaesthetic drug into the subarachnoid space of the patient.The study was conducted in the department of health and family welfare sub-district hospital Chadoora, Kupwara, Indian Kashmir.Spinal anesthesia celebrated its first centennial in 1998.August Bier published a report of the first successful spinal anesthesia with cocaine on his friend and assistant Hildebrandt.Spinal anesthesia can be used safely in labour patients, as it provides less hemodynamic problems and least complications.Out of 100 patients 30 patients were in critical condition and were operated immediately.In Post-Operative period there was urinary retention in most of patients, due to the blockade of S2, S3, S4 nerve segments.Post Dural Puncture Headache was also seen in many patients after surgery.