The study was designed to compare neonatal outcome biochemically and clinically. We examined the administration of sevoflurane below 1.0% with 50% oxygen and 50% nitrous oxide and spinal anesthesia during elective cesarean section.

The study examined 60 parturients, who were planned after 36 weeks gestation, ASA I-II, at term undergoing elective cesarean section, and who were allocated to receive 1.0% sevoflurane with 50% oxygen and 50% nitrous oxide (n = 30), and spinal anesthesia (n = 30). General anesthesia was induced with thiopental 5 mg/kg followed by succinylcholine 1.0 mg/kg to facilitate tracheal intubation. Parturients received sevoflurane given in a 50 : 50 oxygen and nitrous oxide mixture, using 0.5-1.0% progressive incremental dosing up to 1.5-2.0 MAC. Spinal anesthesia involving a spinal injection of 8 mg hyperbaric (plain) bupivacaine 0.5% with 20microgram fentanyl was added. A systolic blood pressure of less than 90 mmHg or a reduction in the systolic pressure of greater than 20% from baseline was considered as hypotension and treated with a bolus of 5 mg of intravenous ephedrine. We studied neonatal data including umbilical artery gas analysis results and Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min.

Comparing the general and the spinal anesthetic groups, no significant differences could be detected in neonatal outcome biochemically or clinically.

Anesthesia type does not seem to influence the biochemical or clinical results of the neonates delivered by elective cesarean section. We believe that both general anesthesia with sevoflurane and spinal anesthesia could be performed in elective term cesarean sections without risk to neonates.