Anesthesia for Cesarean can be done under Epidural, Spinal or General anesthesia. Our anesthesiologist/CRNA can discuss the available options when the need arises.

Epidural anesthesia:

If you already have an epidural catheter in place for your labor and end up needing a cesarean section (surgery), a stronger concentration of medication can be given through the epidural catheter to completely numb the abdomen for surgery.

Sometimes if the epidural is patchy, then the catheter maybe removed by the anesthesiologist and a spinal block is performed.

Spinal anesthesia or block:

It is an injection into your lower back. The needle used for spinal anesthesia is much thinner. Less volume of anesthetic medication is used. The medication is injected into the spinal fluid. Onset of numbness is usually rapid after injection. Side effects are similar to that seen with epidurals. This type of anesthesia can be used for non-urgent Cesarean Sections.

General anesthesia:

This technique can “put you to sleep” (make you lose consciousness). It is used for urgent cesarean section, and when a regional block is not possible for any reason. A major risk during general anesthesia is aspiration of food contents in your stomach into your lungs. To avoid this you may be instructed not to eat or drink anything once labor has started. You may also be given an antacid prior to surgery to neutralize the acid in your stomach.

Once you are asleep, a breathing tube is placed through your mouth into your windpipe. Some patients may be difficult to intubate (placement of a breathing tube into the windpipe).