CHILDBIRTH & ANESTHESIA
Printer FriendlySPINAL ANESTHESIA
Spinal anesthesia is similar to epidural in that it is
placed, with a needle, in the same approximate location of the lower spine.
However, with spinal anesthesia the needle is passed beyond the epidural
space into the spinal fluid space, allowing an even deeper intensity of
regional anesthesia in a distribution that is similar to that achieved with
epidural anesthesia.
Different from epidural anesthesia, however, the spinal anesthetic is
usually given as a single injection technique for cesarean section, and only
rarely is it used specifically for relief of pain during labor. Potential
complications with spinal anesthesia are essentially the same as those
listed in the epidural anesthesia section.