Spinal Anaesthesia for Caesarean Section in a Morbidly Obese Parturient: A Case Report

ABSTRACT

The population of obese individuals is increasing worldwide.Maternal obesity is an important risk factor in pregnancy and problems such as difficulty in endotracheal intubation, risk of aspiration, and hypoxia may occur 2 during generalanaesthesia.A 28-year-old woman (height 1.6 m, body weight 126 kg, BMI 49.2 kg/m ) visited GCS Hospital, Ahmedabad for selective caesarean section at a gestational age of 37 weeks. Patient was diagnosed with PIH. Spinal anaesthesia was selected because of the high possibility of endotracheal intubation failure due to super morbid obesity.Considering the possibility of hypotension, an arterial cannula was placed in the right radial artery for invasive arterial pressure monitoring. After sterile preparation, spinal anaesthesia was performed through the L3–4 interspinous space using a 90 mm 24-gauge spinal needle. During surgery,Blood pressure was maintained between 160/88 and 86/38 mm Hg and heart rate was maintained between 70 and 104 beats/min. The surgery was completed uneventfully. The block level of spinal anaesthesia was maintained at the T8 dermatome level during the operation and was also confirmed at the end of operation.