Publication:

Sudden cardiac arrest during spinal anaesthesia in a case of vaginal hysterectomy: a case report

Spinal anesthesia is an important and commonly practiced anesthetic technique by the anaesthesiologists worldwide. Though being considered a safe technique, it is not devoid of fatal complications and cardiopulmonary arrest (cardiac arrest) being the most serious among all.  Cardiac arrest during spinal anaesthesia is a multi-factorial outcome, but vagal response to decreased preload often plays a key role. Common practice of preloading with IV fluid is suggested to not to be omitted before initiating spinal anaesthesia. If the situation warrants emergent, stepwise escalated resuscitative measures for treatment of bradycardia need to be instituted. A close supervision of the patients clinical parameter during spinal anaesthesia is a mandatory requirement to avert any untoward complication in such patients. In case of severe bradycardia or cardiac arrest, full resuscitative measures need to be promptly instituted.