Why choose a spinal or epidural over a general anesthetic?
In NEA’s experience, there are several reasons why a patient prefers a spinal/epidural over a general anesthetic: • Some patients like to maintain a sense of control and choose to have minimal sedation during surgery. Spinal/epidural anesthesia allows for this choice while keeping the patient completely pain-free during the procedure. • The likelihood of nausea is minimized with spinal/epidural versus general anesthesia. • Some studies have shown that for prostate and vascular bypass procedures, spinal/epidural anesthesia may result in less blood loss and a lower likelihood of developing blood clots in the legs. • For cesarean sections, spinal anesthesia is almost universally accepted as the anesthetic of choice because it is safer for both the mother and the baby. • Spinal/epidural may be chosen for patients who have a medical history that makes general anesthesia riskier. For instance, a spinal anesthetic for a knee arthroscopy may be a better choice in an asthmatic patient to avoid
