Spinal anesthesia is often preferred in short-term surgeries because it is a low-cost technique that can be applied easily, has a high success rate, and allows fast mobilization and early feeding (1). The side effects in this application can vary with the technique that is used (2). Inadequate spinal anesthesia, high or total spinal block, cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, systemic toxic reaction, hypotension, bradycardia, nausea/vomiting, headache, spinal puncture pain, meningitis or meningismus, neurological sequelae, urinary retention, and hearing loss may be seen as a result of the effect created by the spread of the local anesthetic agent in the subarachnoid space (3).In our study, we aimed to compare the early and late complication rates of two different techniques (median or paramedian approach) in spinal anesthesia, which is the most preferred anesthetic method in our clinic for short-term surgeries.
Material and MethodsOur study was conducted after the ethics committee approval no. 42883194-01/10405, dated November 18th, 2014, was received from the Ethics Committee of Fırat University Hospital. Of 282 patients who underwent short-term surgeries under spinal anesthesia between January 1st, 2014, and March 1st, 2014, 80 patients aged 18-65 years and classified as ASA I/II/III according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, who could be reached at telephone numbers that we had on file, were included in the study. Since the study was retrospective, informed consents were not received from the patients. The files of the patients were obtained from the archive, and the patients in whom the median technique was used were included in Group M (n=40), and those in whom the paramedian technique was used were included in Group P (n=40). Demographic data (age, gender, height, weight), ASA, the number of spinal anesthesia applications, duration of surgery, preoperative and intraoperative heart rate (HR), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were recorded from the anesthesia follow-up chart, and the discharge durations from the hospital and the number of patients who underwent urinary catheterization were recorded from the nurse observation forms. Information was received from the patients who were contacted by phone about postoperative headache, pain at the site of procedure, hearing complaints, and about the other complaints.
Which Approach is Preferred in Spinal Anesthesia: Median or Paramedian? Comparison of Early and Late ComplicationsIntroduction: Spinal anesthesia is usually preferred for short-time surgery; the side effects of the process can show difference with techniques. We aimed to compare early and late complications of median and paramedian techniques in spinal anesthesia.Methods: Eighty patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I-III were allocated into the following two groups: Group M (median) and Group P (paramedian). Demographic data of the patients, ASA score, number of spinal anesthesia application, total surgery time, discharge time from the hospital, h...