Spinal anesthesia: Applications to cesarean section and pain

Spinal anesthesia is the most commonly used neuraxial anesthesia technique for cesarean delivery in the developed world. Use of neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean section minimizes the neonates’ exposure to general anesthetic medications of the mothers, avoids airway manipulation, improves postoperative pain, and allows the mothers to see their children almost immediately after birth. Spinal anesthesia provides the onset of intensive, bilateral, reliable anesthesia using a low-dose drug. This chapter introduces some of the scientific background and spinal anesthesia management for cesarean section and pain.