Peri-operative management of caesarean section for the occasional obstetric anaesthetist – an aide memoire

Abstract

Anaesthesia practice for caesarean section (CS) has evolved in the past 20 years. This article aims to update occasional obstetric anaesthesiologists, obstetricians and clinicians involved in the management of pregnant women on the latest guidelines and recommendations for anaesthesia management, including pre-operative evaluation, informed consent, intra-operative and postoperative management for CS. In addition, this article will also summarise the management of CS associated emergencies such as difficult intubation, obstetric major postpartum haemorrhage, local anaesthetic toxicity and (pre-) eclampsia. At the end of the article, a charted summary will be provided as an aide memoire.