Evaluation of the obstetric anaesthesia procedures at Mater Dei Hospital in 2019

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate all obstetric anaesthesia procedures at Mater Dei Hospital (MDH) in 2019 to better understand the care provided by anaesthetists to parturients.

METHODOLOGY: Data was collected from the obstetric anaesthesia logbook, a paper record in which the duty anaesthetist at the Central Delivery Suite (CDS) lists all anaesthetic interventions carried out over the previous 24 hours. All procedures were entered into a spreadsheet and coded. Calculations were then carried out to work out five parameters: the Caesarean section rate, the epidural uptake rate, the regional anaesthesia rate, the anaesthetic intervention number, and the Obstetric Anaesthesia Activity Index (OAAI).

RESULTS: There were 4040 deliveries at MDH in 2019. 1194 lower segment Caesarean sections (LSCS) were recorded in the obstetric anaesthesia logbook and the Caesarean section rate was 29.6%. A total of 966 spinal anaesthetics were carried out, 907 (94%) of which were for a LSCS. 1064 epidural catheters were inserted for labour analgesia, with a 26.3% epidural uptake rate for 2019. There were 109 parturients who required a general anaesthetic. The anaesthetic intervention number was 2350 and the Obstetric Anaesthesia Activity Index was 7.09.

CONCLUSION: The parameters listed above are described and compared to international guidelines and other descriptive studies. With 2350 anaesthetic interventions in obstetrics, anaesthetists were actively involved in the care of over half of all parturients at MDH in 2019 and this confirms the wide and considerable role anaesthetics has in maternal services provided at MDH.