epidural vs spinal

What exactly is the difference between the two procedures....


I have a scheduled C section in 4 weeks hence have started asking questions.....My OB her in HK uses the 'spinal block'. However in Australia I had an epidural with previous c sect.


Anyone had both? Which is better recovery - I guess so much of this is subjective as depends who is doing it and how they administer.....


Any comments would be appreciated


Tks!

i found this on a website (US) for you - i would ask your doctor though for the complete list of advantages/disadvantages for both.


http://www.pregnancy-info.net/labor_medication.html


Epidural

Perhaps the best known labor medication, an epidural is a local anesthetic that can be combined with narcotics to numb the lower body. It can provide almost complete pain relief. However there can be health complications for the mother afterwards.


The general procedure for an epidural is as follows: A nurse will clean your lower back and inject the area with a numbing medicine. Then, with the help of a needle, a catheter is inserted below the vertebrae into the dura (a tough sac that surrounds the spinal cord). The catheter is then secured in place with tape. Following that, a small test dose of medication will be administered to ensure all is well. If everything goes smoothly, a small amount will be continuously pumped through the catheter to ensure total pain relief.


After administering an epidural, the nurse or doctor will monitor your blood pressure and your baby's heart rate to ensure all is well. It takes approximately 20 minutes to administer the epidural and another 20 minutes to take effect. Because of this, it is generally not administered to women who are more than three to five centimeters dilated.


Spinal block

An alternative to the epidural is the spinal block. While very similar to an epidural, the main difference between an epidural and a spinal block is that a spinal block is injected one-time directly into the dura. Just like the epidural, it is injected below the base of your spinal cord. A spinal block can provide pain relief from the chest down for up to two hours.


One advantage of a spinal block is that it is quicker to administer than an epidural. If you're progressing rapidly, there may not be time to administer an epidural before birth.



Combined Epidural and Spinal Block

It is possible to have both procedures administered! It is done by administering the spinal block through the catheter used for the epidural, so only one needle is really inserted through your back.


However, this method exposes you to the possible negative side effects of both epidurals and spinal blocks!

I have had both - the epidural was after a trial of labour, so they just upped the dosage before the CS. My second was an elective CS - so had a spinal. In terms of recovery I found no difference (I had no side effects/problems with either). In terms of administration, epidural did take longer to "insert". As the above reply states, spinal is a one-time injection (though they will give you an anaesthetic injection first).

Hi Popsicle,

Do you mind telling me where you are having your c section and who the dr is who will be performing it. I am in full flow with a hospital search at the mo and will need a c section.

thanks guys for your responses.


Chwaer i have PM'd you