European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

The advent of efficient, safer, economical anaesthetic drugs and techniques has seen a rise in the incidence of lower segment caesarean sections (LSCS) worldwide. In the Indian subcontinent, subarachnoid block is the most popular anaesthetic technique practiced for lower segment caesarean sections. However, it is associated with some unwanted effects like hypotension, nausea, vomiting and perioperative shivering.
As stated by various studies, 20-55% of patients undergoing subarachnoid block (SAB) experience perioperative shivering¹. This causes discomfort, especially as the patient is conscious after subarachnoid block during caesarean section. Shivering is an involuntary muscle activity¹ leading to an increase in oxygen consumption and consequently hypoxemia, lactic acidosis, catecholamine release and potential hemodynamic instability^{1, 2}. Shivering interferes with monitoring devices², raises intracranial and intraocular pressures, raises the basal metabolic rate by 100 – 300%². In the postoperative period, it exacerbates postoperative pain, discomfort and causes stretching of sutures and thereby adversely affects wound healing³. In caesarean sections, it can hamper breastfeeding and thereby impede mother child bonding