OB Patient Care

OB Anesthesia:

Ultimately, the patient with the assistance of her obstetrician and anesthesiologist, chooses a method of pain management. Though not all patients require pain management services from the anesthesiologist, a member of the OB anesthesia team sees and evaluates all women admitted to the Birthing center. The evaluation interview provides the woman in labor an opportunity to discuss the risks and benefits of the various pain management options. Preadmission consultation is possible and is made through your obstetrician

The following are offered at Women's Hospital:

Natural Childbirth
Intravenous Medications
- Medications that are given through the veins via a catheter
Labor Epidural
- This technique involves the insertion of a small sterile catheter in the back, into the space between the spinal cord and outer membrane of the spinal cord (epidural space). The epidural catheter is placed at or below the waist. It is taped in place up the center of your back with the end taped in place on top of your shoulder. Local anesthetic is dripped through the catheter and numbs the nerve roots as they enter the spine. An epidural can result in complete loss of all sensation and movement (from the chest down) or just reduce pain without any affect on movement, depending on the concentration of the anesthetic used.
Intrathecal (Spinal) Anesthesia
- Spinal anesthesia is induced by injection small amounts of local anesthetic in the low back (lumbar region). The spinal needle passes between the vertebrae of the Spinal column through the dural membrane where the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is located. Once the placement of the needle is accomplished, medicines including a local anesthetic and sometimes a narcotic are dispensed via the needle. The needle is then removed.
Combined Spinal Epidural
- Combined spinal epidural anesthesia is commonly used anesthetic technique for cesarean section. This procedure involves locating the epidural space with an epidural needle and then administering a dose of spinal medication through a smaller spinal needle that is inserted through the epidural needle into the spinal space (like a needle within a needle). After the spinal medication is injected, the spinal needle will be removed and a catheter (a small plastic tube) will be placed through the epidural space.


Adapted (with permission) from Enjoy your Labor: A New Approach to Pain Relief for Childbirth	Adapted (with permission) from AnaesthesiaUK http://www.anaesthesiauk.com/article.aspx?articleid=100132

The catheter will remain in place throughout your surgery. This allows us to give you as many additional doses of medication as you need for good anesthesia. Once the anesthetic is administer, the effectiveness will be tested many times.

Dept. of Anesthesiology, Univ. of Michigan Medical School