Safety

Safety advantages include:

• Spinals are generally considered safer than general anaesthesia
• They require less equipment
• The patient remains conscious
• The patient's airway remains patent

Respiratory

Respiratory advantages include:

• Spinals generally do not reduce respiration, and so are good for patients with lung disease
• The patient remains conscious and so protect their own airway
• Difficult airways can be avoided

Blood loss and coagulation

Blood loss and coagulation advantages include:

• Blood loss is generally less during spinal anaesthesia
• Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolus are reduced after spinals

Cost

Cost advantages include:

• It is simpler and often cheaper to perform a spinal than a general anaesthetic. This is due to:
  • Reduced equipment
  • Reduced drug requirements
  • Faster recovery time
  • Better post-op pain relief
  • Reduced bleeding

Analgesia

Analgesia advantages include:

• Spinals provide several hours of post-op analgesia. This is particularly important if you have limited access to opiates in your hospital
• Phantom limb pain is reduced after spinal anaesthesia

Diabetes

Diabetes advantages include:

• There is less risk of blood sugar levels dropping without the anaesthetist noticing in the awake patient
• Patients can return to normal diet and medication faster than with a general anaesthetic