Anesthetic management of placenta accreta spectrum at an academic center and a comparison of the combined spinal epidural with the double catheter technique: A retrospective study

Abstract

Study objectivesTo describe the anesthetic management and outcomes of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) cases at our institution over a 19 year period and to compare outcomes associated with the lumbar combined spinal epidural (CSE) technique versus the double catheter technique (lumbar CSE with thoracic epidural catheter). DesignRetrospective cohort study. SettingLabor and delivery unit at a tertiary care center. Patients113 female patients who had histologically confirmed PAS on the final pathology report after cesarean delivery or cesarean hysterectomy. InterventionNeuraxial anesthesia, including CSE and the double catheter technique, and general anesthesia for PAS cases (including scheduled and unscheduled cases and those known or unknown as PAS preoperatively). MeasurementsThe medical records were reviewed for demographic information, intraoperative management, anesthetic technique, and outcomes. We describe anesthetic management and outcomes of cases classified as scheduled vs. unscheduled and known vs. unknown PAS. We also compare the CSE and double catheter techniques with the primary outcome being conversion to general anesthesia (GA). Main resultsWe included 113 cases: 60 (53.1%) scheduled/known cases, 12 (10.6%), scheduled/unknown cases, 22 (19.5%) unscheduled/known, and 19 (16.8%) unscheduled/unknown cases. All scheduled cases except two were started with a neuraxial technique. General anesthesia (GA) was used to start 18/41 (44%) of unscheduled cases. The double catheter technique (n = 35) was associated with a lower GA conversion rate (5.7% vs. 29.7%, P = 0.036) compared to the CSE technique (n = 37). ConclusionsNeuraxial anesthesia is the most commonly used technique for PAS cases in our practice. The double catheter technique was associated with lower GA conversion rates compared to the CSE technique in our cohort.