Learning From the Law: A Review of 21 Years of Litigation for Pain During Cesarean Section

Abstract

(Anaesthesia. 2018;73:223–230) In the United Kingdom, the majority of cesarean deliveries are now performed under neuraxial anesthesia instead of general anesthesia, thereby mitigating the increased anesthetic risks associated with general anesthesia in pregnant women. However, as the use of neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean delivery has increased so has the risk of patients experiencing pain during surgery. As a result, pain during cesarean delivery has now become the most common reason for negligence claims relating to regional anesthesia against obstetric anesthesiologists in the UK. This article examined common themes (relating to consent, checking the block, managing intraoperative pain, and professionalism) that emerged from an analysis of these claims and highlighted the lessons to be learned for practicing anesthesiologists.