A six month period retrospective and prospective evaluation of complications related with central neuraxial blockades

Aim: The aim of this retrospective and prospective study which included the central neuraxial blockades performed in our deparment was to determine the complications in the retrospective period and to compare the incidence and complications with the prospective period that a more detailed anaestehsia chart was used.Materials and Methods: After obtaining approval from the Instutional Ethics Committee, complications related with central neuraxial blockades were evaluated within a six month retrospective and prospective period. In prospective group, a more detailed anaesthesia chart designed for this study was used and the patients were inquired about the complications after 15 days. Data about the complication ratios and distribution were obtained for each group. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05.Results: Demographic data of 1060 retrospective (Group R) and 524 prospective (Group P) patients were evaluated and there was no significant difference in gender between the two groups. When the complication ratios were compared between groups; the ratio of Group P (23.1%) was significantly higher than the ratio of Group R (12.7%) (p= 0.000). In both Group R and Group P , the complication ratios ( 15.1%, 28.7% respectively) were found significantly higher in female gender (p= 0.004, p= 0.001 respectively). Although identified in Group P, neurological complications could not be identified in Group R as a result of inadequate anaesthesia records; therefore, neurological complication ratios could not be compared between the two groups. There were 14 neurological complications identified in Group P.Conclusions: In the present study, only the data from the prospective group could be discussed as the anaesthesia records were inadequate in the retrospective group. The results of the prospective group were consistent with the literature. We think that; anaesthesia records should be more detailed in order to obtain adequate patient data, as we hypothesized in our study.Key words: Anaesthesia,spinal; anaesthesia,epidural; complications; retrospective studies; prospective studies