Complications of Regional Anesthesia

Obstetric anesthesia care is generally considered to be one of the higher risk areas of regional and general anesthetic techniques, although it is extremely safe and widely used. It is reassuring that serious complications related to central neuraxial block are uncommon, and they have to grapple with issues related to anatomic-physiologic changes in pregnancy and various other factors, including increasing trend of cesarean section, advanced maternal age, obesity, and other concomitant medical diseases. This chapter highlights the management and therapy of following regional anesthesia-related complications encountered during the obstetric regional anesthesia practice: cardiovascular, infective, hematologic, post-dural puncture headache, and neurologic complications.