Epidurals, Ethics, and Expectations: Talking Risks and Benefits in Obstetric Anesthesia
October 2025 Fellows Webinar Series with Joey Bryant-Huppert, MD
October 2025 POCUS Case of the Month: Lung Ultrasound
Authors: Ying Hui Low, MD, FASA, FASE; Mitchell Fuller, MD; William Lao, MD
Visit our sponsor IARS for information on complimentary in-training memberships!
Check out the latest OpenAnesthesia Summaries!
More than 480 mini-reviews on high-yield topics in anesthesiology, critical care, and perioperative medicine.
Question of the Day
A male infant born at 30-weeks gestational age is now 48-weeks postconceptual age and presents for inguinal hernia repair. How many hours after surgery is the risk for postoperative apnea MOST INCREASED in this infant?
Question of the Day
A male infant born at 30-weeks gestational age is now 48-weeks postconceptual age and presents for inguinal hernia repair. How many hours after surgery is the risk for postoperative apnea MOST INCREASED in this infant?
Your Answer
Correct Answer
Explanation
Former preterm infants who present to the OR for surgery may be at increased risk for postoperative apnea. The highest risk for postoperative apnea and bradycardia is within 6 hours of surgery. Episodes of apnea and bradycardia may be seen up to 12 hours after surgery, especially for infants with greater prematurity. Therefore, it is prudent to monitor all infants who are younger than 50-weeks postconceptual age for at least 12 hours after surgery. Some institutions admit and monitor all infants younger than 60 weeks postconceptual age for 24 hours. Outpatient, elective surgery should likely be delayed in all former preterm infants until they are older than 50-60 weeks postconceptual age.
References:
Davidson AJ, Morton NS, Arnup SJ, et al. Apnea after Awake Regional and General Anesthesia in Infants: The General Anesthesia Compared to Spinal Anesthesia Study--Comparing Apnea and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes, a Randomized Controlled Trial. Anesthesiology. 2015;123(1):38-54. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000000709 Kurth CD, Coté CJ. Postoperative Apnea in Former Preterm Infants: General Anesthesia or Spinal Anesthesia--Do We Have an Answer?. Anesthesiology. 2015;123(1):15-17. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000000710 Apnea of Prematurity and Postoperative ApneaOA Series: October 2025
Vod
59:00
OA-SOAP Fellows Webinar Series
Epidurals, Ethics, and Expectations: Talking Risks and Benefits in Obstetric Anesthesia
