: Compared with general anesthesia , neuraxial anesthesia may reduce the 0-to-30-day mortality for patients undergoing a surgery with an intermediate-to-high cardiac risk ( level of evidence moderate ) .
BACKGROUND : This analysis summarized Cochrane review s that assess the effects of neuraxial anesthesia on perioperative rates of death , chest infections , and myocardial infa rct ion .
[Comparative study of general and spinal anesthesia in elderly women in hip surgery].
The choice between regional versus general anaesthesia for elderly patients undergoing hip surgery is debated . It is vitally important to see if the type of anaesthetic administered affects per- and postoperative morbidity and mortality .  Seventy women more than 75 yr old suitable for spinal anaesthesia were included in this study . They were r and omly divided into two groups : in one ( n = 35 ) , general anaesthesia was given with sodium thiopentone , fentanyl , enflurane and vecuronium ; in the other ( n = 35 ) , spinal anaesthesia was performed with 3 ml 0.5 % bupivacaine in isobaric solution . During the anaesthetic period , there were no statistically significant differences between both groups in systolic arterial pressure falls or in increases in the heart rate X systolic arterial pressure product . No serious cardiovascular collapse was encountered . Seven patients ( 20 % ) receiving general anaesthesia had mental changes against four only ( 14.2 % ) in the spinal group . In patients having general anaesthesia , 22.9 % developed bronchopneumonia as opposed to 8.6 % in the spinal anaesthesia group ( p less than 0.05 ) . The mortality rate at three months was rather similar in the two groups . It was concluded that , in order to reduce the incidence of postoperative central dysfunction and bronchopneumonia , spinal anaesthesia should be preferred in geriatric patients for lower limb surgery
: Compared with general anesthesia , neuraxial anesthesia may reduce the 0-to-30-day mortality for patients undergoing a surgery with an intermediate-to-high cardiac risk ( level of evidence moderate ) .
BACKGROUND : This analysis summarized Cochrane review s that assess the effects of neuraxial anesthesia on perioperative rates of death , chest infections , and myocardial infa rct ion .