General versus neuraxial anaesthesia for caesarean section: Impact on the duration of hospital stay

We investigated retrospectively the duration of hospital stay of 1,619 women who received general (GA) (n=582) or neuraxial anaesthesia (combined spinal-epidural [CSEA] (n=614), epidural [EA] (n=423)) for caesarean delivery over the years 2002-2005. Hospital stay was also analysed for the different obstetricians involved. Overall duration of hospital stay differed between 2002 and 2005 (p0.0001) but not between CSEA and EA (p=0.460). Overall duration of hospital stay differed between neuraxial and GA group (p0.001). Duration of hospital stay of the GA group showed a progressive decrease between 2002 and 2005 (p=0.002). Duration of hospital stay after neuraxial anaesthesia differed between 2002 and 2005 (p=0.013) and among different surgeons (p0.001). Discharge rates from the hospital were shorter after neuraxial anaesthesia versus GA for the 3rd and 4th postoperative days (p0.001 and p0.001, respectively). Neuraxial anaesthesia for caesarean section seems to be associated with shorter duration of hospital stay than GA.