Korean J Anesthesiol.  1997 May;32(5):750-753. 10.4097/kjae.1997.32.5.750.

SpO2 Changes During Spinal Anesthesia with or witbout Epinephrine in Arthroscopic Surgery

• Park NH
• Lee SC
• Kim DH
• Lee TS
• Kang BJ

• KMID: 2240233
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.1997.32.5.750

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of spinal anesthesia with or without epinephrine on pulse oximeter readings, recorded from sympathetically affected(foot) and unaffected (hand) areas.
METHODS
20 Adult male patients, scheduled for arthroscopic surgery, received 3 ml of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine with(group 1) or without(group 2) 0.1 mg of epinephrine into the subarachnoid space. Two pulse oximeter probes were applied to the index finger and toe of the patients, and the SpO2 values at 10min, 20min and 30min were recorded.
RESULTS
After the onset of spinal anesthesia, a progressive decrease of SpO2 value recorded from the hand was observed at 20 min and 30 min (group 1), 10 min, 20 min, 30 min(group 2) compared with values from the foot. There is no significant difference in SpO2 value between group 1 and group 2 except for the SpO2 values of foot at 10 min after block.
CONCLUSIONS
Because of compensatory vasoconstriction, which can occur more slowly when epinephrine is added to local anesthetics, pulse oximetry during spinal anesthesia gives a falsely low readings when oximetric sensor is placed at the upper limb.

Keyword

Anesthesia; spinal; Monitoring; pulse oximetry

MeSH Terms

Adult
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, Spinal*
Anesthetics, Local
Arthroscopy*
Bupivacaine
Epinephrine*
Fingers
Foot
Hand
Humans
Male
Oximetry
Reading
Subarachnoid Space
Toes
Upper Extremity
Vasoconstriction
Anesthetics, Local
Bupivacaine
Epinephrine