[Controversial issues regarding general anesthesia for cesarean section]

Abstract

Although, general anesthesia for cesarean section still seems to be the method of choice in extremely urgent settings, past anesthetic evidence has shown that general anesthesia is with increased risk of anesthesia-related maternal mortality. The major disadvantage with general anesthesia is the risk of aspiration of gastric contents and a "cannot ventilate, cannot intubate" situation. Awareness is another concern. There has been a decrease in the number of cesarean section performed under general anesthesia, and a progress in the management of aspiration of gastric contents and difficult airway. This review examines the recent knowledge of these topics. We also describe the benefits and risks of new drugs, such as propofol, remifentanil and rocuronium in general anesthesia for cesarean section.