Prevention of hypotension following spinal anaesthesia for elective caesarean section by wrapping of the legs

Abstract

Twenty-four parturients undergoing elective Caesarean section were allocated randomly to have the legs wrapped with elasticated Esmarch bandages immediately following spinal anaesthesia or to serve as controls. Significant hypotension (systolic arterial pressure less than 100 mm Hg and less than 80% of baseline value) was treated with i.v. ephedrine in 5-mg boluses. Leg wrapped patients had a significantly (P = 0.0033) lower incidence (16.7%) of hypotension than controls (83.3%). Only two patients in the leg wrapped group required ephedrine compared with 10 in the control group. Systolic arterial pressure was significantly (P less than 0.05) less in control subjects at 4, 5 and 6 min following spinal injection. No patient in the leg wrapped group became hypotensive following removal of the elasticated bandages.