Avoidable general anesthesia for nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy: a retrospective cohort pilot study (2011–2020)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: About 2% of pregnant women are exposed to general anesthesia for nonobstetric surgery. Given the possibility of adverse fetal and maternal effects associated with exposure to general anesthesia, we sought to evaluate the proportion of cases where general anesthesia could have been avoided. METHODS: This single-center pilot retrospective analysis of nonobstetric surgeries performed during pregnancy was conducted at the Caen Normandy University Hospital (2011-2020). An expert panel of seven French anesthesiologists, obstetricians determined whether general anesthesia was avoidable versus required through a majority vote based on an anonymous standardized data collection sheet. General anesthesia was considered avoidable when an alternative such as neuraxial/regional anesthesia or sedation could have been performed. RESULTS: General anesthesia was avoidable in 36/106 (34%) cases of nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy. Endoscopic JJ ureteral stent insertion or removal was the most common procedure where GA was considered avoidable (19/21 cases; 90%). The consensus rates within the expert panel were of 78% for general anesthesia requirement and 71% for general anesthesia avoidability (P=0.7) CONCLUSIONS: A retrospective review of cases by an expert panel identified that general anesthesia for nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy was likely avoidable in one-third of all cases.
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BibTeX
@article{salaun2026avoidable,
title = {{Avoidable general anesthesia for nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy: a retrospective cohort pilot study (2011–2020)}},
author = {Jp Salaün and A. Baron and T. Simonet and A. Chagnot and A. Alves and R. Fauvet and S. Albadri and E. Villeneuve and L.J. Salomon and M-P Bonnet and G. Orliaguet and J-L Hanouz and L. Bouvet and H. Keita and M-P. Bonnet and J-L. Hanouz},
journal = {International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.ijoa.2024.104265},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05781702v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Avoidable general anesthesia for nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy: a retrospective cohort pilot study (2011–2020)
AU - Jp Salaün
AU - A. Baron
AU - T. Simonet
AU - A. Chagnot
AU - A. Alves
AU - R. Fauvet
AU - S. Albadri
AU - E. Villeneuve
AU - L.J. Salomon
AU - M-P Bonnet
AU - G. Orliaguet
AU - J-L Hanouz
AU - L. Bouvet
AU - H. Keita
AU - M-P. Bonnet
AU - J-L. Hanouz
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/06
JO - International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia
DO - 10.1016/j.ijoa.2024.104265
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05781702v1
AB - BACKGROUND: About 2% of pregnant women are exposed to general anesthesia for nonobstetric surgery. Given the possibility of adverse fetal and maternal effects associated with exposure to general anesthesia, we sought to evaluate the proportion of cases where general anesthesia could have been avoided. METHODS: This single-center pilot retrospective analysis of nonobstetric surgeries performed during pregnancy was conducted at the Caen Normandy University Hospital (2011-2020). An expert panel of seven French anesthesiologists, obstetricians determined whether general anesthesia was avoidable versus required through a majority vote based on an anonymous standardized data collection sheet. General anesthesia was considered avoidable when an alternative such as neuraxial/regional anesthesia or sedation could have been performed. RESULTS: General anesthesia was avoidable in 36/106 (34%) cases of nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy. Endoscopic JJ ureteral stent insertion or removal was the most common procedure where GA was considered avoidable (19/21 cases; 90%). The consensus rates within the expert panel were of 78% for general anesthesia requirement and 71% for general anesthesia avoidability (P=0.7) CONCLUSIONS: A retrospective review of cases by an expert panel identified that general anesthesia for nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy was likely avoidable in one-third of all cases.
SN - 0959-289X
ER -