Effects of Spinal Versus General Anesthesia on Neonatal Cerebral Oxygenation During Cesarean Section

This prospective observational study evaluates and compares the effects of spinal and general anesthesia techniques used during elective cesarean section on neonatal cerebral regional oxygen saturation (crSO₂) during the early transition to extrauterine life. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to continuously monitor neonatal cerebral oxygenation for the first 16 minutes after birth. Neonatal heart rate, peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂), cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction (cFTOE), umbilical cord blood gas parameters, birth weight, and APGAR scores were also recorded.