External Cephalic Version Attempted under Epidural Anesthesia : Case reports

Lim, Kyung Ji; Lee, Young Sun; Park, Kum Suk; Do, Sang Hwan

Case Report

Obstetric Anesthesia

Anesthesia and Pain Medicine 2008;3(1):59-61.
Published online January 30, 2008.

External Cephalic Version Attempted under Epidural Anesthesia : Case reports

Kyung Ji Lim, Young Sun Lee, Kum Suk Park, Sang Hwan Do

Department of Anesthesiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. shdo@snu.ac.kr

Abstract

Recently, the external cephalic version procedure has attracted attention as an alternative for the operative or vaginal delivery of a breech-presenting fetus. Although this procedure has many benefits, including its comparative safety and economical efficiency, it is not free from complications. We report two cases of external versions attempted under epidural anesthesia. These cases demonstrate that the use of a neuraxial blockade during a version attempt can provide the appropriate conditions necessary for this procedure, as well as the ability to deal with complications in a timely and safe manner.

Key Words: breech presentation, epidural anesthesia, external cephalic version