Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Background:Shivering is a common complication linked to neuraxial anesthesia, affecting as many as 55% of patients. This discomfort not only troubles patients but can also disrupt the monitoring of vital signs such as electrocardiogram, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. The metabolic and hemodynamic impacts of shivering encompass heightened dispersion of cardiac and systemic energy, increased oxygen consumption, elevated carbon dioxide production, and a rise in cardiac workload.Methods:Following approval from the institutional ethics committee and obtaining written informed consent from patients, this prospective randomized double-blind study enrolled 160 parturients scheduled for elective Caesarean Section (CS) at a tertiary care center. The participants were randomly assigned to Group I and Group II, each comprising 80 members. In Group I, individuals received 2 ml of 0.5% heavy Bupivacaine at 22°C, while in Group II, 2 ml of 0.5% heavy Bupivacaine at 37°C was administered for spinal anesthesia. Results:Shivering occurred in 57.5% of patients in Group I and 32.5% in Group II, with a statistically significant difference. The overall shivering percentage was 45%, although the disparity in the mean onset time was not significant between the two groups. The grades of shivering were comparable in both groups. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the incidence of bradycardia, hypotension, nausea, and vomiting between the two groups.Conclusion:Shivering continues to be a prevalent issue for patients undergoing cesarean section with neuraxial anesthesia, causing discomfort for parturients. Various pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions have been explored to prevent and address shivering, yet there is no universally accepted gold standard treatment. The current study reveals a reduced incidence of shivering when a warm local anesthetic solution is intrathecally injected, with no discernible difference in the level of blockade or occurrence of adverse effects.