ArticleResearch square2025
Parental Decision-Making for Infant Spinal Anesthesia - A Qualitative Study.
Article in Research square, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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5 authors.
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Abstract
Background: Spinal anesthesia is a viable alternative to general anesthesia for infant surgical procedures below the umbilicus. However, choosing spinal anesthesia over general anesthesia is a complex medical decision for parents. Little is known about how parents perceive infant spinal anesthesia as an alternative to general anesthesia and how they make this decision for their children. Aims: The aim of this research study was to generate a holistic understanding of the parental decision-making process for spinal anesthesia in infants. Methods: A qualitative research study was conducted at a single, pediatric tertiary care institution from November 2023 - July 2024. Eligible participants were parents whose infants were scheduled for an outpatient urologic procedure and had been offered a choice between spinal and general anesthesia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents while their child was in the operating room to create a contemporaneous picture of the parental decision-making process without the influence of procedural outcomes. Narrative data was analyzed using a constructivist grounded theory methodology. Health literacy was assessed with the BRIEF screening tool. Results: Twenty interviews were conducted with 32 participants - eight individual parent interviews and 12 parent dyads. Qualitative themes included the importance of: 1) the timeline of information attainment and processing, 2) cooperative decision-making with the subthemes of co-parenting and healthcare provider support, 3) the influence of maternal experiences with neuraxial anesthesia, 4) a desire for an anesthetic perceived to be less invasive, and 5) overall procedural risks with subthemes of neurotoxicity, respiratory complications, and spinal damage. Health literacy showed seven participants were marginal and 23 were adequate. Conclusions: Infant spinal anesthesia decisions are complex medical decisions for parents. Clear education, mental processing time, and guidance from anesthesia providers help parents make informed decisions.
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