Background: One of the most dangerous complications for mother and baby during cesarean section is
hypotension due to spinal anesthesia. Several methods are used to prevent and treat hypotension, the safest of which
is fluid replacement. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of colloidal solutions and crystalloid solutions in
preventing hypotension resulting from spinal anesthesia during elective cesarean sections, along with assessing the
requirement for vasopressors to treat severe hypotension due to the spinal anesthesia.
Methods: This prospective comparative study was conducted in Erbil Maternity Teaching Hospital from
May 2021 until October 2021. Two groups of 35 patients were prepared for elective cesarean section, crystalloid group
received normal saline, while the colloid group received voluven infusion. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood
pressure, and the need for vasopressors (a combination of ephedrine plus phenylephrine) were compared between the
groups.
Results: There is no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of hypotension between the two groups
(p-value>0.05), except at 5min, there was significant hypotension (p-value<0.0001 in the crystalloid group and p-
value<0.003 in the colloid group). However, there is less need for vasopressor drugs to treat hypotension in the colloid
group (p-value<0.001).
Conclusion: Both colloidal and crystalloid solutions have been effective in preventing hypotension due to spinal anesthesia in elective cesarean section. However, compared to the crystalloid group, in the colloidal infusion group, there is
less need to use vasopressor drugs to treat hypotension.