The Effect of Intrathecal Magnesium Sulfate on Shivering

Perioperative shivering during cesarean section (CS) under neuraxial anesthesia (NA) is clinically common, but its treatment is often neglected.

When the literature is scanned, perioperative tremors are seen in 55%-60% of patients undergoing neuraxial anesthesia. However, the mechanism of the tremor has not been fully elucidated. Possible factors that can cause tremor can be listed as follows:

• Loss of thermoregulatory vasoconstriction below the block level,
• The displacement of body temperature from the central to the periphery due to vasodilation,
• Increased sweating threshold and decreased peripheral vasoconstriction Perioperative shivering is a complication that needs to be treated because it causes dangerous consequences in patients with low cardiopulmonary reserve due to increased oxygen consumption and impairs patient and surgeon comfort.

Magnesium sulfate is one of the most effective adjuvant drugs with the least side-effect profile in the treatment of tremor after noxial block.

Inclusion criteria

• Who were scheduled for elective C/S under SA,
• 18-40 years of age
• ASA physical status I-II.

Exclusion criteria

• Any contraindications to SA,
• preoperative body temperature >38 C,
• allergy to any drug used in the study,
• pre-eclampsia, and eclampsia,
• neuropathy,
• respiratory distress,
• coagulopathy, and
• any possible drugs that can change body temperature,
• ASA physical status > II.