The Effect of Isoflurane Concentration on Awareness and Postoperative Depression, Anxiety and Stress in Patients Undergoing Cesarean Section with General Anesthesia

 Aims and background: In recent years and recent studies have observed specific viewpoint about awareness and recall and complications of them e.g. postoperative psychological reactions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between different isoflurane MAC (1/2- 0/8) awareness and postoperative depression, anxiety and stress in patients undergoing cesarean section with general anesthesia. Materials and methods: In this study, in nine months, 70 mothers with ASA class I/II, randomly, were selected. After satisfaction and after induction of anesthesia, depends on the amount of uterus relaxation Isuflurane administered. One month after surgery, the questions of DASS examination orally asked from patients to measure the stress and anxiety and depression and the so recall examination asked to measure the awareness. Then the data were analyzed. Findings: Four patients had awareness. 17% of patients had depression, 27% anxiety and 16% stress. There was a significant relationship between the Isuflurane concentration and postoperative psychological problems. In other words, if Isuflurane concentration decreases, the psychological problems would increase. Conclusion: setting of Isoflurane MAC less than 0.7 lead to awareness/recall and postoperative depression, anxiety and stress after cesarean section. Therefore, it is recommended, when there is necessary to reduce the dose of inhaled anesthetics, administer alternative anesthetics as IV anesthetic drugs for maintaining the depth of anesthesia.