Enhancing operating room efficiency and patient outcomes: The impact of preoperative neuraxial ultrasound in cesarean deliveries

Background

The operating room (OR) is a pivotal financial hub in modern healthcare, accounting for up to 40 % of hospital costs and generating 60–70 % of revenue. Optimizing OR efficiency is crucial for financial sustainability, patient safety, OR throughput, and satisfaction among patients, surgeons, and staff.

Objective

This Quality Improvement (QI) project aims to evaluate whether pre-procedure neuraxial ultrasound can enhance obstetric OR efficiency by reducing the time and attempts needed for epidural placement. The secondary objective is to assess improvements in patient comfort, safety, and satisfaction.

Methods

Conducted at a tertiary hospital in Miami from January to March 2022, the study included 98 parturients undergoing elective cesarean delivery. Patients were randomized into two groups: one receiving preoperative ultrasound (n = 49) and the other not (n = 49). Key metrics recorded included patient demographics, procedural times, number of attempts, pain scores, and patient satisfaction.

Results

The ultrasound group demonstrated significant improvements in OR efficiency: shorter epidural placement times (median 9 vs. 13 min, p < 0.001), fewer attempts (median 1 vs. 2, p < 0.001), reduced anesthesia ready times (median 22 vs. 31 min, p < 0.001), and decreased total OR times (median 122 vs. 140 min, p = 0.004). Patients in the ultrasound group reported less back pain (median score 0 vs. 1, p < 0.001) and higher satisfaction (median score 10 vs. 9, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Preoperative neuraxial ultrasound significantly improves OR case duration and enhances patient outcomes in obstetric anesthesia. While the study's single-site data and lack of blinding are limitations, the findings support larger, multi-institutional studies to confirm these benefits and explore further efficiency improvements.