Authors: Zhang H et al.
BMC Anesthesiology 25:554, 2025
Summary
This observational study evaluated whether two noninvasive hemodynamic measures—corrected carotid flow time (cFT) and inferior vena cava collapsibility index (IVC-CI)—are correlated in twin-pregnancy parturients undergoing cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia. These patients are at particularly high risk of spinal-induced hypotension and fluid shifts, making reliable volume-status assessment important.
Forty-seven women with twin pregnancies (ASA II, age 18–45) were enrolled for elective cesarean section. All received spinal anesthesia at the L3–4 level. Investigators recorded cFT, IVC-CI, and clinical variables at baseline (T1) and again after confirming the sensory level of the spinal block (T2).
The primary finding was an extremely strong correlation between cFT and IVC-CI both before and after spinal anesthesia. At baseline, the Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.905 (R² = 81.9%), and post-anesthesia the correlation increased slightly to 0.924 (R² = 85.4%). These values indicate that cFT reliably parallels IVC-CI as an indicator of volume responsiveness or intravascular volume status.
The study suggests that corrected carotid flow time, which is simpler and faster to obtain, may serve as a dependable alternative to IVC-CI in obstetric patients with twin pregnancies. This could be particularly useful when full IVC visualization is difficult or when rapid assessments are needed.
What You Should Know
• Study of 47 twin-pregnancy parturients undergoing cesarean under spinal anesthesia.
• Very strong correlation between cFT and IVC-CI at baseline and after spinal block.
• R² values of 81.9% and 85.4% indicate highly consistent results.
• Suggests cFT may be a practical surrogate for IVC-CI when assessing volume status.
• May help guide management of parturients at high risk for hypotension during cesarean delivery.
Thank you for allowing us to use this article from BMC Anesthesiology.