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ABSTRACT: To compare analgesic efficacy and intensity of motor block with continuous infusions of ropivacaine, bupivacaine, and levobupivacaine in combination with fentanyl for labor epidural analgesia.
Prospective, randomized, double-blinded study.
Labor and delivery suite at Magee Womens Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA.
162 ASA physical status I and II, full-term, primiparous women.
All patients received epidural labor analgesia. Epidural medication consisted of an initial bolus of 8 mL local anesthetic with fentanyl (100 microg) followed by an infusion at 12 mL/h of local anesthetic with 2 microg/mL fentanyl. Patients were allocated to one of three groups, as follows: group 1 received bolus and infusion of bupivacaine 0.125%, group 2 received bolus and infusion of levobupivacaine 0.125%, and group 3 received a bolus of ropivacaine 0.2% and infusion of ropivacaine 0.1%.
Maternal vital signs, pain visual analog scale (VAS) score, sensory levels, and motor block (Bromage score) were recorded every hour. Duration of first and second stage of labor and mode of delivery were also recorded.
There were no statistically significant differences in pain VAS or Bromage motor scores among the three groups of patients at any of the measured time intervals. The time to achieve T10 sensory level and patient comfort was shorter in the ropivacaine (9.35 +/- 4.96 min) and levobupivacaine (9.56 +/- 4.71 min) groups than the bupivacaine (11.89 +/- 7.76 min) group, although this difference did not reach a statistically significant level (P = 0.06). The second stage was significantly shorter in the bupivacaine group, lasting 81.27 +/- 63.3 min, compared with the ropivacaine group (121.69 +/- 86.5 min) and the levobupivacaine (115.5 +/- 83.6 minutes) group (P = 0.04).
There are no significant differences in pain VAS and Bromage scores between 0.1% ropivacaine, 0.125% bupivacaine, and 0.1% levobupivacaine given for labor epidural analgesia.
Journal of Clinical Anesthesia 06/2007; 19(3):214-7. · 1.21 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To study labor outcomes in parturients receiving oxytocin for augmentation or induction of labor, in the presence of labor epidural analgesia.
Retrospective study of data from a continuous quality improvement database.
Tertiary-care hospital with more than 8000 deliveries per annum.
Of the 1671 healthy nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies and who requested labor epidural analgesia at our institution, 675 patients received oxytocin during elective induction of labor, whereas 996 patients received oxytocin for augmentation of spontaneous labor. Measured variables were cervical dilatation at time of epidural analgesia request, epidural insertion to 10-cm time, duration of stage 2 of labor, normal spontaneous vaginal delivery rate, cesarean section rate, operative vaginal delivery rate, and baby weight. Women admitted for induction of labor requested epidural analgesia sooner than those who had their labor augmented (p < 0.001). The incidence of cesarean section was higher in the induced group (p = 0.008).
Patients who have their labor induced request analgesia sooner and are at a higher risk of cesarean section than are patients who go into labor spontaneously. Any study that purports to assess the effects of epidural analgesia in labor should distinguish between induced and augmented/spontaneous labor.
Journal of Clinical Anesthesia 09/2004; 16(6):411-4. · 1.21 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Lumbar puncture is believed to cause hypoacousis by causing cerebrospinal fluid leakage in older individuals. We hypothesized that parturients undergoing subarachnoid block (SAB) may experience hearing loss. We evaluated the effects of SAB on hearing in parturients undergoing elective cesarean delivery. We also compared two types of spinal needles: a pencil-point needle (24-gauge Sprotte needle) and a cutting needle (25-gauge Quincke needle). Sixty patients were studied: 20 received lumbar epidural block for labor analgesia (controls), 20 received a SAB with a Sprotte needle, and 20 others received a SAB with a Quincke needle for cesarean delivery. A tone audiometer was used to test for that decibel level at which the patient heard 125-, 250-, 500-, 1000-, 2000-, 4000-, and 8000-Hz frequencies. The hearing test was performed before anesthesia, after delivery, and on the first and second postoperative days. The results were analyzed by using repeated-measures analysis of variance at P < 0.05. No patient from any of the three groups developed a hearing loss either at low or high frequencies. Spinal anesthesia does not lead to significant hearing loss when a pencil- or a cutting-point needle is used in the obstetric population. IMPLICATIONS: Sixty obstetric patients were enrolled in the study to examine the possible effects of spinal anesthesia on their hearing. By using an audiometer, the patient's hearing was evaluated before delivery, after delivery, and for the following 2 days. There was no significant change of hearing in any of the patients.
Anesthesia & Analgesia 08/2002; 95(1):198-203, table of contents. · 3.29 Impact Factor
