The purpose of this study is to determine whether multiple ports improve the analgesic efficacy of flexible catheters used for the provision of epidural analgesia during the entire continuum of labor and delivery
Multiport catheters, when compared to uniport catheters, have been associated with better analgesic quality during labor epidural analgesia because the presence of more than one port may enhance the distribution of epidural medication Flexible catheters, when compared to rigid catheters, have been associated with better analgesic quality during labor epidural analgesia because greater flexibility may minimize catheter deviation in the epidural space, facilitate more optimal catheter placement in the epidural space, and result in better distribution of epidural medication It is unknown whether multiple ports, which promote better distribution of epidural medication, provide added analgesic benefit to flexible catheters, which also facilitate better distribution of epidural medication, when used for the provision of epidural analgesia during labor and delivery
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
650
Multiport flexible catheter has three ports for the delivery of epidural medication
Uniport flexible catheter has one port for the delivery of epidural medication
Baylor All Saints Medical Center
Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Analgesic success rate
Complete analgesia is defined as the complete relief of pain during contractions following the administration of the above epidural medication without requiring further epidural medication/intervention.
Time frame: 30 minutes following the initiation of labor epidural analgesia
Number of Clinician interventions during the first stage of labor
Clinician administered rescue epidural boluses during first stage of labor
Time frame: The duration of first stage of labor, an expected average of 6 hours and 30 minutes
Anesthetic success rate
Incidence of adequate anesthesia at initiation of epidural anesthesia for cesarean delivery
Time frame: 10 minutes following the initiation of epidural anesthesia for cesarean delivery
Maternal satisfaction with the overall quality of analgesia/anesthesia during labor and delivery
Subjects will be asked to evaluate the quality of labor and delivery analgesia/anesthesia as: Poor, Fair, Good, Very good, Excellent
Time frame: 24 hours following delivery
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.