Continuous Versus Intermittent Administration of Epidural Analgesia During Labor

Overview

prospective randomized single blind study, including full term adult parturients, ASA 2, 3 status, scheduled for vaginal delivery. patients were randomized at 3 cm of cervix dilatation, into 2 groups. Epidural analgesia was initiated and maintained with a solution of Bupivacaine 0,125% and Sufentanil 0,25 mcg/ml. After an initial bolus of 16 ML, patients were randomly assigned to receive intermittent boluses of 8 ml every 60 minutes after the initial dose followed by supplementary PCEA boluses of 8 ml for the first group ( PCEA group) or a continuous epidural infusion at the rate of 8 ml/h adjustable and starting immediately after The initial bolus of 16 ml for patients of the second group (CEI Group).

prospective randomized single blind study, including full term adult parturients, ASA 2, 3 status, scheduled for vaginal delivery. patients were randomized at 3 cm of cervix dilatation, into 2 groups. Epidural analgesia was initiated and maintained with a solution of Bupivacaine 0,125% and Sufentanil 0,25 mcg/ml. After an initial bolus of 16 ML, patients were randomly assigned to receive intermittent boluses of 8 ml every 60 minutes after the initial dose followed by supplementary PCEA boluses of 8 ml for the first group ( PCEA group) or a continuous epidural infusion at the rate of 8 ml/h adjustable and starting immediately after The initial bolus of 16 ml for patients of the second group (CEI Group). The main outcome of this study was: the incidence of motor Blockage. Our secondary outcomes were: maternal satisfaction, local anaesthetic and sufentanil cumulated doses, duration of the second stage of labor, mode of delivery and pain during labor using the Visual analogic score (VAS score).