Anesth Pain Med.  2014 Jan;9(1):65-69.

Comparison of 0.5% ropivacaine with fentanyl and 0.75% ropivacaine used in extension of a preexisting labor epidural for emergency cesarean section: retrospective study

• Bang YS
• Yang H
• Nam SJ
• Park SM
• Chung KH
• Lee SY
• Shin DW
• Chun DH

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Various regimens have been studied in extension of a preexisting labor epidural for emergency cesarean section. Lumbar epidural analgesia for delivery is safe and efficient. We compared retrospectively 0.5% ropivacaine with fentanyl and 0.75% ropivacaine in extension of a preexisting labor epidural for emergency cesarean section.
METHODS
We investigated medical records of 61 parturients in extension of a preexisting labor epidural for emergency cesarean section. There were two regimens which was 0.5% ropivacaine with fentanyl (group 1) and 0.75% ropivacaine (group 2). We recorded demographic data, local anesthetic dose, surgical readiness time, maximum level of sensory block, surgery time, intravenous supplementation, number of hypotension and total dose of ephedrine between two groups.
RESULTS
There were no differences between the study groups in demographic data, surgical readiness time, maximum sensory block level, intravenous supplementation, incidence of hypotension and total dose of ephedrine. Local anesthetic volume was larger in group 1 than group 2, but local anesthetic doses were lower in group 1 than group 2.
CONCLUSIONS
0.5% Ropivacaine with fentanyl regimen is as fast and efficacious as 0.75% ropivacaine in extension of a preexisting labor epidural for cesarean section and reduces the requiring total local anesthetic dose.

Keyword

Cesarean section; Epidural analgesia; Ropivacaine

MeSH Terms

Analgesia, Epidural
Cesarean Section*
Emergencies*
Ephedrine
Female
Fentanyl*
Hypotension
Incidence
Medical Records
Pregnancy
Retrospective Studies*
Ephedrine
Fentanyl