Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  1999 May;42(5):1065-1068.

Comparison of Postoperative Analgesia and Side Effects by Patient-Controlled Epidural and Intravenous Analgesia after Cesarean Section

• Park JW
• Kim DH
• Lee WK

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Epidural anesthesia in cesarean section is a good and popular method for operation and postoperative pain control. But anxiety of patients for pain during and after epidural anesthesia is present. So some of patients want general anesthesia to avoid anxiety during operation, and want to control postoperative pain, too. We compared postoperative analgesia and side effects by using patient-controlled epidural and intravenous analgesia after cesarean section.
METHODS
Ninty four pregnant women who received cesarean section were divided into epidural and intravenous [IV] group. Epidural group received epidural anesthesia and controlled postoperative pain by patient-controlled epidural analgesia. IV group received general anesthesia and controlled postoperative pain by patient-controlled intravenous analgesia. The patients used patient-controlled analgesia [PCA] pump according to their allocated group. The assessments for pain score with VRS, patient`s satisfaction score and side effects were made until 48 hours after operation.
RESULTS
There was no significant differences in VRS and patient`s satisfaction score in both group [P>0.05]. The frequency of nausea/vomiting, urinary retention and lower extremity numbness were less in IV group than in epidural group.
CONCLUSION
This study suggests that both patient-controlled epidural and intravenous analgesia can be used effectively as a postoperative pain control after cesarean section.

Keyword

Patient-controlled analgesia [PCA]; Cesarean section; Postoperative analgesia; Epidural analgesia; Intravenous analgesia

MeSH Terms

Analgesia*
Analgesia, Epidural
Analgesia, Patient-Controlled
Anesthesia, Epidural
Anesthesia, General
Anxiety
Cesarean Section*
Female
Humans
Hypesthesia
Lower Extremity
Pain, Postoperative
Pregnancy
Pregnant Women
Urinary Retention