Epidural fentanyl improves the onset and spread of epidural mepivacaine analgesia

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the extent of enhanced blockade by the combined use of epidural fentanyl and mepivacaine. We compared the onset of hypoalgesia, analgesia and the threshold of pressure pain. Methods: Thirty patients were randomly divided into three groups. The fentanyl group received 10 ml saline containing 0.1 mg fentanyl, mepivacaine group received 10 ml mepivacaine 1% and a mixed group received 10 ml mepivacaine 1% with 0.1 mg fentanyl. All solutions, without epinephrine, were injected through an epidural catheter at T5-6 to T6-7. The change in sensation, loss of pin-prick and pain threshold sensation, measured by pressure algometer, were assessed at 2.5-min intervals for 15 min at the T4 dermatome. Spread of analgesia was determined at 15 min. Results: Loss of pinprick was more rapid in the mixed, 11.0 ± 2.7 (SD) min, than in the mepivacaine group, 15.0 ± 2.9 min, (P < 0.05), although there was no difference in change of sensation. Pressure pain threshold increased with time in the mepivacaine (P < 0.05) and mixed (P < 0.05) groups. It was higher in the mixed than in the fentanyl and mepivacaine groups at 5, 7.5 and 10 min (P < 0.05). The lower level of analgesia was lower in the mixed than in the mepivacaine groups (P < 0.05). Blood pressure was unchanged in the three groups, but heart rate decreased at 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15 min in the mepivacaine and mixed groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The addition of fentanyl to mepivacaine accelerates the onset of analgesia and enhances the analgesic effect of epidural block.