Comparison of two different bupivacaine doses with sufentanil for epidural obstetric analgesia

Abstract

Objective: Addition of opioids to local anesthetics for epidural obstetric analgesia provides effective analgesia with decreased side effects. We compared the analgesic quality of 0,0625% bupivacaine and 0,1% bupivacaine with 0.5 μg/mL sufentanil. Material and Methods: Study participants were 18-45-year-old, primiparous 30 parturients. An epidural catheter was placed, 8-10 mL of 0.0625% bupivacaine with 0.5 μg/mL sufentanil and 0.1% bupivacaine with 0.5 μg/mL sufentanil were given to Group I and Group II, respectively. Hemodynamic parameters, obstetric examination findings, pain grades, time to reach visual analog scale (VAS)<4 and the first dose interval were recorded. Satisfaction levels, motor and sensorial blocks, oxytocin and valetamate bromide consumption, side effects were assessed. Total and additional drug use, duration of second stage of the delivery, mean delivery times, instrumental delivery, Apgar scores, fetal heart rates and uterine contraction pressures were recorded. The percentage of participation of the parturients to the delivery was assessed. Results: Median VAS values were significantly lower in Group II. Median VAS values were lower than 4 in both groups after 15th minute. The time to the second analgesic dose was longer in Group II. Systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures were measured lower in Group II. Satisfaction scores were significantly higher in Group II. Conclusion: In the present study, satisfactory analgesia was produced in both groups. Although median VAS scores were lower in Group II, VAS<4 could be reached in Group I. We concluded that 0.0625% bupivacaine+0.5 μg/mL sufentanil combination, as providing VAS<4, could be a preferable alternative to 0.1% bupivacaine+0.5 μg/mL sufentanil. © 2013 by Türkiye Klinikleri.