Epidural analgesia for labor and delivery

Abstract

Epidural anesthesia for labor and delivery is the safest technique that provides complete pain relief. The discovery of spinal opiate receptors and the effectiveness of small doses of opiates augmenting the analgesia of dilute concentrations of local anesthetics has greatly increased the choice of solutions in the anesthesiologist's armamentarium. We are better able to customize the anesthetic to the needs of the patients and our obstetric colleagues. The benefits of epidural anesthesia are numerous and the risks small when proper precautions are taken.