ABSTRACT
Twenty mothers who had requested pain relief during labor had a 26 gauge chatheter inserted into the lumbar subarachnoid space. Incremental sufentanil was given up to a maximum of 10 ug with a mean duration of analgesia of 162 minutes [range 55-194 minutes] and a mean total dose of 8 ug [range 5-10 ug]. Analgesia was excellent in nine mothers, good in seven and unsatisfactory in four. Side effects were pruritis, nausea, vomiting and mild sedation. Fifteen mothers received initially 1 ml 0.25% bupivacaine for incomplete analgesia with a mean duration of 68.6 minutes [range 41-118 minutes]. The subsequent analgesia was by increments of 1 ml 0.125% plain bupivacaine, the maximum height of the block was T8. Five mothers received hyperbaric bupivacaine for perineal suturing. There was no hypotension and no post-spinal headache. All mothers were allowed to go home after delivery