ABSTRACT
To evaluate the efficacy of 0.1% Bupivacaine versus 0.2% Bupivacaine with fentanyl 2 microg/ml via epidural for analgesia in labour. Randomized study. Single centre study of 80 patients conducted at gynae unit of Imam Clinic and General Hospital Karachi. from Jan 2002 to April 2005. In a randomized study, 80 nulliparous parturients in labour had epidural analgesia initiated with 0.2% bupivacaine and fentanyl and were then randomized to receive either 0.1% Bupivacaine with fentanyl 2microg/ml at 10m1 /hr [Group B1.n = 38] or 0.2% Bupivacaine with fentanyl 2microg/ml at 8ml/hr [group B2 n= 39] as epidural infusions. Bupivacaine 0.2% 5m1 as an epidural bolus was provided on request as Supplementary analgesia. There were no significant differences between the visual analogue pain scores either with respect to motor or sensory block. The amount of local anaesthetic used was lower in 0.1% Bupivacaine group then in 0.2% Bupivacaine group [P = 0.001] Side effects, patient satisfaction, labor outcome and neonatal outcome were similar in both groups. Epidural infusions of 0.1% Bupivacaine with fentanyl 2 microg/mI at 10-m1/ hr provided adequate analgesia in the first stage of labour. The level of analgesia was similar to that obtained using 0.2% Bupivacaine with fentanyl 2 microg/ml and with no differences with regard to sensory or motor block