RESUMO
To determine whether age, weight, height, vertebral column length, body mass index, or abdominal circumference might influence the distribution of sensory analgesia after epidural anesthesia, 100 women presenting for cesarean section were studied. All received 26 mg of 2.0% lidocaine mixed with 8.4% bicarbonate 1 ml/lidocaine 10 ml and 1:300,000 epinephrine, including 3 ml of test dose, through the epidural catheter inserted in L3-4 interspace. While the women lay supine on a horizontal operating table with the air bag under their right hip, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 30 minutes after injection, the cephalad extent of sensory analgesia (loss of sensation of sharpness to pin prick) was determined. Age (31.9+/-3.8 years), weight (69.2+/-9.3 kg), height (158.9+/-4,5 cm), vertebral column length (59.8+/-5.0 cm), body mass index (27.4+/-3.2 kg/m(2)), and abdominal circumference (103.5+/-10.2 cm) did not correlate with the maximum level of sensory analgesia. In conclusion, in parturients of age, weight, height, vertebral column length, body mass index and aMominal circumference of the above values, it is not necerrary to vary dose of injected local anesthetics with changes in any of the patient variables studied.