effect of posture on the spread and on maternal and foetal blood lignocaine level following extradural analgesia during elective cesarean section

ABSTRACT

Ten parturient scheduled for elective cesarean section, were kept in sitting position for five minutes after extradural injection, and were compared with another ten parturient maintained in the left lateral position all through. Insignificant differences were obtained as regard the mean upper and lower limit of analgesia and the time of jerk loss. The maximum maternal venous plasma lignocaine concentration was after 15 minutes in the sitting group, while it was after 20 minutes in the second group. Venous umbilical cord lignocaine level differed in both tested groups. This blood lignocaine levels variation were probably related to changes in hemodynamics following its injection, anatomical arrangement of the venous plexuses in epidural space during pregnancy and/or posture due to partial vena caval compression