The effect of low concentration vs.ultra-low concentration of ropivacaine delivered via intermittent epidural boluses for labour analgesia on obstetric and anesthetic outcomes / 复旦学报（医学版）

ABSTRACT

Objective To compare the effect of low concentration versus ultra-low concentration of ropivacaine in combination with sufentanil delivered via programmed intermittent epidural bolus (PIEB) with patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) during labour on obstetric and anesthetic outcomes.Methods Seventy-six ASA Ⅰ or Ⅱ nulliparous parturients who were at full term with a singleton fetus in vertex presentation were randomized to receive 0.1 ％ ropivacaine with 0.5 μg/mL sufentanil (Group L,38 cases) or 0.06％ ropivacaine with 0.5 μg/mL sufentanil (Group UL,38 cases).Another matched 76 cases of primiparas without labor analgesia (Group C) served as controls.For primiparas received analgesia,an epidural catheter was inserted when the cervical dilatation was up to 2-3 cm.The analgesia level was controlled below T8,and VAS score was controlled below 4.Thirty minutes after analgesia started,Group L and UL received PIEB with PCEA regimen including basal infusion of 8 mL/h of ropivacaine with sufentanil,patient-controlled bolus 6 mL and lockout interval 10 minutes.The duration of labor,delivery mode,Apgar score,VAS score and anesthetic drug consumption of each group were recorded.Results The second stage of labor were not statistically different between Group UL and C.The second stage of Group L was longer than that of Group C (P＜0.05).Furthermore,with similar performance in pain score and satisfactory level at each time point,Group UL consumed much less ropivacaine than Group L (P＜0.05).The cesarean section rate,instrumental delivery rate and the Apgar score were not significantly different among the 3 groups.Conclusions While using PIEB with PCEA,0.06％ ropivacaine was capable of providing satisfactory analgesia effects for primipara and has less effects on the obstetric outcome.Therefore,it could be recommended for labour analgesia.