A comparison of epidural infusion with regular intermittent injection of bupivacaine 0.125. in primigravids and multigravids in labor at the Philippine General Hospital-a pilot study

ABSTRACT

Twenty women in labor were allocated to receive either a continuous epidural infusion of 0.125% bupivacaine at a rate of 8-10 ml/hr or hourly intermittent injections of bupivacaine 0.125%. Both groups received an initial bolus dose of 8-10 ml bupivacaine 0.125%. Supplementary top-up doses of 4-5 ml bupivacaine 0.15% were given when the pain scores failed to change in the subsequent hour. Results showed that both groups attained comparable best pain scores (p0.37), but more patients from the intermittent injection group suffered worst pain scores (p=0.07904). The infusion group has a significant shortened active stage of labor (p0.1) and used less total volume of bupivacaine 0.125% (p0.001). Sixty percent of the intermittent injection group required top-up doses. Likewise there was a greater incidence of motor block in this group (p