Severe Maternal Hypotension and Fetal Bradycardia after a Combined Spinal Epidural Anesthetic

Abstract

INTRATHECAL sufentanil alone or combined with bupivacaine is commonly administered via a combined spinal epidural (CSE) technique to provide analgesia for patients in labor. Although side effects of these agents have been reported, there is debate about whether spinal sufentanil used alone or with bupivacaine is associated with clinically significant hypotension. 1-6 We describe a case of severe maternal hypotension with associated fetal bradycardia after the intrathecal administration of 7.5 μg sufentanil and 2.5 mg bupivacaine.