Combined Spinal-epidural Analgesia Research Articles

Handheld ultrasound-assisted versus palpation-guided combined spinal-epidural for labor analgesia: a randomized controlled trial

Preprocedural ultrasound assistance can enhance the efficacy of neuraxial anesthesia in obstetrics. We investigated whether the use of handheld ultrasound can shorten the procedural time of labor combined spinal-epidural (CSE) analgesia compared with conventional landmark-guided methods. Eighty-four women requesting labor analgesia were randomly assigned to either handheld ultrasound-assisted or palpation-guided CSE analgesia. Primary outcome was procedure time of the CSE analgesia. Secondary outcomes included identification time, performance time, number of needle manipulations required for epidural/spinal success, first-attempt success rate, periprocedural pain scores, the incidence of accidental dural puncture, and patient satisfaction. Total procedure time did not significantly differ between the ultrasound and palpation groups (median [IQR], 191.5 [167–224] vs. 204.5 [163–358] s; P = 0.442). However, the performance time was significantly shorter in the ultrasound group (134.5 [115–177] vs. 183 [129–296] s; P = 0.011), although identification time was longer in the ultrasound group (53 [41–72] vs. 30.5 [21–45] s; P < 0.001). The epidural success rate at first insertion attempt was higher in the ultrasound group (85.7% vs. 59.5%, P = 0.014). Preprocedural handheld ultrasound assistance resulted in equivalent total procedure times but reduced performance times and higher first-attempt success rates. Therefore, clinicians may consider this technique for labor CSE analgesia.Trial registration: NCT04759547.

Labor Risk Factors for Fetal Heart Rate Abnormality After Combined Spinal-epidural Analgesia

(Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2023;160:892–899) Labor analgesia use is increasing in Japan, and combined spinal-epidural analgesia (CSE) is a favored method due to its rapid pain relief. While fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring is widely assessed during labor and delivery and well-studied, some aspects of FHR following CSE have not been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to identify the association between obstetric outcomes and FHR abnormalities following CSE.

Epidural Catheter Replacement Rates With Dural Puncture Epidural Labor Analgesia Compared With Epidural Analgesia Without Dural Puncture: A Retrospective Cohort Study

(Int J Obstet Anesth. 2022;52:103590) Lumbar epidural analgesia (LEA) is a common method of labor analgesia. Traditional LEA, dural-puncture epidural (DPE), and combined spinal-epidural analgesia (CSE) are approaches to epidural catheter placement. Epidural catheters are known to malfunction following placement (12% to 13%), requiring replacement or conversion to general anesthesia (GA) if failure occurs during emergency intrapartum cesarean delivery (CD). Factors contributing to placement failure include body mass index (BMI) or weight, procedure type (CSE vs. LEA), gestational age, anesthesiologist experience, type of epidural catheter, patient age, and mode of delivery. Few studies have compared catheter failure rates between LEA and CSE. This retrospective analysis compares epidural catheter failure rates of DPE or LEA.

Does the timing of neuraxial analgesia initiation in elective induction of multiparous women prolong the duration of delivery?

To investigate whether the early initiation of neuraxial analgesia prolongs the duration of electively induced labor in Japanese multiparous women. This retrospective study included multiparous term women who underwent elective induction of labor using combined spinal-epidural analgesia at the Showa University Hospital between October 2018 and March 2021. The participants were divided into two groups: early and late. If neuraxial analgesia was initiated when the cervical dilation was ≤3 cm, the patient was included in the early group. The remaining patients were included in the late group. The obstetric and neonatal outcomes were compared between the two groups. The primary outcome was the duration of delivery. The secondary outcomes were the rates of instrumental and cesarean deliveries. Two hundred and ninety-seven women (early group = 139, late group = 158) were included in the analysis. The duration of the first stage of labor did not differ significantly between the early and late groups (median: 232 vs. 260 min, p = 0.35). Similarly, there was no significant difference in the duration of the second stage (37 vs. 40 min, p = 0.20). Moreover, the rates of instrumental and cesarean deliveries did not differ significantly between the groups, and the neonatal outcomes were comparable. Early initiation of neuraxial analgesia in the elective induction of parous Japanese women did not prolong the duration of delivery. Our results suggest that neuraxial analgesia may be initiated whenever a parturient desires it.

Use of External Uterine Electromyography Across Stage I Labor.

Highly sensitive, external uterine electromyography (EMG) measures myometrial electrical activity and is noninvasive compared with the clinical intrauterine pressure catheter. Most experimental studies have measured EMG in 30-minute epochs, limiting the utility of this instrumentation in intrapartum clinical practice. To test proof of concept, surface uterine EMG contraction activity was continuously collected throughout the first stage of labor from healthy women at term gestation with (n = 3) and without (n = 1) epidural or combined spinal-epidural analgesia for a maximal length of 11 hours and 24 minutes. EMG activity was recorded concurrently with tocodynamometer (toco) signals, using a pair of electrodes on the left and right sides of the maternal umbilicus with grounds attached to both hips of the reclining woman in labor. The preamplifier cutoff frequency settings were appropriate to monitor smooth muscle contraction in labor, with the analog high-pass filter set at 0.05 Hz and the low-pass filter at 1.50 Hz. Signals were sampled at 100 Hz, transmitted to a computer, and visualized by Chart 4.2 software. EMG data from epochs at baseline, during the pre-epidural fluid bolus and at the 60-minute post-epidural test dose, and at 3, 5, 6, and 8 cm dilatation were analyzed for burst power spectrum peak frequency (Hz), burst power spectrum amplitude (mV2 ), and burst duration (seconds). Uterine EMG contractile bursts were preceded and followed by a stable baseline and coincided with toco contractions. Movement artifacts were negligible, and large movement artifacts were easily distinguishable. The EMG bursts and toco contractions remained clearly identifiable, even when one woman without epidural analgesia stood beside the bed laboring for approximately 10 minutes. Burst spectral components fell within the expected 0.34-to-1.00 Hz range for term labor. High-quality data demonstrate that EMG instrumentation effectively and accurately measures uterine contraction parameters across the first stage of term labor.

Association between combined spinal‐epidural analgesia and neurodevelopment at 3 years old: The Japan Environment and Children's Study

To investigate the association between maternal combined spinal-epidural analgesia during vaginal delivery and neurodevelopment in 3-year-old children. Using data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, a birth cohort study on pregnant women and their offspring, we described the background, perinatal outcomes, and neurodevelopmental outcomes of participants with a singleton pregnancy who received combined spinal-epidural analgesia during vaginal delivery and those who did not. The association between maternal combined spinal-epidural analgesia and abnormalities in five domains of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition, was analyzed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. Among 59 379 participants, 82 (0.1%) children (exposed group) were born to mothers who received combined spinal-epidural analgesia during vaginal delivery. In the exposed versus control groups, 1.2% versus 3.7% had communication abnormalities (adjusted odds ratio [95% CI]: 0.30 [0.04-2.19]), 6.1% versus 4.1% exhibited gross-motor abnormalities (1.36 [95% CI: 0.55-3.36]), 10.9% vs. 7.1% had fine-motor abnormalities (1.46 [95% CI: 0.72-2.96]), 6.1% vs. 6.9% showed difficulties with problem-solving (0.81 [95% CI: 0.33-2.01]), and 2.4% vs. 3.0% had personal-social problems (0.70 [95% CI: 0.17-2.85]). Exposure to combined spinal-epidural analgesia during vaginal delivery was not associated with the risk of neurodevelopmental abnormalities; however, the sample size of our study might not be appropriate for the study design.

Comparison of the incidence of fetal prolonged deceleration after induction of labor analgesia between dural puncture epidural and combined spinal epidural technique: a pilot study

BackgroundAbnormal cardiotocogram (CTG) tracing may appear after induction of neuraxial labor analgesia. Non-reassuring fetal status (NRFS) indicated by severely abnormal tracings, such as prolonged deceleration (PD) or bradycardia, can necessitate immediate operative delivery. Combined spinal epidural analgesia (CSEA) is known to result in more frequent abnormal tracings than epidural analgesia (EA); however, the corresponding data related to dural puncture epidural (DPE) are unclear. We aimed to evaluate the rates of incidence of severe abnormal CTG after induction of DPE and CSEA.MethodsIn this study of nulliparous women with full-term pregnancy, data for the DPE intervention group were prospectively collected, while those for the CSEA control group were obtained from medical records. Neuraxial analgesia was performed with cervical dilation ≤ 5 cm, administering initial epidural dosing of 15 mL of 0.125% levobupivacaine with fentanyl 2.5µg/mL for DPE, and intrathecal 0.5% bupivacaine 2.5 mg (0.5ml), fentanyl 10 µg (0.2ml), and 1.3 mL of saline for CSEA. The primary outcome was the incidence of PD, defined as a fetal heart rate reduction ≥ 15 bpm below the baseline and with a lowest value < 80 bpm, and lasting for ≥ 2 min but < 10 min (fetal heart rate < 80 bpm does not have to last for ≥ 2 min), within 90 min after induction of neuraxial labor analgesia.ResultsA total of 302 patients were analyzed, with 151 in each group. The incidence of PD after DPE induction was significantly lower than that after CSEA induction (4.0% vs. 14.6%, P = 0.0015, odds ratio = 0.243, 95% confidence interval = 0.095–0.617).ConclusionDPE appears to be a safer method compared to CSEA for neuraxial labor analgesia in the early stages of labor for nulliparous women.Trial registrationUMIN-CTR: UMIN000035153. Date registered: 01/01/2019.

Maternal heart rate variability patterns associated with maternal hypotension and non-reassuring fetal heart rate patterns following initiation of combined spinal-epidural labor analgesia: a prospective observational trial

BackgroundWe evaluated whether baseline maternal heart rate variability (HRV), including the Analgesia Nociception Index (ANI), is associated with maternal hypotension and fetal heart rate (FHR) abnormalities following combined spinal-epidural (CSE) labor analgesia. MethodsLaboring women were enrolled in this prospective observational study. The primary endpoint was maternal hypotension. The secondary endpoint was FHR abnormalities within 30 min following CSE analgesia initiated with intrathecal plain bupivacaine 1.0 mg and fentanyl 20 µg. The maternal ANI, electrocardiogram, blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and FHR tracings were recorded 15 min before and 30 min after CSE. Parturients were grouped based on presence of hypotension and FHR abnormalities. Patient demographics and HRV metrics were compared. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were constructed for the prediction of hypotension and FHR abnormalities. ResultsNo significant intergroup differences were detected in patient characteristics. Several baseline HRV metrics and ANI differed significantly between the normotensive (n = 50) and hypotensive (n = 31) groups and between parturients showing FHR abnormalities (n = 19) and those showing reassuring FHR traces (n = 62). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for predicting hypotension of the baseline low-frequency (LF)/high-frequency (HF) ratio was 0.677 (95% CI 0.55 to 0.80), and that of the ANI was 0.858 (95% CI 0.78 to 0.94). For predicting non-reassuring FHR patterns, the AUC of the LF/HF ratio was 0.77 (95% CI 0.65 to 0.89), and that of the ANI was 0.833 (95% CI 0.72 to 0.94). ConclusionsThe ANI can predict the propensity for maternal hypotension and non-reassuring FHR patterns following CSE.

Comparative Study Between Combined Spinal Epidural Analgesia (CSEA) and Pre-Emptive Multimodal Analgesia for Pain Control in Joint Replacement Surgeries of Lower Limbs

Background and aims: Epidural analgesia has been considerably used for postoperative analgesia in Orthopaedic surgeries, however, combination of opioid and non-opioid medications in the perioperative period seems to provide an effective alternative. Objectives: To compare the efficacy of pre-emptive multimodal analgesia with combined spinal epidural for postoperative analgesia in lower limb arthroplasties. Materials and methods: 50 patients scheduled for elective lower limb Arthroplasties were randomly divided into two groups. Spinal anaesthesia with 2.5ml of 0.5% Bupivacaine (heavy) plus 0.5ml (25µg) Fentanyl was given in both the groups for procedure. Group I received Cap. Pregabalin 150mg and Inj Paracetamol 1000mg IV 1 hour before surgery and 75mg 12 hourly and 1000mg IV 8 hourly respectively, while Group II received epidural top up with 10 ml of 0.125% bupivacaine 8 hourly, both for 3 days postoperatively. Perioperative haemodynamics, postoperative VAS, rescue analgesics requirement, and Patient satisfaction level were monitored for 72 hours. Results: Postoperative VAS score was significantly higher in Group II from 4th hour postoperatively, and, accordingly, more patients in this group required rescue analgesia (21 and 20 in Group II vs 10 and 1 in group I in 12-24 hrs and 24-36 hrs respectively with p value &lt;0.001). Modified Bromage score, haemodynamics and side effect profiles were comparable in the groups, however, patient satisfaction level was more in Group I (p value &lt;0.001) after 72 hours. Conclusion: Pre-emptive multimodal analgesia can be used as an effective alternative to epidural for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing lower limb joint replacement surgeries. Keywords: Pre-emptive multimodal analgesia, Combined spinal epidural analgesia, Lower limb arthroplasties, Postoperative analgesia

The effects of combined spinal-epidural analgesia and epidural anesthesia on maternal intrapartum temperature: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundLabor epidural analgesia has been suggested to be associated with intrapartum fever. We designed this study to investigate the effects of epidural analgesia and combined spinal-epidural analgesia on maternal intrapartum temperature.MethodsFour hundred healthy nullipara patients were randomly assigned to receive either epidural analgesia (EA group) or combined spinal-epidural analgesia (CSEA group). Maternal temperature was measured hourly after analgesia administration. The primary outcome was the incidence of maternal fever, and the secondary outcomes were the duration of analgesia, analgesia to full cervical dilation and analgesia to delivery. Neonatal outcomes and other basic labor events were also recorded.ResultsMaternal temperature gradually increased with time in both analgesia groups during labor. However, the CSEA group had a lower incidence of maternal fever, and a lower mean maternal temperature at 5 h, 6 h, and 9 h after analgesia. In addtion, the CSEA group also had a shorter time of analgesia duration, analgesia to full cervical dilation, analgesia to delivery, and less dose of epidural local anesthetic than the EA group.ConclusionOur findings suggest that combined spinal-epidural analgesia is associated with a lower risk of intrapartum fever than epidural analgesia.Trial registrationChiCTR1900026606. Registered on 16/10/2019.

Labor risk factors for fetal heart rate abnormality after combined spinal-epidural analgesia.

To explore the association between obstetric factors or outcomes and fetal heart rate (FHR) abnormalities after combined spinal-epidural analgesia (CSEA). Women with singleton term deliveries who received CSEA at our institution between January 1 and December 31, 2017, were analyzed using medical records. We performed a logistic regression analysis to compare factors and outcomes between cases with and without new FHR abnormalities within 1h after CSEA. Of the 393 women, 163 showed the new occurrence of FHR abnormality after CSEA. Rupture of the membrane (odds ratio [OR] 2.49; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.52-4.09; P< 0.01) and dilatation of the cervix (OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.07-1.44; P< 0.01) were significantly associated with FHR abnormalities. There were significant differences in FHR abnormality rates between women with cervical dilatation of 2cm or less and 3cm or more (OR 2.20; 95% CI 1.01-4.81; P= 0.047) and 6cm or less and 7cm or more (OR 2.46; 95% CI 1.01-6.01; P= 0.048). FHR abnormalities were not significantly associated with cesarean delivery during labor, instrumental delivery, APGAR score below 7 at 1 or 5min, or umbilical arterial blood gas pH less than 7.2. Rupture of the membrane and an advanced dilated cervix were risk factors for FHR abnormality when CSEA was initiated.

Exposure to Intrapartum Epidural Analgesia and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Offspring

There is conflicting evidence on the association between intrapartum epidural analgesia and risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. To evaluate the association between intrapartum epidural analgesia and the risk of ASD in offspring. This population-based cohort study was conducted in Ontario, Canada, using the health and administrative records of singleton live births by vaginal delivery between April 1, 2006, and March 31, 2014. Neonates with less than 24 weeks' gestation or weighing less than 500 g were excluded. Offspring were followed up from 18 months of age until ASD diagnosis, loss to follow-up, or the end of the study (December 31, 2020), whichever occurred first. Exposure, covariate, and outcome data were obtained using provincial health administrative databases. Any intrapartum exposure to epidural or combined spinal-epidural analgesia. The primary outcome was ASD diagnosis after 18 months of age. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) of Cox proportional hazards regression models was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of intrapartum epidural analgesia and ASD in offspring. Offspring head injury was used as a control outcome. Models were adjusted for maternal sociodemographic factors, health behaviors, and medical and obstetrical history as well as labor, delivery, and offspring characteristics. Post hoc analyses included restriction to term neonates, a conditional within-mother analysis, exclusion of records with concomitant intrapartum pain management exposures, a complete case analysis, use of an alternative ASD definition, and estimation of the average treatment effect in the treated group. Among the 650 373 mother-offspring pairs included in the study, 418 761 (64.4%) were exposed to intrapartum epidural analgesia. The mean (SD) maternal age at delivery was 29.7 (5.5) years; the offspring had a mean (SD) gestational age at delivery of 39.1 (1.6) weeks and included 329 808 male newborns (50.7%). The exposed and unexposed groups were similar in all maternal and newborn characteristics after IPTW (standardized difference <0.10). Autism spectrum disorder was diagnosed in 7546 offspring (1.8%) of mothers who received intrapartum epidural analgesia (incidence rate, 18.8 [95% CI, 18.4-19.3] per 10 000 person-years) compared with 3234 offspring (1.4%) who were unexposed (incidence rate, 14.4 [95% CI, 13.9-14.9] per 10 000 person-years). The crude HR for ASD associated with intrapartum epidural analgesia was 1.30 (95% CI, 1.25-1.36), and the IPTW-adjusted HR was 1.14 (95% CI, 1.08-1.21). Results did not qualitatively differ in post hoc analyses. Results of this study showed that intrapartum epidural analgesia was associated with a small increase in risk for ASD in offspring. The biological plausibility of this association, however, remains unclear, and the finding must be interpreted with caution.

Effects of neuraxial analgesia technique on labor and maternal–fetal outcomes: a retrospective study

PurposeTo compare the effects of epidural analgesia (EA) and combined spinal epidural analgesia (SEA) on labor and maternal–fetal outcomes.MethodsWe retrospectively identified and included 1499 patients with a single cephalic fetus who delivered at the study center from January 2015 to December 2018 and received neuraxial analgesia at the beginning of the active phase of labor (presence of regular painful contractions and cervical dilatation between 4 and 6 cm). Data including analgesia, labor characteristics, and maternal–fetal outcomes were retrieved from the prospectively collected delivery room database and medical records.ResultsSEA was associated with a shorter first stage of labor than EA, with a median difference of 60 min. On multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis, neuraxial analgesia, gestational age, fetal weight, labor induction, and parity were independently associated with the first stage length: patients in the EA group were 1.32 times more likely to have a longer first stage of labor (95% CI 1.06–1.64, p = 0.012) than those in the SEA group. Additionally, a significantly lower incidence of fundal pressure was performed among patients who underwent SEA (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.34–0.9, p = 0.017). No associations were observed between the used neuraxial analgesia technique and other outcomes.ConclusionsSEA was associated with a shorter length of the first stage of labor and a lower rate of fundal pressure use than EA. Further studies confirming the effects of SEA on labor management and clarifying differences in maternal–fetal outcomes will allow concluding about the superiority of one technique upon the other.

Local infiltration analgesia improves functional outcome after total knee arthroplasty: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) may be associated with severe postoperative pain, which requires prolonged hospital stay to provide effective analgesia. Increasing postoperative pain is associated with increased hospital stays and readmissions, lower patient satisfaction, longer time to rehabilitation and physiotherapy milestones and diminished range of motion (ROM). Purpose: This randomized controlled trial compared the functional outcome following the use of local infiltration analgesia (LIA) with combined spinal epidural analgesia (CSEA) versus CSEA alone in patients undergoing primary unilateral osteoarthritis of the knee. Methods: Between December 2017 and June 2019, a total of 30 patients undergoing primary unilateral TKA were included in the study. The patients were randomized into two groups, 15 patients each. Patients in Group A were administered LIA intraoperatively while patients in Group B were not. Both groups were given CSEA as their primary modality of anesthesia. Primary outcome was ROM of knee on 1st, 5th, and 14th postoperative days. Secondary outcomes were pain assessment using visual analog scale score on 6th, 24th, and 48th h postsurgery, total opioid consumption in 1st 48 h, and duration of hospital stay. Results: Mean ROM at 1st, 5th and 14th day was significantly higher in Group A compared to Group B (P < 0.05 for all). Mean pain score at 6 h, 24 h, and 48 h was significantly higher in Group B compared to Group A (P < 0.05 for all). Mean total opioid consumption was significantly higher in Group B (455.20 ± 38.84 g) compared to Group A (325.73 ± 50.18 g) (P < 0.001). Mean duration of hospital stay was significantly higher in Group B (7.07 ± 0.96 days) compared to Group A (5.73 ± 0.59 days) (P < 0.001). Conclusion: LIA provides significant pain relief in the early postoperative period and hence is associated with higher patient satisfaction. LIA also allows early and improved pain-free ROM at knee and contributes to achieving rehabilitation milestones earlier. It significantly reduces opioid requirement and thus reducing opioid-related side-effects.

Comparative Evaluation of Intrathecal Dexmedetomidine and Fentanyl as an Adjuvant for Combined Spinal-Epidural Analgesia for Labor.

Combined spinal-epidural technique is a widely accepted and popular modality for labor analgesia. Opioids are being used as adjuvants since long time. Dexmedetomidine is a new drug that is being used as an intrathecal adjuvant. The study aims to compare the safety and efficacy of fentanyl and dexmedetomidine as intrathecal adjuvants in labor analgesia. This was a continuous, prospective, randomized controlled trial with 120 parturients. After ethical approval and written consent, participants were divided randomly into two groups: Group A - bupivacaine 2.5 mg (0.5 mL diluted to 2 mL) + 20 μg of dexmedetomidine in 1 mL saline intrathecally (total volume: 3 mL) and Group B - bupivacaine 2.5 mg (0.5 mL diluted to 2 mL) + 15 μg of fentanyl in 1 mL saline intrathecally (total volume: 3 mL). Primary outcomes were satisfactory analgesia, mode of delivery, and neonatal outcome. Participants were monitored for the onset and duration of analgesia, degree of motor block, and maternal and fetal side effects. A total of 108 parturients reported sufficient analgesia (Group A: 57; Group B: 51), and 74 patients delivered vaginally (Group A: 41; Group B: 44). The rates of normal vaginal delivery were higher in Group B. Group A reported earlier onset of analgesia (61.26 ± 18.23 s) that lasted for longer duration (124.16 ± 26.23 min) than in Group B. There were no serious side effects in any of the groups. Fetal ultrasound revealed attenuation of fetal heart rate variability. The heart rate of newborns was also found to be low in Group A. Chances of vaginal delivery are higher with intrathecal fentanyl as an adjuvant. Intensity and duration of analgesia are better with intrathecal dexmedetomidine.

Analgesic efficacy of remifentanil patient-controlled analgesia versus combined spinal-epidural technique in multiparous women during labour

To compare the analgesic profile of remifentanil patient-controlled analgesia (RPCA) and combined spinal-epidural analgesia technique (CSEA) in multiparous women during the entire labour. We hypothesized that CSEA would provide a better and more sustained pain reduction than RPCA. A prospective observational trial under ID NCT02963337 at a university hospital in Slovenia 2017-2018. Analgesic efficacy, satisfaction with pain-relief, adverse effects, labour progress, and outcomes between RPCA (80) and CSEA (81) were compared. CSEA provided significantly lower pain scores during the entire labour. Compared to baseline, significant pain reduction was recorded in both groups after 15 min. No difference was recorded compared to baseline with RPCA and CSEA after 45 and 90 mins, respectively. CSEA provided higher satisfaction than RPCA (5 [5-5] vs 5 [4-5], p < 0.0001). More patients with CSEA opted for the same technique for the next labour [CSEA; 77 (95%) vs RPCA; 65 (81%), p = 0.003]. No crossovers were observed. RPCA was associated with desaturation (34%), bradypnea (21%) and apnoea (25%), which were transitional and easily managed. None had severe sedation. No differences were recorded in labour progress and outcomes. Apgar scores were reassuring in all neonates (> 8). None had umbilical artery pH < 7.0. In multiparas, CSEA provided superior analgesia and satisfaction than RPCA. Nevertheless, RPCA provided a satisfactory experience, suggesting it could be used when neuraxial analgesia is not available, preferred, or contraindicated. In that case, constant presence of midwife is mandatory for management of clinically significant hypoventilation.

Acupoint Injection Decreases Anesthetic Cosumption during Combined Spinal-Epidural and Patient-Controlled Epidural Labor Analgesia.

To explore if acupoint injection can improve analgesic effects or delivery outcomes in parturients who received combined spinal-epidural analgesia (CSEA) and patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) for labor analgesia. A total of 307 participants were prospectively collected from July 2017 to December 2019. The participants were randomized into the combined acupoint injection with CSEA plus PCEA group (AICP group, n=168) and CSEA plus PCEA group (CP group, n=139) for labor analgesia using a random number table. Both groups received CSEA plus PCEA at cervical dilation 3 cm during labor process, and parturients of the AICP group were implemented acupoint injection for which bilateral acupoint of Zusanli (ST 36) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) were selected in addition. The primary outcome was Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, and the secondary outcomes were obstetric outcomes and requirement of anesthetics doses. Safety evaluations were performed after intervention. The VAS scores were significantly lower in the AICP group than in the CP group at 10, 30, 60, and 120 min after labor analgesia (all P<0.05). The latent phase of the AICP group was shorter than that of the CP group (P<0.05). There were less additional anesthetics consumption, lower incidences of uterine atony, fever, pruritus and urinary retention in the AICP group than those in the CP group (all P<0.05). Acupoint injection combined CSEA plus PCEA for labor analgesia can decrease the anesthetic consumption, improve analgesic quality, and reduce adverse reactions in the parturients. (Registration No. ChiMCTR-2000003120).

Maternal Hypotension and Tachysystole Following Neuraxial Anesthesia: Effect on Fetus in Labor.

Maternal Hypotension and Tachysystole Following Neuraxial Anesthesia: Effect on Fetus in Labor.

Predictors of incomplete maternal satisfaction with neuraxial labor analgesia: A nationwide study

PurposeNeuraxial analgesia is effective and widely used during labour, but little is known about maternal satisfaction with its use. Our objectives were to assess the frequency of incomplete maternal satisfaction with neuraxial labour analgesia and its predictors. MethodsWe extracted data from the 2016 National Perinatal Survey, a cross-sectional population-based study including all births during one week in all French maternity units. This analysis included all women who attempted vaginal delivery with neuraxial analgesia. Maternal satisfaction with analgesia was assessed by a 4-point Likert scale during a postpartum interview. Incomplete satisfaction grouped together women who were fairly, not sufficiently and not at all satisfied. We performed generalised estimating equations analyses adjusted for sociodemographic, obstetric, anaesthetic, and organisational characteristics to compare women with incomplete satisfaction to those completely satisfied. ResultsAmong the 8538 women included, 35.2% were incompletely satisfied with their neuraxial analgesia. The odds of incomplete satisfaction were higher among women who reported a prenatal preference not to use neuraxial analgesia but subsequently did (adjusted odds ratio 1.21; 95% confidence interval 1.05–1.39) and among those who did not use patient-controlled neuraxial analgesia (1.20; 1.07–1.34); the odds were lower among women who used combined spinal epidural analgesia (0.53; 0.28−0.99) than among those with epidural analgesia. ConclusionIncomplete maternal satisfaction with neuraxial analgesia is a frequent concern in France. Increasing the use of patient-controlled neuraxial analgesia and combined spinal-epidural analgesia, as well as consistency between prenatal preference and actual use of neuraxial analgesia may improve maternal satisfaction.

Oral acetaminophen as an adjunct to continuous epidural infusion and patient-controlled epidural analgesia in laboring parturients: a randomized controlled trial.

Intravenous acetaminophen is safe and effective as an adjunct to labor analgesia with combined spinal-epidural (CSE) analgesia and patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA). Oral acetaminophen is a much cheaper and safe option but has not been studied as an adjunct to labor analgesia till date. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of oral acetaminophen as an adjunct in patients receiving local anesthetic-opioid combination using CSE analgesia. In this ethically approved randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, 60 consenting parturients were randomly allocated to two groups of 30 each: acetaminophen (who received oral acetaminophen 1g) or placebo, 45min before the procedure. CSE was administered as per hospital protocol. All the patients received continuous epidural infusion (CEI) of levobupivacaine 0.1% and fentanyl 2 mcg/mL at 5ml/h and PCEA boluses of 5mL of the same drug with a lockout interval of 15min if needed. The primary outcome was hourly mean consumption of levobupivacaine and fentanyl mixture (mL/h). Secondary outcomes included pain score, sensory and motor block, hemodynamic parameters of mother, duration of the second stage of labor, mode of delivery, maternal satisfaction, Apgar scores, fetal heart rate, and adverse effects. The mean drug consumption per hour was significantly less in the acetaminophen group than in the placebo group (7.66mL/h, SD 2.01 vs. 9.01mL/h, SD 2.83; p = 0.04). The requirement for bolus was also significantly less in the acetaminophen group than in the placebo group (median 2.5, IQR 3 vs. median 3.5, IQR 2; p = 0.04). The use of 1g of oral acetaminophen could be a cheap, safe, and effective adjunct to CEI plus PCEA in labor analgesia.