Postpartum bilateral tubal ligation (PPBTL) causes postoperative pain. We designed this study to determine the efficacy of 50 microg intrathecal morphine for analgesia after PPBTL. Sixty-five women received spinal anesthesia with 12.75 mg hyperbaric bupivacaine, 20 microg of fentanyl, and either 50 microg of morphine (morphine group) or 0.05 mL of saline (control group). Postoperative analgesia was provided with regular naproxen 500 mg and oxycodone 5 mg/acetaminophen 325 mg mixture as needed. Overall, satisfaction was higher (P=0.003) and pain was less intense at rest (P=0.008) and on movement (P <0.0001) in the morphine group. There was no significant overall difference in nausea, pruritus, or sedation scores, but vomiting occurred more frequently in the morphine group (21.4% versus 3.5%; P=0.052). In post hoc comparisons, pain at rest within the morphine group was significantly less at 4 h (P=0.006), pain on movement was significantly less at 4 h (P=0.002) and 12 h (P=0.0004), and pruritus was significantly more frequent at 12 h (P=0.002) compared with the control group. Oxycodone 5 mg/acetaminophen 325 mg mixture consumption was significantly smaller (P=0.006) and the time to first request of analgesia was significantly longer (P=0.006) in the morphine group. We conclude that the addition of 50 microg of morphine to intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine and fentanyl provides improved postoperative analgesia in women undergoing PPBTL.

In this multicenter, randomized, controlled trial, we sought to determine whether patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) for labor affected the incidence of cesarean delivery when compared with patient-controlled IV opioid analgesia (PCIA). Healthy, term nulliparous patients in 4 Canadian institutions were randomly assigned to receive PCIA with fentanyl (n = 118) or PCEA with 0.08% bupivacaine and fentanyl 1.6 microg/mL (n = 124). There was no difference in the incidence of cesarean delivery-10.2% (12 of 118) versus 9.7% (12 of 124)-or instrumental vaginal delivery-21.2% (25 of 118) versus 29% (36 of 124)-between groups. The duration of the second stage of labor was increased in the PCEA group by a median of 23 min (P = 0.02). Fifty-one patients (43%) in the PCIA group received epidural analgesia: 39 (33%) because of inadequate pain relief and 12 (10%) to facilitate operative delivery. Patients in the PCIA group required more antiemetic therapy (17% versus 6.4%; P = 0.01) and had more sedation (39% versus 5%; P < 0.001). Maternal mean pain and satisfaction with analgesia scores were better in the PCEA group (P < 0.001 and P = 0.02, respectively). More neonates in the PCIA group required active resuscitation (52% versus 31%; P = 0.001) and naloxone (17% versus 3%; P < 0.001). These observations support the hypothesis that PCEA does not result in an increased incidence of obstetrical intervention compared with PCIA. PCEA provides superior analgesia and less maternal and neonatal sedation compared with PCIA.

In <25 years, intrathecal administration of opioids (i.e. spinal analgesia) has evolved from an experimental model into an important therapy for obstetric analgesia and anaesthesia. A small dose of opioid delivered into the CSF provides almost immediate relief from labour pain with minimal risks to the mother and fetus. Careful attention, and prompt treatment when needed, can ameliorate the adverse effects of fetal bradycardia, respiratory depression and pruritus. The major limitation of intrathecal opioids for labour analgesia is the short duration of effect: 90-180 minutes under ideal circumstances. To address this problem, and to increase flexibility for anaesthesia as well as analgesia, the combined spinal-epidural (CSE) technique was developed. The CSE technique involves injection of drugs into the CSF and placement of an epidural catheter. An intrathecally administered opioid provides a rapid onset of labour analgesia without motor block or significant haemodynamic perturbation. The epidural catheter allows ongoing administration of medications to maintain labour analgesia and provides a means of delivering anaesthesia for operative delivery. This review will focus on intrathecally administered opioids as used as part of CSE analgesia. Considerable research has focused on the optimum dose of opioids when delivered intrathecally, with or without adjuncts, in the CSE technique. Fentanyl and sufentanil, two of the lipophilic synthetic opioids, have emerged as the most useful. Bupivacaine, a long-acting local anaesthetic, is often added to prolong the duration of analgesia, although this tends to increase the likelihood of motor blockade of the lower extremities. Comparisons of the CSE technique with standard epidural practices have shown that both are effective means of providing analgesia during labour. Controversy revolves around the incidence of fetal bradycardia following CSE and whether this phenomenon increases the rate of operative deliveries. The rapid onset of analgesia with intrathecally administered opioids must be balanced against the added risks of dural puncture and considered in the context of the whole duration of labour. Ultimately, the decision to choose a CSE technique depends on the experience of the anaesthesia provider and the local availability of drugs, equipment and monitoring capabilities.

Combined spinal-epidural analgesia is a technique that provides rapid-onset, profound epidural analgesia for laboring parturients at almost any stage of labor. The most commonly used technique is a needle-through-needle technique in which the epidural space is identified with an epidural needle, and then a long spinal needle is inserted through the epidural needle and into the cerebrospinal fluid. Intrathecal fentanyl, 15 to 25 μg ± 1 to 2.5 mg of bupivacaine, or 2.5 to 5 μg of sufentanil ± 1 to 2.5 mg of bupivacaine are injected to produce analgesia. The epidural needle is removed and an epidural catheter inserted. Analgesia is maintained by low-dose, patient-controlled epidural analgesia; continuous infusion epidural analgesia; or intermittent top-ups. Pruritus is a very common side effect. Respiratory depression is rare but of great concern. Current literature favors low-dose epidural analgesia in labor as leading to the best patient and obstetric outcomes. Both low-dose conventional epidural analgesia and combined spinal-epidural analgesia produce similar outcomes. The main advantage of combined spinal-epidural analgesia is its predictable profound analgesia in parturients during late labor or when labor is progressing rapidly. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company

Purpose: To describe obstetric anesthesia in Canada as practiced in 1997: to identify practices at variance with the literature and the opinions of experts: and to identify questions for future research. Methods: In 1997, a detailed postal questionnaire asking about the practice of obstetric anesthesia was mailed to all 1,539 specialist anesthesiologist members of the Canadian Anaesthetists’ Society residing in Canada. Nonresponders were mailed a second questionnaire three months later. Results: There were 865 completed questionnaires returned for analysis (56.2%). Of these, 522 anesthesiologists practiced obstetric anesthesia (60.3%). The data were subdivided into those from anesthesiologists with a full or part-time university based practice (40.1%) and those from a community based practice (59.9%). University based and community-based anesthesiologists have very similar patterns of practice. Specific areas where anesthesia practice was different from current recommendations included: (1) information provided when obtaining consent for labour epidural analgesia, (2) use of opioids and local anesthetics for initiation of epidural analgesia, (3) use of coagulation testing in preeclampsia, (4) the common use of cutting spinal needles, (5) use of neuraxial morphine and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents after Cesarean deliveries, (6) optimal treatment of neuraxial opioid side effects, (7) when to insert an endotracheal tube for general anesthesia after delivery, and (8) withdrawing epidural catheters through epidural needles. Conclusions: This survey presents reference data on the practice of obstetric anesthesia in Canada in 1997. Anesthesiologists with university affiliation have very similar practices to those without university affiliations.

To test the hypothesis that 0.1 mg intrathecal morphine plus NSAIDs provides satisfactory analgesia post-Cesarean section with fewer side effects than 0.25 mg intrathecal morphine.

ANESTHESIOLOGY is the highest-impact, peer-reviewed medical journal that publishes trusted evidence that transforms the practice of perioperative, critical care, and pain medicine along with clinical reviews, editorials, podcasts, infographics, and videos.