Painless Labor: Comparison between Patient Controlled Epidural Analgesia and Continuous Epidural Analgesia

Abstract

BACKGROUND:Patient-controlled epidural analgesia has been considered as superior to continuous epiduralinfusion for labor pain control.AIM OF STUDY:The aim was to establish the efficacy of Patient Controlled Epidural Analgesia for control oflabor pain and improve the quality of analgesia .METHODS:This study was done on 20 patients; they were given bolus of 10 ml of 0.125% bupivacaine +2Mg /ml fentanyl then divided into: Group A can put the device to deliver 5ml of 0.125%bupivacaine +2Mg /ml fentanyl with lockout interval 20 min; Group B had the PCA system todeliver continuous infusion of 10 ml /hr. In each group if patient still suffer from pain, patientswere received additional dose of 5ml of same solution.RESULTS:Data showed that total amount of LA in group A was lower than group B (18.44ml versus 20mlin 1st hr., 2.5ml versus 10ml in 2nd hr.). Regarding additional boluses, CIEA group neededmore extra boluses of LA at 20, and 60 mints (5.0ml versus 1.0ml, 4.0 ml versus 0.5ml).CONCLUSION:The use of PCEA associated with lower doses of local anesthetic with better quality of analgesiaand maternal satisfaction.