Epidural block for obstetrics: Comparison of bolus injection of local anesthetic with gravity flow technique

Study Objective: To test the hypothesis that slow administration of local anesthetic into the epidural space by gravity flow reduces the incidence of signs and symptoms of unintended injection.

Design: Prospective, randomized study.

Setting: Teaching hospital.

Patients: 600 ASA physical status I and II parturients scheduled for labor and delivery or elective cesarean section.

Interventions: After identification of the epidural space with pulsations of an air-fluid column, parturients for vaginal delivery (n = 380) were randomized to receive a test dose of 3 ml 3% 2-chloroprocaine with epinephrine 20 μg, two doses of 7 ml bupivacaine 0.03 % with sufentanil 1 μg/ml and epinephrine 2 μg/ml by either gravity flow (Group 1) given over 30 seconds or by bolus injection (Group 2) given over 5 seconds through the epidural needle; parturients for Cesarean delivery (n = 220) were randomized to receive a test dose and two doses of 6 ml lidocaine 2 % with sufentanil 1 μg/ml and epinephrine 2 μg/ml by either gravity flow or by bolus injection through the epidural needle. Changes in maternal heart rate (HR) and blood pressure, signs of intravascular injection, and adverse effects of epidural bupivacaine-sufentanil were recorded after each dose.

Measurements and Main Results: Gravity flow administration (Group 1) was associated with a smaller increase in mean maternal HR (p < 0.001), less hypotension (p < 0.01), sedation (p < 0.01), nausea (p = 0.01), and segmental spread (p < 0.0001) than were corresponding doses given by traditional bolus injection (Group 1) for vaginal or Cesarean deliveries. The incidence of systemic toxicity was zero of 300 (0%) with gravity flow and 4 of 300 (1.3%) by bolus injection, p = 0.12, Fisher's exact test. No patient in either group had an accidental intrathecal injection.

Conclusion: Gravity flow administration of local anesthetic-opioid solution during epidural block for obstetrics was associated with fewer signs of systemic drug absorption and cardiovascular perturbations than was the traditional bolus injection. This study supports the current opinion that slow administration of local anesthetic during epidural black contributes to fewer adverse events.     

Effects of famotidine and cimetidine on plasma levels of epidurally administered lignocaine

The effects of two H2-receptor antagonists, famotidine and cimetidine, on the plasma levels of epidurally administered lignocaine were studied. Group A (n = 20) received famotidine 20 mg orally the night before surgery and 20 mg intramuscularly 60 minutes before induction of anaesthesia. Group B (n = 15) received cimetidine 200 mg orally the night before the surgery and 400 mg orally 60 minutes before the anaesthetic induction. Group C (n = 20) received neither famotidine nor cimetidine and served as controls. Twelve millilitres of 2.0% lignocaine with adrenaline 1:200,000 was injected into the epidural space in all patients, after the establishment of general anaesthesia with nitrous oxide, oxygen, and enflurane (0.3-0.5%). The patients who received cimetidine showed significantly higher plasma concentrations of lignocaine compared with either group A or group C at all investigation times (p less than 0.01). The mean peak plasma concentrations were 2.4 (SEM 0.1), 3.2 (SEM 0.2) and 2.3 (SEM 0.1) micrograms/ml in group A, B, and C, respectively. This study suggests that famotidine is preferable to cimetidine for control of gastric acidity before the use of lignocaine as the epidural anaesthetic.     

Epidural pethidine and bupivacaine in labour

A double-blind randomised study was performed to assess the value of the addition of pethidine 50 mg to the initial dose of bupivacaine given for epidural analgesia in labour. Forty-nine patients received either 1 ml of saline (n = 24), or 50 mg of pethidine (n = 25), added to 9 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine as an initial injection for intrapartum epidural analgesia. There was a significant increase in the mean duration of analgesia in the pethidine group. However, pethidine did not increase the speed of onset of analgesia, or improve the quality of analgesia.     

硬膜外控自动镇痛泵用于剖宫产术后临床观察

目的 :观察硬膜外腔自动镇痛泵 (AFA)用于剖宫产术后镇痛效果及对产后各项生理指标的影响。方法 :选择剖宫产术后患者 10 0例 ,随机分为两组 ,每组各 5 0例。硬膜外腔自动镇痛泵内含有 0 75 %布比卡因 15ml,0 5 %布比卡因 0 5ml,氟哌啶醇 5mg ,吗啡 8mg ,麻黄素 15mg ,生理盐水 80ml,以每小时 2ml速度给药 ,持续给药 48小时 ,对照组则不给任何药物。采用视觉模拟评分法 ,分别观察 2组患者术后的疼痛情况 ,肠蠕动恢复时间 ,拔尿管后排尿情况 ,产后出血、子宫复旧、泌乳情况及下床活动早晚情况 ,以及是否有恶心、呕吐、呼吸抑制等。结果 :①术后镇痛泵组患者术后无明显疼痛感 ,镇痛效果好 ,而对照组患者术后有明显疼痛感 (P <0 0 1) ;②镇痛泵组患者术后肠蠕动恢复时间为 (16 68±9 3 2 )h ,对照组 (16 2 3± 10 1)h ,两者比较无明显差异 (P >0 0 5 ) ;③术后尿管拔除后尿潴留发生率 ,镇痛泵组 8例 ,对照组 2例 ,差异有显著性 (P <0 0 5 ) ;④镇痛泵组下床活动时间为 (19± 5 )h ,明显早于对照组 (2 7± 8)h ,两组比较差异有显著性 (P <0 0 5 ) ;⑤ 2组患者产后出血、泌乳情况、子宫复旧、术后恶心呕吐、呼吸抑制发生情况比较 ,差异均无显著性(P >0 0 5 )。结论 :硬膜外自动镇痛泵具有良好的镇痛     

2-chloroprocaine antagonism of epidural morphine analgesia

Background: 2-chloroprocaine (2-CP) used for lumbar epidural anesthesia (LEA) reportedly decreases the efficacy of epidural morphine (EM) administered for post-cesarean section (CS) analgesia. The amount of supplemental i.v. morphine self-administered by the patient via the patient-controlled analgesia device (PCA) is used to study the interaction between EM and 2-CP.
Methods: Forty-two patients scheduled for elective CS were randomly divided into 3 equal groups, and received 2-CP, 2-CP+epinephrine (Epi, 5 μg ml^-1) or 2% lidocaine (Lido) with Epi for LEA. All patients received 5 mg EM and i.v. PCA morphine for postoperative pain. Cumulative amount of i.v. morphine used in the first 24 hours as well as the amount of the drug used during each 2-h period were noted. Nonparametric analysis of variance and Chi-squared analysis were used for statistical comparisons.
Results: The mean cumulative 24-h i.v. PCA morphine requirement in the 2-CP, 2-CP+Epi and Lido+Epi groups respectively was 20.5±24, 33.1.5±27 and 4.07±6.3 (mean±SD). The Lido+Epi group used significantly less morphine ( P = 0.01) compared to either of the 2-CP groups with no significant difference between the 2-CP groups. The maximum i.v. PCA morphine use occurred in the first 4 hours following surgery in all three groups.
Conclusion: Analgesic efficacy of EM is decreased when 2-CP is used for LEA compared to when Lido+Epi is used.     

Preoperative metoprolol improves cardiovascular stability and reduces oxygen consumption after thoracotomy

Background : Increased sympathetic activity perioperatively and associated cardiovascular effects play a central role in cardiovascular complications. High thoracic epidural blockade attenuates the sympathetic response, but even with complete pain relief, haemodynamic and endocrine responses are still present. Beta–adrenoceptor blockade is effective in situations with increased sympathetic activity. This study was designed to evaluate the perioperative haemodynamic effect of preoperative βblockade and its influence on the haemodynamic aspects of the surgical stress response.
Methods : Thirty–six otherwise healthy patients undergoing elective thoracotomy for lung resection were randomised doubleblinded to receive either 100 mg metoprolol or placebo preoperatively. Anaesthesia was combined high thoracic epidural block and general anaesthesia. The epidural analgesia was continued during recovery. Patients were monitored with ECG, pulse oximetry, invasive haemodynamic monitoring, arterial blood gases and electrolytes.
Results : After induction of anaesthesia the mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased in both groups, and decreased further in the placebo group after initiation of the epidural block. The heart rate (HR) was slightly less throughout the observation period after metoprolol. Peroperatively, the only difference in measured haemodynamics was a marginally higher MAP after metoprolol. Postoperative cardiac index (CI) was lower with a lower variability and cardiac filling pressures were slightly higher in the metoprolol group. The oxygen consumption index was higher after placebo throughout the observation period, with no difference in the oxygen delivery.
Conclusion. We found that preoperative β–blockade during combined general anaesthesia and high thoracic epidural blockade stabilised perioperative HR and CI and decreased total oxygen consumption.     

Effect of thoracic epidural etidocaine 1.5% on somatosensory evoked potentials, cortisol and glucose during cholecystectomy

The effect of thoracic (T7-8) epidural etidocaine 1.5%, 9 ml, and continuous per- and postoperative epidural infusion of etidocaine 1.5%, 4 ml/h, on early (less than 500 ms) somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs), and cortisol and glucose in plasma during cholecystectomy, was examined in ten patients. Spread of analgesia (pin-prick) was T3 (T1-T3) to L2 (T11-L3) 35 min after injection of etidocaine, and T3 (T2-T4) to T12 (T8-L4) 3 h after surgical incision (median (range)). Before operation, epidural etidocaine had no significant effects on peak-to-peak amplitude of SEPs to electrical stimulation at the L1, T10 or T6 dermatomal level (P greater than 0.09). SEPs were abolished in only two patients at T6, and no patient had SEPs abolished at T10 or L1. The plasma concentrations of cortisol and glucose were significantly increased 20 min after surgical incision and remained increased throughout the study. No correlation was found between the block-induced decrease in the peak-to-peak amplitude at T6 or T10 and increase in plasma cortisol, except for a negative correlation at T10 and the initial increase in cortisol (Rs = 0.72, P = 0.03). In conclusion, thoracic epidural administration of 9 ml of etidocaine 1.5% does not provide total afferent somatic blockade assessed by SEP and the stress response to cholecystectomy.     

静注加肌注曲马多防治硬膜外麻醉期间寒战反应的研究

目的　观察曲马多防治硬膜外麻醉期间寒战反应时两种用药方法的临床效果。　方法硬膜外麻醉手术期间发生寒战的 6 0例成年患者 ,当出现寒战分级达 2～ 3级时 ,用室温下盐酸曲马多 1mg kg加氟哌啶 2 .5mg缓慢静脉推注 ,随机分成二组 :研究组 (R组 )与对照组 (C组 ) ,每组各 30例 ;R组在 5min内用上述同样药物和剂量予以肌内注射 ,C组以生理盐水 2ml肌内注射。观察寒战的治疗效果及 6h内寒战复发率。　结果　两组均于静注曲马多后 3min内起效 ,所有病人寒战反应均得到缓解 ,6h内R组均无寒战反应复发 ,C组有 5例再次出现寒战达 2级以上 ,给予追加首次量的 1 2后缓解 ,两组间差异有显著性 (P <0 .0 5 )。　结论　静注加肌注曲马多和氟哌啶可更有效地防治硬膜外麻醉期间的寒战反应。     

全麻复合硬膜外麻醉患者林格氏溶液的容量动力学

目的 通过确定全麻复合硬膜外时麻醉林格氏溶液的容量动力学模型参数，评价硬膜外复合全麻对晶体液扩容效应的影响。方法择期行肝癌切除术患者20例，随机分为2组：组Ⅰ麻醉诱导前行扩容治疗，组Ⅱ硬膜外复合全麻诱导后行扩容治疗。扩容采用30ml／kg乳酸钠林格氏溶液（LR）恒速输注，30min内输完，输注LR开始后90min内每5min测定血红蛋白（Hb）及红细胞压积（Hct），并记录总尿量及血液动力学数据。用容量动力学数学模型和物质守恒定律处理数据，获得结果。结果 组Ⅱ容量增加量、容量扩张效率、输注结束时液体保留率均高于组Ⅰ（P〈0．05）。一级容量动力学分析结果：组Ⅰ目标容积（V）和清除率（k1）均大于组Ⅱ（P〈0．05）。二级容量动力学分析结果：组Ⅱ的V1、k1、k1均高于组Ⅱ（P〈0．05）。扩容后组Ⅱ的平均动脉压、中心静脉压、心输出量均小于组Ⅰ（P〈0．05）。结论 全麻复合硬膜外麻醉可提高晶体液的容量扩张效率。     

术中输注氨基酸对硬膜外阻滞复合全麻开胸手术患者围术期体温的影响

目的评价术中输注氨基酸对硬膜外阻滞复合全麻食管癌和贲门癌手术患者围术期深部体温和代谢的影响。方法择期食管癌和贲门癌手术患者21例,ASAⅠ或Ⅱ级,随机分为3组(n =7):从麻醉诱导开始至手术结束,分别静脉输注氨基酸混合液240kJ·h-1(AA组)、等容量乳酸钠林格氏液(LR组)、葡萄糖溶液240kJ·h-1(GLU组)。麻醉诱导前至术后2h每5分钟测定鼓膜温度,于麻醉诱导前即刻、手术开始后1h和术后1h检测指尖血糖,采用4分表法评价术后2h内寒战的发生情况,采用间接测热仪测定术前与术后氧耗。结果与麻醉诱导前即刻比较,术后30min LR组和GLU组氧耗降低,AA组氧耗升高(P<0.01),术后2h LR组、GLU组鼓膜温度降低(P<0.05),AA组差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);与LR组和GLU组比较,AA组术后2h内寒战发生例数减少(P< 0.05),术后30min氧耗增多(P<0.05),LR组与GLU组比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论硬膜外阻滞复合全麻开胸手术患者术中静脉输注氨基酸可通过提高基础代谢率,缓解围术期深部体温降低,减少术后寒战发生,而输注葡萄糖不产生此效应。