title: [Epidural anesthesia using the bupivacaine-fentanyl combination for cesarean section].
abstract: This prospective study was designed to evaluate the benefit of a bupivacaine-fentanyl mixture vs bupivacaine alone in epidural anaesthesia for caesarean section. In 10 women, 0.5% bupivacaine (1.18 ml per metamer) was injected in the epidural space. In 20 women, 0.5% bupivacaine (1.06 ml per metamer) was injected by the same route together with fentanyl (1.70 +/- 0.09 micrograms X kg-1). The bupivacaine-fentanyl group showed a significantly shortened onset of analgesia (p less than 0.001), as well as a significant reinforcement of this analgesia graduated from 0 to 4 (p less than 0.01 at 25 min, p less than 0.001 at 75 min and at the maximum of pain, for the two sets of scores). All the Apgar scores were maximal at 5 min. No clinical respiratory depression was observed in either the mothers or the neonates. Fetal and maternal blood concentrations were in favour of respiratory innocuousness of the method (peak fentanyl concentrations: in mothers 1.5 ng X ml-1, in neonates 0.8 ng X ml-1). Fentanyl never induced any significant haemodynamic variations. Pruritus and nausea respectively occurred in six and two patients respectively in the bupivacaine-fentanyl group. In conclusion, in caesarean section, the adjunction of fentanyl to bupivacaine significantly improved analgesia without any clinical respiratory depression both in the mother and the neonate.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical / Q000379:methods*; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002585:Cesarean Section; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D059408:Pain Management; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005283:Fentanyl; D002045:Bupivacaine
vernacular_title: Anesthésie péridurale pour césarienne par association bupivacaïne-fentanyl.