Post-partum urinary retention: a comparison between two methods of epidural analgesia.
OBJECTIVE
To compare two methods of epidural labor analgesia regarding the incidence of post-partum urinary retention.


METHODS
One thousand parturients who requested epidural analgesia for the relief of labor pain received, at random, either bupivacaine 0.25% with adrenaline 1:200 000 (n = 500) or bupivacaine 0.125% with 10 micrograms sufentanil (n = 500). During the same observation period all women with clinically significant urinary retention (> 500 ml, requiring indwelling catheter) were registered.


RESULTS
Altogether 30/3.364 parturients had clinically significant urinary retention. Twenty-seven of these had received epidural analgesia (EDA) (17 with bupivacaine/adrenaline and ten with bupivacaine/sufentanil, a non-significant differences). The number of parturients with urinary retention was highly increased following EDA (27/1000) as compared to those not receiving EDA (3/2364), P < 0.001 (Fisher's exact test). In patients with EDA and urinary retention there were no difference between the groups in the incidence of instrumental deliveries or vaginal/perirectal tears. All parturients regained normal bladder function.


CONCLUSIONS
EDA significantly increased the risk of post-partum urinary retention but no difference was found between the two epidural techniques.
Olofsson
C I
CI
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Ekblom
A O
AO
Ekman-Ordeberg
G E
GE
Irestedt
L E
LE
D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D016362:Analgesia, Obstetrical / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D011247:Pregnancy; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D017409:Sufentanil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016055:Urinary Retention / Q000139:chemically induced*
D017409:Sufentanil; D002045:Bupivacaine; D004837:Epinephrine