title: Double blind comparison of combination of 0.1% ropivacaine and fentanyl to combination of 0.1% bupivacaine and fentanyl for extradural analgesia in labour.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ropivacaine is considered as a safe alternative to bupivacaine for labor analgesia. The aim was to compare epidural ropivacaine and bupivacaine in intermittent doses for obstetric analgesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective, randomized, double-blind study, 60 women in labor were randomly allocated to receive either bupivacaine 0.1% with fentanyl 2 μg/mL (BF), or ropivacaine 0.1% with fentanyl 2 μg/mL (RF). Bromage scale, loss of cold sensation to ether swab in midclavicular line, visual analog scale were used to test for motor block, sensory block and pain, respectively. Hemodynamic parameters, onset of analgesia, dose requirement of drug to produce analgesia, duration of labor, and incidence of side effects were also recorded. Data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation and analyzed using students unpaired t-test, Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U-tests at P < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both drugs were similar with respect to hemodynamic stability, onset of analgesia, quality of analgesia, sensory blockade, neonatal outcome, requirement of drugs, duration of labor, and incidence of side effects. Three parturient in bupivacaine (B-F) group had a motor block of Bromage 1 and were delivered using forceps. None of the parturient in ropivacaine (R-F) group had any motor block, and all had spontaneous vaginal delivery, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.081).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bupivacaine and ropivacaine provide equivalent analgesia in low (0.1%) concentration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, LTMMC and LTMG Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Kishori Dhaku
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Bawdane
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, LTMMC and LTMG Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Jyoti S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Magar
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, LTMMC and LTMG Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Bharati A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Tendolkar
keywords: Bupivacaine; epidural analgesia; obstetrical analgesia; ropivacaine