Ain Shams Journal of Anesthesiology Vol 5-1; Jan 2012DEXAMETHASONE AS ADJUVANT TO CAUDAL ROPIVACAINE AS ANALGESIC FOR LABOR PAIN Ahmed Abdalla Mohammed1,Wael Ahmed Ibrahim2, Tamer Fayez Safan1 1Department of Anesthesiology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt 2Department of Anesthesiology, NCI, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt Abstract Objectives: To evaluate analgesic yield of dexamethasone (DEX) as adjuvant to caudal ropivacaine (ROP) for labor pain. Patients & Methods: 414 primigravida in their active phase of the first stage of labour divided randomly into two groups: ROP group received caudal ropivacaine and DEX group received caudal combination of ropivacaine and dexamethasone. Assessment included extent of sensory and motor blockade and requirement of anaesthesia for episiotomy repair and evaluation of post-episiotomy pain and postpartum complications. Results: Sensory blockade data showed a profound analgesic effect in both groups with superior effect in DEX group manifested as significantly earlier onset of analgesia in association with significantly prolonged duration of analgesia. Caudal block did not disturb process of delivery with non- significant difference between both groups. Twenty nine parturient had caesarean section and 385 had vaginal delivery. Episiotomy was repaired without perineal infiltration anaesthesia. Postpartum perineal pain scores were significantly lower in DEX group with significantly higher low pain scores and significantly request for analgesia for episiotomy related pain. Conclusion: Caudal ropivacaine/dexamethasone provided safe profound labor analgesia without interruption of progress of labor and spared the need for perineal anaesthesia for episiotomy repair and minimized the need for subsequent analgesia. Key-words: Dexamethasone; Ropivacaine; Caudal block; Labor pain Key messages:
We do believe that such modification provides safe profound labor analgesia. It doesn't interrupt the progress of labor. It also spares the need for perineal anesthesia for episiotomy repair and minimizes the need for subsequent analgesia.
Introduction
sense of painful cervical dilatation. In
primigravida labor pain is intensified by
ignorance of its nature which lowers pain
threshold thus intensifying pain sensation
and prolongs its duration. These criteria
affecting muscle power of the lower limbs
to permit mobility. Ropivacaine with its
analgesia without abolishing the reflex of
motor nerves sparing affinity intensified
uterine contraction-cervical dilatation and
these effects and its favourable toxicity
profile for epidural anaesthesia in adults
of perineal muscles. Also, adequate pain
with less toxic insult on central nervous
system than bupivacaine could potentially
be of great benefit for provision of proper
Dexamethasone as adjuvant to caudal ropivacaine for labor pain Mohammed, et al.
analgesia during childbirth with minimal
of obstetrics kasr elaini hospital Cairo
university. After doing sample size calculation, the study protocol was
additives to be used in combination with
and parturient and/or husbands' were fully
informed about the study protocol prior to
enrollment and those accepted gave their
analgesia; Goodman et al. [5] found
written consent to participate. The study
intrathecal epinephrine does not prolong
enrolled 414 primigravidas with full term
the duration of fentanyl or fentanyl with
pregnancies and singleton vertex cephalic
fetuses, and all of them were in the active
phase of the first stage of labor. Parturient
with medical diseases, premature rupture
cannot be recommended. Lee et al. [6]
of membranes, history of pyuria or fever
anaesthetics, or pre-existing neurological
Kumar et al. [7] evaluated the analgesic effect of caudal bupivacaine with or
fetal condition, parturient were randomly,
neostigmine and reported that the time to
comprised 207 women assigned to receive caudal ropivacaine 0.15% mixed with
No additional analgesia was provided for
investigated for its analgesic efficacy,
labor pain so as to equalize both groups
however, up till now still there is some
points of controversy concerning the route
of administration whether systemic [8] or
regional [9], its additive analgesic effects if
mechanism and site of its analgesic action
position, and after local infiltration of the skin, a caudal block was performed using
Touhy needle. After a negative aspiration
adjuvant to caudal ropivacaine for labor
for blood or CSF, 10 ml of study solution
Subjects & Methods:
over a 60-s period. Then, the parturient
was returned to a left lateral supine position.
Ain Shams Journal of Anesthesiology Vol 5-1; Jan 2012
of labour, 2) the duration of the 2nd stage
respiratory rate were determined and were
colour of liquor, 6) the mode of delivery
compared versus the baseline values. [2]
verbal analogue pain scale consisting of:
assessed at each uterine contraction using
a four-graded verbal analogue scale: 1: no
pain relief, 2: a little pain relief, 3: a lot of
pain relief, and 4: complete pain relief,
request and if pain score at least was 2
since onset of start till onset of regression
Results:
of analgesia. [3] Motor blockade of the lower limbs was tested and scored as
follows: 0= no motor block means that the
significant difference as regards maternal
and 1= unable to raise the extended legs
measures, heart rate or respiratory rate.
but able to move the knee and feet and so
Moreover, mean of intrapartum vital data
collected: 1) the duration of the 1st stage
Table (1): Patients enrollment data Data are presented as mean±SD, ranges are in parenthesis. Table (2): Mean (±SD) baseline and intrapartum vital signs Dexamethasone as adjuvant to caudal ropivacaine for labor pain Mohammed, et al.
modalities of caudal analgesia. However,
significantly earlier onset of analgesia in
association with significantly prolonged
parturient free of motor blockade (Table
duration of analgesia. Ropivacain in the
Table (3): Sensory and motor blockade data
Data are presented as mean±SD, ranges are in parenthesis.
glucose 5%) was required in 66 parturient
groups, (X2=0.249, p>0.05). Time till
groups, (X2=0.383, p>0.05). Also, mean
parturient. Twenty parturient; 8 (3.8%) in
between both groups (F=1.320, p>0.05).
light meconium stained liquor with a non-
Table (4): Labor data
Data are presented as mean±SD & numbers, percentages are in parenthesis SROM: Spontaneous rupture of membranes
Ain Shams Journal of Anesthesiology Vol 5-1; Jan 2012
duration of labor were non-significantly
significantly higher frequency of patients
vaginal delivery required episiotomy; all
with low pain scores (X2=3.968, p<0.05)
Table (5): Delivery and postpartum data
Data are presented as mean±SD & numbers, percentages are in parenthesis.
injection for provision of analgesia by Li et al. [13], who investigated the effect of
ropivacaine in combination with fentanyl
groups. In 20 patients bleeding was atonic
analgesia, and by Khafagy et al. [14] who
conservatively and the 21st had traumatic
dexamethasone versus fentanyl to epidural
cervical tear) that repaired and bleeding
was controlled. No patient required blood
and reported significantly prolonged time
transfusion for compensation, (Table 5).
to first analgesic requirement by 5.2 and 4.8 times in fentanyl and dexamethasone
Discussion
with significant reduction in postoperative
caudal injection of ropivacaine alone or in
previously applied using single epidural
Dexamethasone as adjuvant to caudal ropivacaine for labor pain Mohammed, et al.
in line with the limited previous studies
Thomas & Beevi [18]
epidural administration of dexamethasone
throughout the duration of caudal block in
Bigat et al.
investigated the anesthetic and analgesic
effectiveness of adding dexamethasone to
previous studies evaluated the analgesic
patients received combination of lidocaine
concentration; Sitsen et al. [15] compared
and dexamethasone reported significantly
surgery and concluded that the addition of
epidural pain relief and reported that all
surgery improves postoperative analgesia
Shrestha et al. [20] found dexamethasone
postoperative analgesia significantly than
consumption of sufentanil. Wang et al. [16]
local anesthetic in brachial plexus block in
postoperative pain control in combination with fentanyl without motor block and
Also, Khafagy et al. [14] found epidural
had almost the same analgesic potency as
adverse events. Inoue et al. [17] compared
bupivacaine-fentanyl with opioid-sparing
and antiemetic effects. Parrington et al. [9]
and Vieira et al. [21] found the addition of
differences in bolus administration, but
with respect to the analgesic efficacy and
the potential risk for side effects, PCEA
sensory block and reduces opioid use after
superior analgesic effect of ropivacaine/
induce or increase the frequency of labor-
significantly earlier onset of analgesia in
association with significantly prolonged
duration of analgesia. These findings are
that reported by Bakhamees & Hegazy, Ain Shams Journal of Anesthesiology Vol 5-1; Jan 2012
[22] who reported a frequency of cesarean
serum levels of interleukin-6, one of the
respectively, for labor pain and concluded
increase the incidence of cesarean section
spared the need for perineal anesthesia for
episiotomy repair and minimized the need
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1 Assenmacher, Christian 2 Baitz, Christoph 3 Baitz, Michael 4 Bandrowski, Rudi 5 Berg, Richard 6 Blum, Katharina 7 Boonen, Noel 8 Braun, Michael 9 Breitbach, Christoph 10 Breitbach, Thomas 11 Bumke, Heike 12 Bumke, Margit 13 Carstesen, Uwe 14 Cipriani, Ciovanni 15 Corleis, Reiner 16 Dammers, Wolfgang 17 Dombois, Alexander von 18 Eichberger, Mir