Continuous Labor Epidural Catheter for Tubal Ligation Study

Success Rate, Efficiency, and Predictors of Reactivation of a Continuous Labor Epidural Catheter for Postpartum Tubal Ligation

This study is to study the success rate of using the epidural catheter that was placed during the labor for the surgical anesthesia to perform a postpartum tubal ligation.

Inclusion Criteria:

• American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) 1-3 postpartum women desiring Postpartum Bilateral Tubal Ligation (PPBTL) for infertility
• Functional epidural catheter placed for labor and delivery analgesia
• The epidural is still taped within 1cm of the original depth when it was functional for labor analgesia
• 1-45 years of age

Exclusion Criteria:

• ASA 4 status
• History of dural puncture ("wet tap") during initial epidural catheter insertion
• History of marginal or inadequate epidural analgesia for labor
• Cesarean section for delivery
• Examination demonstrates that the indwelling catheter has migrated more than 1 cm from the original depth when secured
• The end of indwelling epidural catheter appears to have not been capped appropriately or the cap was not maintained intact
• Prolonged sensory or motor block, bladder or anal sphincter dysfunction, nerve damage, inability to ambulate, post-dural puncture headache (PDHD), or seizures, during or after delivery and following cessation of the epidural catheter dosing
• Pseudocholinesterase deficiency
• Allergy to Nesacaine® (chloroprocaine) or lidocaine
• General anesthesia provided for delivery
• History of substance abuse disorder
• History of major psychiatric disorder
• Non-English reading/speaking participants