Different Epidural Initiation Volumes

Effects of Different Epidural Initiation Volumes on Postoperative Analgesia in Cesarean Delivery

The aim of this study is to compare the effect of different epidural initiation volumes on postoperative pain scores, local anesthetic requirements, and motor block in patients who undergo patient controlled epidural analgesia for postoperative pain after cesarean section.

90 minutes after combined epidural spinal catheter insertion, three different volumes (5 mL, 10 mL, and 20 mL) are administered with a patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) device through the epidural catheter. For each group, 0.625% bupivacain + 2 μg/mL fentanyl, is administered.

The visual analog scale, first analgesic demand time, the number of PCEA requirement per hour, morphine requirement, nausea-vomiting, itching, motor block, hypotension, and total consumed analgesic, and ephedrine amounts of the patients are recorded in the recovery room and at postoperative 2, 4, 6, 12 hours.

Inclusion Criteria:

• American Society of Anesthesiology risks classification II
• Term pregnant

Exclusion Criteria:

• Multiple pregnancy
• Diabetes mellitus
• Hypertension
• Coagulopathy
• Severe cardiac, neurological and pulmonary disease
• Allergy to the study drugs
• Difficulty in understanding the use of the patient controlled analgesia device