Effect of Epidural Analgesia on Regional Lung Ventilation in Parturient Women as Assessed by Thoracic Impedance

Impact on Respiratory Function Associated to Epidural Analgesia in Parturient Women as Assessed by Electrical Impedance Tomography: a Monocentric Prospective Study

The goal of this observational study is to learn more about the effect of obstetric epidural anesthesia on regional lung ventilation in healthy parturient women. The main question it aims to answer is whether the initiation or epidural analgesia improves or not regional lung ventilation in healthy women at term during labor.

Participants will be subject to measurements of pulmonary impedance by electric impedance tomography before and after the start of epidural analgesia. No change will be applied to clinical care as a result of this measurement.

Inclusion Criteria:

• At-term pregnancy (at least 36 weeks)
• ASA class I-II

Exclusion Criteria:

• American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Class III or more
• BMI>35 before pregnancy
• Contraindication to routinely administrated drugs (levobupivacaine, lidocaine, sufentanil)
• Contraindication to epidural analgesia
• Pregnancy-related complications (including pre-eclampsia)
• Respiratory system diseases
• Severe psychiatric disorders
• Twin pregnancy
• Skin lesions in correspondence to the position of the Electric impedance tomography belt
• Pacemaker or Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD)
• Language barrier