Dural Puncture Epidural Vs Standard Epidural Technique in Parturient Receiving Continuous Labour Epidural Infusion

Dural Puncture Epidural Vs Standard Epidural Technique in Parturient Receiving Continuous Labour Epidural Infusion: a Randomized Controlled Trial

The goal of this study is to evaluate the quality and safety of labor analgesia by comparing the use of Dural puncture epidural technique to Standard epidural technique while maintaining labor analgesia by means of continuous epidural infusion in parturient. The main questions it aims to answer are

• Effectiveness and quality of labor analgesia
• Frequency of catheter adjustments
• Need for catheter replacements
• Incidence of failed regional anesthesia requiring conversion to general anesthesia

Inclusion Criteria:

• Nulliparous / Multiparous women
• Age >18 years
• ASA 1 & 2
• Singleton vertex presentation
• Gestational age 37-42 weeks
• Parturient with established labor and pain score ≥ 3

Exclusion Criteria:

• Major cardiac disease
• History of chronic pain
• Chronic opioid user
• Platelet count < 70 x 109/L
• spinal cord anomalies
• Use of anticoagulants
• Allergic to local anesthetics
• Patients with preeclampsia/ eclampsia
• Known fetal anomalies