A Pilot Study -Efficacy of 0.15% Ropivacaine with Fentanyl for Management of Epidural Labor Analgesia in Primigravida Parturient (original) (raw)

Background: Ropivacaine is considered to have better safety profile and differential block compared to Bupivacaine. Ropivacaine in Labor Epidural Analgesia can be useful in providing good pain relief with better maternal satisfaction due to less motor blockade. Materials & Method: This pilot study was conducted in 30 consenting nulliparous primigravida and Epidural labor analgesia was given by 0.15 % Ropivacaine with fentanyl. Our primary objective is to assess the analgesic efficacy using VAS score and degree of motor blockade of Epidural 0.15% Ropivacaine with fentanyl in nulliparous parturient undergoing labour epidural analgesia. Our secondary objective was the obstetric outcome in terms of rate of normal, instrumental vaginal or caesarean delivery, any side effects like nausea, vomiting, hypotension, maternal satisfaction score and the neonatal outcome. Observations and Results: Effective Ambulatory Labor Analgesia was observed in all 30 parturient with no failure rate. VAS score was highly statically significant (p < 0.001) between pre-bolus and post-infusion. None of the parturient required rescue analgesia or complained of VAS > 3 throughout the study. We found no significant motor blockade in our study. All Parturient were pain free, ambulatory with no motor blockade. Maternal Satisfaction score was excellent in 86.66% of parturient with no parturient complained of poor pain relief. Conclusion: In our pilot study we conclude that 0.15% Ropivacaine provide excellent walking epidural labor analgesia with no motor blockade resulting in good maternal satisfaction and neonate outcome.