Combined spinal epidural (CSE) analgesia: technique, management, and outcome of 300 mothers

Epidural analgesia in labour is commonly associated with some degree of lower limb weakness often severe enough to be described as paralysis by the mother. We aimed to produce rapid reliable analgesia with no motor block throughout labour. We report a pilot survey of 300 consecutive women requesting regional analgesia in labour who received a combined spinal epidural blockade (CSE). The initial dose was given into the subarachnoid space and analgesia maintained via an epidural catheter. A subarachnoid injection of 2.5 mg bupivacaine and 25 mug fentanyl was successfully given in 268 women (89.3%). Completely pain-free contractions within 3 min of this injection occurred in 195 women (65%) and in all 300 within 20 min and there was no associated motor block in 291 (97%). 141 women chose to stand, walk or sit in a rocking chair at some time during labour. Only 38 women (12.6%) were immobile during the first stage of labour. Analgesia was maintained via the epidural catheter with bolus doses of 10-15 ml of 0.1% bupivacaine and 0.0002% fentanyl. The mean bupivacaine requirement was 9.5 mg/h throughout the entire duration of analgesia. The incidence of post lumbar puncture headache was 2.3%. Transient hypotension occurred in 24 women (8%) and was treated with 6 mg intravenous boluses of ephedrine. Complete satisfaction with analgesia and mobility was reported 12-24 h post partum by 95% of mothers. The use of this analgesic technique caused no alteration in obstetric management or post partum care of the women.