[Postpartum perineal pain: effectiveness of local ropivacaine infiltration]

To assess efficiency of local ropivacaine infiltration in perineal pain after episiotomy and perineal tear during the first 24 h after vaginal delivery.

Case control survey, including 62 consecutive patients with episiotomy and/or perineal tear during two consecutive periods: the ropivacaine group from February 2, 2008 to March 27, 2008 (n=31) and the control group from December 27, 2007 to January 1, 2008 (n=31). In the ropivacaine group, patients received 10 ml of ropivacaine 7,5mg/ml as a local infiltration along the perineal damage. In the control group no injection was done. A numerical pain rating scale (0-10) at four (H4), eight (H8), 12 (H12) and 24 h (H24) was used to evaluate patients post-partum perineal pain. A numerical rating scale was used to evaluate patients satisfaction (0: no satisfied, 5: very satisfied).

Numerical pain rating scale for perineal pain evaluation was significantly lower in the ropivacaine group than in the control group at H4 (1.9+/-0.3 versus 3.6+/-0.5, p=0.006), H8 (3.3+/-0.4 versus 5.2+/-0.4, p=0.003), H12 (2.8+/-0.4 versus 5.2+/-0.4, p=0.0001) and H24 (2.6+/-0.4 versus 4.3+/-0.4, p=0.006). Numerical rating scale for satisfaction evaluation was significantly higher in the ropivacaine group (4.2+/-0.2 versus 3.5+/-0.2, p=0.004).

Local ropivacaine infiltration in episiotomy and/or perineal tear reduce post-partum perineal pain within the first 24 h.