[Combined spinal and epidural analgesia for caesarean section]

We compared the combined spinal and thoracic epidural analgesia with 2% lidocaine for caesarean section, with spinal analgesia using 2% lidocaine, tetracaine or dibucaine, and also with lumbar epidural analgesia. The analgesia at high thoracic level could be achieved with combined spinal and epidural analgesia more easily than with others. The frequency of side effects with the combined spinal and epidural analgesia, such as hypotension, decrease of fetal heart rate and so on, was less than that with others. In conclusion, the combined spinal and thoracic epidural analgesia with 2% lidocaine is more useful for caesarean section, than the spinal analgesia or the lumbar epidural analgesia alone.