[Epidural anaesthesia in obstetrics (author's transl)]

Review of 1400 epidural anaesthesias during labour and delivery. The single shot method resulted in complete analgesia in 83.8% of the cases. There were 2.8% failures. With longer duration of albour 13.4% of the epidural anaesthesias had to be repeated. Epidural anaesthesia was tolerated well by the women in labour. Hypotension occurred in 21.6% of the cases and was corrected by intravenous infusion and positioning of the patient on the side. No adverse effects on the fetus were found. The duration of labour and delivery was not prolonged. The caesarean section rate was not increased by epidural anaesthesia. Because of the more difficult bearing down reflux during the second stage of labour, the incidence of vacuum extractions was increased by 1 to 3%. The incidence of forceps deliveries remained stable. There was no significant increase of abnormal vertex positions. Postpartum headaches because of decompression by loss of cerebrospinal fluid was seen in 2.2% of the cases. The headaches subsided on complete bed rest. One case of total spinal anesthesia with respiratory arrest is reported which necessitated immediate intubation. Another dangerous complication was noted in a Para 2 who suffered a complete uterine rupture below the level of the epidural anesthesia without any clinical signs and symptoms. Therefore continual internal fetal monitoring is considered to be essential in all cases with epidural anaesthesias. Previous caesarean sections or uterine operations are no contra-indications to epidural anaesthesia.