[Epidural administration of buprenorphine after combined spinal epidural anesthesia]

We compared the efficacy of epidurally administered buprenorphine (0.2 mg) after combined spinal-epidural anesthesia (CSE group) and that after general anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia (EPI + GEN group). Postoperatively epidural buprenorphine was administered for initial pain relief significantly later in CSE group than in EPI + GEN group. The duration of pain relief with epidural buprenorphine was similar in both groups (about 11 hours). The time period until postoperative first walk and the number of pain relief medication were also similar in both groups. We had the impression that the onset of pain relief was faster in CSE group, probably because there might be flux of buprenorphine through a dural hole just after epidural administration.