Intrathecal Sufentanil, Fentanyl, or Placebo Added to Bupivacaine for Cesarean Section

Authors:
  • GDGunnar Dahlgren
    Gunnar Dahlgren
  • CHChrister Hultstrand
    Christer Hultstrand
  • JJJan Jakobsson
    Jan Jakobsson
  • MNMikael Norman
    Mikael Norman
  • EEEva W. Eriksson
    Eva W. Eriksson
  • HMHelena Martin
    Helena Martin
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Turients presenting for elective cesarean section. Postoperative pain was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS). Duration of complete analgesia was defined as the time from the intrathecal injection to VAS score >0. Duration of effective analgesia was defined as the time to VAS score >or=to4. No patient experienced intraoperative pain. Complete analgesia was prolonged in all groups receiving opioids. Effective analgesia was prolonged and the 0- to 6-h intravenous opioid requirements were lower in the groups receiving sufentanil compared with those receiving fentanyl and placebo. The need for intraoperative antiemetic medication was greater in the placebo group. Pruritus was a frequent and dose-related side effect in the groups receiving sufentanil. There were no differences in umbilical cord blood gases or neonatal Apgar scores and neurological and adaptive capacity scores among the groups. In conclusion, the addition of sufentanil or fentanyl improved the quality of subarachnoid block compared with placebo. The duration of action was longer for sufentanil than fentanyl. Implications: Small doses of fentanyl or sufentanil (synthetic opioids) added to bupivacaine (local anesthetic) for spinal anesthesia for cesarean section reduce the need for intraoperative antiemetic medication and increase the duration of analgesia in the early postoperative period compared with placebo. (Anesth Analg 1997;85:1288-93)...

This publication has 14 references indexed in Scilit: