• P Halonen, J Sarvela, T Saisto, A Soikkeli, E Halmesmäki, and K Korttila.
• Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. pekka.halonen@hus.fi
• Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2004 Jul 1;48(6):732-7.

BackgroundWe tested the hypothesis that patient-controlled epidural analgesia for labor (PCEA) provides better analgesia and satisfaction than the intermittent bolus technique (bolus) without affecting the mode of delivery.MethodsWe randomized 187 parturients to receive labor analgesia using either the PCEA or bolus technique. The PCEA group received a starting bolus of 14 mg of bupivacaine and 60 micro g of fentanyl in a 15-ml volume, followed by a background infusion (bupivacaine 0.08% and fentanyl 2 microg ml(-1)) 5 ml h(-1) with a 5-ml bolus and 15-min lock-out interval. The bolus group received boluses of 20 mg of bupivacaine and 75 micro g of fentanyl in a 15-ml volume.ResultsParturients in the PCEA group had significantly (P < 0.05-0.01) less pain during the first and second stages of labor. There was no difference in the spontaneous delivery rate between the groups, but the cesarean delivery rate was significantly (P < 0.05) higher (16.3% vs. 6.7%) in the PCEA group than in the bolus group. Bupivacaine consumption was significantly (P < 0.01) higher (11.2 mg h(-1) vs. 9.6 mg h(-1)) and the second stage of labor was significantly (P < 0.01) longer (70 min vs. 54 min) in the PCEA group than in the bolus group. Patient satisfaction was equally good in both groups.ConclusionThe PCEA technique provided better pain relief. This was associated with higher bupivacaine consumption, prolongation of the second stage of labor, and an increased rate of cesarean section.Copyright 2004 Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica

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