Anesthesiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
The influence of continuous epidural bupivacaine analgesia on the second stage of labor and method of delivery in nulliparous women.
A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study was performed to evaluate the analgesic efficacy and influence of continuing an epidural infusion of 0.125% bupivacaine beyond a cervical dilatation of 8 cm in nulliparous women. When the cervix was greater than or equal to 8 cm dilated, coded study solution was substituted for the known 0.125% bupivacaine solution. The study solution for 46 patients was 0.125% bupivacaine; 46 patients received saline. ⋯ Twenty-one of 40 (53%) women in the bupivacaine group, versus 11 of 40 (28%) in the saline group, underwent instrumental vaginal delivery (P less than .05). Twenty-eight of 40 (70%) women in the bupivacaine group, versus six of 40 (15%) in the saline group; had surgical perineal anesthesia for vaginal delivery (P less than .0001). There were no significant differences between groups in Apgar scores or umbilical cord blood acid-base values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Epidural anesthesia and analgesia in high-risk surgical patients.
The authors conducted a randomized controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effect of epidural anesthesia and postoperative analgesia (EAA) on postoperative morbidity in a group of high-risk surgical patients. A total of 53 patients were admitted to the study, 28 received EAA, and 25 received standard anesthetic and analgesic techniques without EAA. Surgical "risk" was evaluated preoperatively and found to be comparable in the two groups. ⋯ Urinary cortisol excretion, a marker of the stress response, was significantly diminished during the first 24 postoperative hours in the group receiving EAA (P = 0.025). Finally, hospital costs were significantly reduced for patients who received EAA (P = 0.02). The authors conclude that EAA exerted a significant beneficial effect on operative outcome in a group of high risk surgical patients.