British journal of anaesthesia
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Effect of extradural analgesia using bupivacaine and 2-chloroprocaine on intervillous blood flow during normal labour.
The effect of lumbar extradural analgesia on intervillous blood flow (IBF) during labour was studied in 26 healthy parturients using an i.v. bolus injection of xenon-133. There was a 19% decrease (n.s.) in mean IBF in six parturients (non-extradural control group). ⋯ This increase is statistically significant (P less than 0.05). The improvement in IBF after extradural block was considered to be a result of the decreased uterine vascular resistance, as no significant changes were observed in arterial pressure, uterine activity or uterine tone.