Knowledge
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The remifentanil PCA for labour analgesia controversy continues...
Those advocating its first-line use point to reassuring evidence of maternal satisfaction and acceptability, reduced epidural rates, and some suggestion of reduced instrumental delivery rates.
For the negative, the ongoing safety concerns created by routine use of remifentanil PCAs are foremost, particularly given how uneven hospitals can be at implementing best safety practices. Observed rates of significant desaturation range from 25-70%, in addition to potential neonatal effects.
The greatest challenge facing the remiPCA advocates, is that the labour epidural is still the most effective form of labour analgesia, and has only improved over the decades as safety has been both maintained and increased.
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