Butorphanol in epidural:Could this be the breakthrough solution for safe and effective labor analgesia that we've been waiting for?

The authors have conducted a comprehensive investigation into the safety and effectiveness of butorphanol for epidural analgesia during labor.Their critical analysis of the paper and discussion of the technique's advantages and disadvantages provide a thorough understanding of the topic.

Safety and effectiveness of butorphanol in epidural labor analgesia:A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Epidural analgesia is the most effective analgesic method during labor.Butorphanol administered epidurally has been shown to be a successful analgesic method during labor.However,no comprehensive study has examined the safety and efficacy of using butorphanol as an epidural analgesic during labor.AIM To assess butorphanol's safety and efficacy for epidural labor analgesia.METHODS The PubMed,Cochrane Library,EMBASE,Web of Science,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,and Google Scholar databases will be searched from inception.Other types of literature,such as conference abstracts and references to pertinent reviews,will also be reviewed.We will include randomized controlled trials comparing butorphanol with other opioids combined with local anesthetics for epidural analgesia during labor.There will be no language restrictions.The primary outcomes will include the visual analog scale score for the first stage of labor,fetal effects,and Apgar score.Two independent reviewers will evaluate the full texts,extract data,and assess the risk of bias.Publication bias will be evaluated using Egger's or Begg's tests as well as visual analysis of a funnel plot,and heterogeneity will be evaluated using the Cochran Q test,P values,and I2 values.Meta-analysis,subgroup analysis,and sensitivity analysis will be performed using RevMan software version 5.4.This protocol was developed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses(PRISMA)Protocols statement,and the PRISMA statement will be used for the systematic review.RESULTS This study provides reliable information regarding the safety and efficacy of using butorphanol as an epidural analgesic during labor.CONCLUSION To support clinical practice and development,this study provides evidence-based findings regarding the safety and efficacy of using butorphanol as an epidural analgesic during labor.

Advances in epidural labor analgesia:Effectiveness and treatment strategies of butorphanol

In this editorial,we provide a critical review of the article by Tang et al published in the World J Clin Cases,focusing on the utilization of butorphanol for epidural analgesia during labor.Our discussion encompasses recent research developments in epidural labor analgesia,specifically highlighting the current status of clinical applications of butorphanol and associated treatment approaches.Epidural analgesia is widely acknowledged as the primary method for pain management during labor,offering effective and prolonged pain relief while allowing mothers to remain alert and actively participate in the delivery process.Among the various drugs utilized for epidural labor analgesia,butorphanol has received increasing attention due to its potential efficacy and distinctive pharmacological properties.As a synthetic opioid analgesic,butorphanol exhibits both agonistic and antagonistic activity on opioid receptors,striking a balance between analgesia and minimizing side effects.Nevertheless,the safety and efficacy of butorphanol in epidural labor analgesia remains controversial.While certain studies have reported positive outcomes with butorphanol,including effective pain relief and a reduced incidence of side effects,others have raised concerns about its safety and efficacy compared to traditional opioids or alternative analgesics.In addition,the optimal dosing strategy and regimen of butorphanol as an adjuvant in epidural labor analgesia still need to be verified.Through comprehensive synthesis and analysis of existing literature,we aim to evaluate the current evidence regarding the use of butorphanol for epidural labor analgesia,delineate areas of consensus and controversy,and propose future avenues for research and clinical practice in this domain.

Effects of Ropivacaine-sufentanil Epidural Analgesia on Labor and Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes

[Objectives]This study aimed to investigate the effects of ropivacaine-sufentanil epidural analgesia on labor and maternal and neonatal outcomes.[Methods]A total of 180 primiparas in full-term pregnancy were selected.They were randomly divided into treatment group(n=90)and control group(n=90).The primiparas in the treatment group were injected epidurally with ropivacaine and sufentanil for analgesia,and the primiparas in the control group were subjected to vaginal delivery.The VAS scores at 5,10,30 and 60 min of analgesia were observed.The vaginal bleeding amount,total labor duration,neonatal Apgar score and vaginal delivery rate of the two groups were compared.[Results]Compared with the control group,the VAS score in the treatment group differed insignificantly after 5 min of analgesia(P>0.05),and decreased significantly after 10,30 and 60 min of analgesia(P<0.05).The vaginal bleeding amount of the treatment group was significantly smaller than that of the control group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the neonatal Apgar score between the two groups(P>0.05).In the treatment group,the vaginal delivery rate increased(P<0.05),the second stage of labor was prolonged(P<0.05),and the first and third stages of labor did not change significantly(P>0.05).[Conclusions]Epidural analgesia with ropivacaine and sufentanil has a good analgesic effect and good safety,and is worthy of clinical promotion.

A systematic Review of the Safety and Effectiveness of Epidural Analgesia for Labor Analgesia

Objective To re-evaluate the systematic review of the safety and effectiveness of epidural analgesia(EA)for labor analgesia.Methods The Cochrane database,PubMed,EMBASE,EBSCO,Web of Science,ScienceDirect,China Biomedical Literature database,CNKI,Wanfang and VIP databases were searched,and the search time was limited to August 2020.Two researchers screened the literature and extracted data according to the inclusion criteria.AMSTAR was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies.Pain intensity and pain relief satisfaction were used as the main indicators for re-evaluation of the effectiveness.Midwifery rate,cesarean section rate,back pain,fever,nausea and vomiting,umbilical artery pH value,and newborn Apgar score were used as the main indicators to re-evaluate the safety.Results and Conclusion A total of 9 meta-analyses were included.The safety and effectiveness of EA and opioid intravenous analgesia,acupuncture stimulation,inhalation analgesia,no analgesia,and continuous delivery were evaluated separately.The included systematic reviews showed that EA could increase the rate of device-assisted delivery,causing maternal fever,and prolonging the first and second stages of labor.But the incidence of back pain,nausea,and vomiting was lower.Therefore,analgesia had a good effect with better satisfactory degree.Current evidence shows that EA is safe and effective for labor analgesia,but the quality of the reports of current studies is not high.

Myofascial Foot Pain Following Uneventful Epidural Analgesia for Labor and Delivery

Following an uneventful delivery under epidural analgesia, a 17 year old female patient was referred to the Pain Clinic because of numbness and pain of the left big toe for 2 and a half Months. An Orthopedic consultation had ruled out foot injury and concluded that the pain was radicular and secondary to nerve damage from the epidural analgesia. A Pain Clinic evaluation made the diagnosis of myofascial pain which was successfully treated with trigger pint block using normal saline.

Application of dezocine patient-controlled epidural analgesia in postoperative analgesia in patients with total myomectomy

BACKGROUND Uterine fibroids are common benign gynecological conditions.Patients who experience excessive menstruation,anemia,and pressure symptoms should be administered medication,and severe cases require a total hysterectomy.This procedure is invasive and causes severe postoperative pain,which can affect the patient’s postoperative sleep quality and,thus,the recovery process.AIM To evaluate use of dezocine in patient-controlled epidural analgesia(PCEA)for postoperative pain management in patients undergoing total myomectomy.METHODS We selected 100 patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy for uterine fibroids and randomized them into two groups:A control group receiving 0.2%ropivacaine plus 0.06 mg/mL of morphine and an observation group receiving 0.2%ropivacaine plus 0.3 mg/mL of diazoxide in their PCEA.Outcomes assessed included pain levels,sedation,recovery indices,PCEA usage,stress factors,and sleep quality.RESULTS The observation group showed lower visual analog scale scores,shorter postoperative recovery indices,fewer mean PCEA compressions,lower cortisol and blood glucose levels,and better polysomnographic parameters compared to the control group(P<0.05).The cumulative incidence of adverse reactions was lower in the observation group than in the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Dezocine PCEA can effectively control the pain associated with total myomectomy,reduce the negative impact of stress factors,and have less impact on patients’sleep,consequently resulting in fewer adverse effects.

Effects of combined spinal-epidural anesthesia on anxiety,labor analgesia and motor blocks in women during natural delivery

BACKGROUND The background of this study was analgesia in natural delivery.The combined spinal-epidural anesthesia has obvious analgesic effect on the parturients in natural labor,and combined spinal-epidural anesthesia has been widely used in anesthesia for various diseases.AIM To study the effects of combined spinal-epidural anesthesia on anxiety,labor analgesia,and motor blocks in parturients during natural delivery.METHODS A total of 120 women who gave birth at Changning District Maternal and Child Health Hospital between December 2021 to December 2022 were included;a random number table approach was employed to divide the women into a control group and a joint group,with each group consisting of 60 women.The control group was given epidural anesthesia,while the joint group was given combined spinal-epidural anesthesia.The visual analog scale(VAS)was used to evaluate the degree of maternal pain.Comparisons were made between the two groups’conditions of childbirth and the duration of labor.Apgar scores were used to evaluate the status of the newborns at birth;Self-rating Anxiety Scale(SAS)and General Self-Efficacy Scale(GSES)scores,umbilical artery blood gas analysis indices and stress indices were compared between the two groups;and the frequencies of motor block and postpartum complications were analyzed.RESULTS In comparison to the control group,in the joint group,the VAS scores for the first,second,and third stages of labor were lower(P<0.05).The rates of conversion to cesarean section and postpartum blood loss in the joint group were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).No significant differences were observed in the Apgar score,the duration of the first stage of labor,or the total duration of labor between the two groups(P>0.05).The second and third stages of labor in the joint group were shorter than those in the control group(P<0.05).When compared to the control group,the postpartum SAS score of the joint group was lower,while the GSES score was greater(P<0.05).Between the control group and the joint group,the differences observed in pH,arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure,arterial oxygen partial pressure,or arterial hydrogen ion concentration were not significant(P>0.05).Nitric oxide,cortisol,and adrenaline levels were lower in the joint group than in the control group(P<0.05).There were no substantial differences in Bromage grade or rate of complications between the two groups(P>0.05).CONCLUSION For parturients during natural delivery,combined spinal-epidural anesthesia can reduce anxiety,provide labor analgesia,shorten labor time,and reduce postoperative stress levels but did not result in a motor block.

Preprocedure ultrasound imaging combined with palpation technique in epidural labor analgesia

BACKGROUND For parturients with paroxysmal uterine contraction pain,rapid analgesia is needed.We used preprocedure ultrasound imaging combined with the palpation technique in epidural analgesia for labor,and evaluated the usefulness of this technique in epidural labor analgesia.AIM To evaluate the usefulness of preprocedure ultrasound imaging in epidural analgesia for labor.METHODS In this prospective randomized observational study,72 parturients were assigned to two groups(combined or palpation group).The target interspace of all parturients was first identified by the palpation technique.Then in the combined group,preprocedure ultrasound imaging was used before epidural puncture.In the palpation group,only the traditional anatomical landmarks technique(palpation technique)was performed.The primary outcome was total duration of the epidural procedure(for the ultrasound group,the duration of the preprocedure ultrasound imaging was included).The secondary outcomes were the number of skin punctures,the success rate at first needle pass,the number of needle passes,the depth from the skin to epidural space,and the complications of the procedure.RESULTS Total duration of the epidural procedure was similar between the two groups(406.5±92.15 s in the combined group and 380.03±128.2 s in the palpation group;P=0.318).A significant improvement was demonstrated for epidural puncture and catheterization in the combined group.The number of needle passes was 1.14 in the combined group and 1.72 in the palpation group(P=0.001).The number of skin puncture sites was 1.20 in the combined group and 1.25 in the palpation group(P=0.398).The success rate at first needle pass was 88.89%in the combined group and 66.67%in the palpation group(P=0.045).CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that the total duration of epidural procedures with preprocedure ultrasound imaging combined with the palpation technique was not longer than the traditional anatomical landmarks technique,which were performed by six experienced anesthesiologists in parturients with normal weights undergoing labor analgesia.

Comparison between 0.06% and 0.1% Levobupivacaine Combined with 2 μg/mL of Fentanyl for Epidural Labor Analgesia

Purpose: Levobupivacaine is thought to be a good alternative to bupivacaine for epidural labor analgesia because of its pharmacologic profile. However, the optimal concentration of levobupivacaine for labor analgesia has not been adequately studied. The objective of this retrospective study was to compare the analgesic effect of levobupivacaine between 0.06% and 0.1% both combined with 2 μg/mL of fentanyl. Methods: Primiparous women (ASA I, II) who delivered their babies to our hospital using combined spinal epidural analgesia and patient-controlled epidural analgesia between August 1, 2011 and September 30, 2011 were included into this retrospective study. The analgesic solution for epidural administration was 0.06% levobupivacaine with 2 μg/mL of fentanyl between August 1 and 31, and 0.1% levobupivacaine with 2 μg/mL of fentanyl between September 1 and 30. Their anesthetic and obstetric charts were reviewed to compare obstetric outcome, anesthetic intervention, and patients’ satisfaction. Results: There were 46 women fulfilling the inclusion criteria: 23 women in 0.06% group, and 23 women in 0.1% group. The number of patients who needed more than 3 requests for one actual bolus was significantly higher in the 0.06% group (P 0.05). Conclusion: Our results revealed that 0.06% levobupivacaine combined with 2 μg/mL fentanyl does not provide sufficient analgesic effects for epidural labor analgesia. It seems that levobupivacaine has not been adequately studied after its withdrawal from the US market. Further studies should be conducted to determine the optimal concentration of levobupivacaine for epidural labor analgesia.

Efficacy and safety of different doses of ropivacaine + sufentanil for epidural labor analgesia

Objective:To study the efficacy and safety of different doses of ropivacaine and sufentanil for epidural labor analgesia.Methods: The primiparae with single birth and cephalic presentation who underwent vaginal delivery in Chengde Maternal and Child Health Hospital between March 2015 and February 2018 were selected and randomly divided into the group A who received subarachnoid injection of sufentanil 4 μg, the group B who received injection of sufentanil 4 μg + ropivacaine 2 mg and the group C who received injection of sufentanil 4 μg+ ropivacaine 3 mg. During childbirth, serum was collected at the first, second and third stages of labor respectively to detect the secretion of pain mediators and oxidative stress mediators;after childbirth, the placenta was collected to determine the expression of stress molecules. Results: At first, second and third stages of labor, serum SP, DYN, NE, PGE2, TNF-α, COR, AT-II and MDA secretion of group B and group C were significantly lower than those of group A whereas SOD and GSH-Px secretion were significantly higher than those of group A, and serum SP, DYN, NE, PGE2, TNF-α, COR, AT-II and MDA secretion of group C were significantly lower than those of group B whereas SOD and GSH-Px secretion were significantly higher than those of group B;after childbirth, GRP78, CHOP, Bax and Caspase-3 mRNA expression in placenta of group B and group C were significantly lower than those of group A whereas Bcl-2 mRNA expression were significantly higher than that of group A, and GRP78, CHOP, Bax and Caspase-3 mRNA expression in placenta of group C were significantly lower than those of group B whereas Bcl-2 mRNA expression was significantly higher than that of group B.Conclusion: The analgesic effect of sufentanil 4 μg + ropivacaine 3 mg for epidural labor analgesia is the most significant.

Effects of labor analgesia on maternal and neonatal outcome by epidural low concentration of bupivacaine combined with anisodamine

Objective To observe the effects of labor analgesia on maternal and neonatal outcome by epidural application of 0.125% bupivacaine combined with anisodamine on the labor stage, and modes of delivery and neonatal Apgar’s score. Methods A total of 220 primiparaes with full-term pregnancy, monocyesis and fetal head presentation without any obstetrical or systematic complications were chosen and divided into analgesic group and control group (110 in each group). The mixture of bupivacaine and anisodamine was injected into the epidural space of the parturients in the analgesic group while those patients in the control group did not receive any analgesics. Results The analgesic effect was satisfactory (91.8%), and no side effects occurred in the second stage of labor. The instrument delivery rate was lower in the analgesic group, and there was no significant difference between the two groups in neonatal Apgar’s score. Conclusion The method is feasible in clinic for labor pain relief without increasing the rate of dystocia and complications of delivery.

Efficacy of low-dose fentanyl and ropivacaine combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for labor analgesia

Objective: To study the efficacy of low-dose fentanyl and ropivacaine combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for labor analgesia. Methods: Puerperae who underwent vaginal delivery under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for labor analgesia in Lincheng People's Hospital between June 2014 and March 2017 were selected and randomly divided into three groups, group A received 15 μg small-dose fentanyl and ropivacaine combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for labor analgesia, group B received 25 μg large-dose fentanyl and ropivacaine combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for labor analgesia, and group C received ropivacaine epidural anesthesia alone for labor analgesia. During delivery, the serum in the second stage of labor was collected to determine the contents of pain transmitters, inflammatory cytokines and stress response indexes. Results: During delivery, serum SP, 5-HT, DA, NE, DYN, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, PGE2, Cor, C-P, MDA and AOPP contents of group A and group B were lower than those of group C and serum SP, 5-HT, DA, NE, DYN, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, PGE2, Cor, C-P, MDA and AOPP contents of group A were not significantly different from those of group B. Conclusion: 15 μg small-dose fentanyl and ropivacaine combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for labor analgesia is with exact efficacy and good safety.

Evaluation of the efficacy of ropivacaine combined with sufentanil and ropivacaine alone for epidural labor analgesia

Objective: To study the efficacy of ropivacaine combined with sufentanil and ropivacaine alone for epidural labor analgesia. Methods: Primiparae who received vaginal delivery under epidural analgesia in Ankang People's Hospital between March 2015 and February 2017 were selected and randomly divided into accepting the group A who received ropivacaine combined with sufentanil for epidural analgesia and the group B who received ropivacaine alone for epidural analgesia. During the first, the second and the third stage of labor, the serum was collected to determine the levels of pain mediators SP, 5-HT and PGE2 as well as stress hormones NE, E, F-C, AT-II and INS;after delivery, the placenta tissue was collected to determine the expression of stress molecules GRP78, CHOP, Nrf-2 and ARE. Results: Serum SP, 5-HT, PGE2, NE, E, F-C, AT-II and INS levels of group A during the first, the second and the third stage of labor were significantly lower than those of group B;GRP78, CHOP, Nrf-2 and ARE mRNA expression in placental tissue of group A after delivery were significantly lower than those of group B. Conclusion: ropivacaine combined with sufentanil for epidural labor analgesia is more effective than ropivacaine alone in reducing pain and inhibiting stress response.

Effect of ropivacaine combined with sufentanil epidural labor analgesia on pain neurotransmitters as well as cytokine production and stress hormone secretion

Objective: To discuss the effect of ropivacaine combined with sufentanil epidural labor analgesia on pain neurotransmitters as well as cytokine production and stress hormone secretion. Methods: A total of 218 cases of puerperae who received caesarean section in the hospital between January 2015 and January 2017 were divided into control group (n=109) and observation group (n=109) by random table method. Control group received postpartum ropivacaine epidural analgesia alone, and observation group received postpartum ropivacaine combined with sufentanil epidural analgesia. The differences in serum levels of pain neurotransmitters, inflammatory factors and stress hormones were compared between the two groups immediately after childbirth (T0), 6 h after delivery (T1), 12 h after delivery (T2) and 24 h after delivery (T3). Results: At T0, the differences in serum levels of pain neurotransmitters, inflammatory factors and stress hormones were not statistically significant between the two groups. At T1, T2 and T3, serum NPY, β-EP and SP levels of observation group were lower than those of control group at corresponding points in time;serum IL-1β, hs-CRP and IL-6 levels of observation group were lower than those of control group at corresponding points in time;serum Cor, AngⅠ, AngⅡ and NE levels of observation group were lower than those of control group at corresponding points in time. Conclusion:Ropivacaine combined with sufentanil epidural analgesia after caesarean section can effectively inhibit the pain neurotransmitter expression and relieve the systemic inflammatory stress response in puerperae.

Women’s Awareness and Attitudes towards Labor Analgesia Influencing Practice between Developed and Developing Countries

Childbirth experience is one of the most intense pain that majority of women will endure during their lifetime. Concerns about pain in labor remain a hot topic, and its popularity gets more common day by day as more women become aware of their rights to achieve a better quality of care during labor. There are various non-pharmacologic (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, hydrotherapy, intradermal water injections and acupuncture) and pharmacologic treatments (nitrous oxide, opioids and regional analgesia techniques: spinal, epidural and combined epidural analgesia) available today. Among these, epidural analgesia offers the most effective form of pain relief and is considered to be the gold standard of labor analgesia. Despite having labor analgesic services, most women still go through painful labor due to lack of knowledge regarding it, particularly in developing countries. The main source of information regarding pain reliefs is from friends and relatives, revealing the lack of information from caregiver’s side. So this study reflects that there is a wide gap in the communication between pregnant women and obstetricians. It supports the fact that obstetricians through the practice of routinely offering labor analgesia can significantly improve the maternal and perinatal outcomes of pregnancy. Provision of standardized epidural analgesia information at an appropriate time in their pregnancy may benefit them by the practice of mutual decision-making. Thus, it may prevent women from making a difficult choice of cesarean section to avoid the fear of painful labor.

Effect of epidural analgesia with 0.075% ropivacaine versus 0.1% ropivacaine on the maternal temperature during labor： a randomized controlled study

Background A wealth of evidence has indicated that labor epidural analgesia is associated with an increased risk of hyperthermia and overt clinical fever. Recently, evidence is emerging that the epidural analgesia-induced fever is associated with the types of the epidural analgesia and the variations in the epidural analgesia will affect the incidence of fever. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of epidural analgesia with 0.075% or 0.1% ropivacaine on the maternal temperature during labor. Methods Two hundred healthy term nulliparas were randomly assigned to receive epidural analgesia with either 0.1% ropivacaine or 0.075% ropivacaine. Epidural analgesia was initiated with 10 ml increment of the randomized solution and 0.5 IJg/ml sufentanyl after a negative test dose of 5 ml of 1.5% lidocaine, and maintained with 7 ml bolus doses of the abovementioned mixed analgesics every 30 minutes by the patient-controlled epidural analgesia. The measurements included the maternal oral temperature, visual analog scale pain scores, labor events and neonatal outcomes. Results Epidural analgesia with 0.075% ropivacaine could significantly lower the mean maternal temperature at 4 hours after the initiation of analgesia and the oxytocin administration during labor compared with the one with 0.1% ropivacaine. Moreover, 0.075% ropivacaine treatment could provide satisfactory pain relief during labor and had no significant adverse effects on the labor events and neonatal outcomes. Conclusion Epidural analgesia with 0.075% ropivacaine may be a good choice for the epidural analgesia during labor.

Why Labor Epidural Causes Fever and Why Lidocaine Burns on Injection? Role of TRPV 1 Receptor in Hyperthermia: Possible Explanation of Mechanism of Hyperthermia during Labor Epidural and Burning Sensation on Injection of Local Anesthetics

The mechanisms of epidural-associated fever remain incompletely understood [1-3]. We propose that action of local anesthetic on TPRV1. The transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1), also known as the capsaicin receptor and the vanilloid receptor can explain this effect and explain mechanism of burning sensation on local anesthetic injected subcutaneously or intramuscular. Role of TRPV1 receptor was not discussed previously in Obstetric Anesthesia literature. Based on available data, we propose that Local Anesthetics work as agonist/antagonist on TPRV1 receptors. Antagonist action may cause hyperthermia through modifying thermoregulation [4], agonist action may cause hyperthermia thru release of IL-6 and other mediators of inflammation [5-10]. Agonist action may explain burning sensation on injection of Local Anesthetics. Burning sensation can be diminished by increasing pH of Local Anesthetic solution, because vanillin receptors are stimulated by acidification through lower pH [11,12].

Urgent Need of Continuing Medical Education:The Key for Patient Awareness of Labor Epidural Analgesia-A Survey of Chinese Perinatal Care Providers

Objective:This survey was designed to understand the misconceptions about labor epidurals.Methods:This voluntary and anonymous online survey on wenjuan.com was conducted from September 1st,2015 to January 1st,2016 via mainly WeChat groups dedicated to perinatal healthcare providers in China.The questionnaire included items inquiring the knowledge and opinions about labor epidural analgesia related to maternal complications,baby safety,and effect on laboring.Incomplete surveys were excluded from the data analysis.The data was presented as percentages and a Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test,as appreciate,was used to quantitatively compare the results.Results:A total of 1412 respondents completed surveys with 42.9%(606/1412)of them being anesthesiologists,35.1%(495/1412)being obstetricians,11.8%(167/1412)being midwives,3.7%(52/1412)being labor and delivery nurses,and 6.5%(92/1412)being hospital administrators and unspecified.The study revealed a lack of knowledge in labor pain control.Although 82.4%(1164/1412)of respondents were familiar with labor epidural analgesia,8.9%(126/1412)did not know how it works,and 1.1%(15/1412)never heard it in a multiple-choice question.The three main groups(anesthesiologists,obstetricians,and midwives/labor and delivery nurses)were chosen for comparisons.Opinions among these three groups concerning five questions in the three main concerns were evaluated using a statistical significance of P<0.05.Conclusion:The results in our survey indicated an urgent need of continuing medical education to multidisciplinary specialties to improve evidence-based medical practices as these misconceptions have existed for over 10 years in the medical professionals.Lack of public awareness fueled by misconceptions related to labor epidural analgesia may be associated with a lack of professional knowledge.Correct knowledge in professionals needs to be disseminated to the public in order to dispel possible misconceptions and rumors about labor epidural analgesia.This would not only enhance patient understanding of their care but also improve maternal,fetal,and neonatal outcomes.

Comparison of bupivacaine, ropivacaine and levobupivacaine with sufentanil for patient-controlled epidural analgesia during labor： a randomized clinical trial

Ropivacaine and levobupivacaine have been introduced into obstetric analgesic practice with the proposed advantages of causing less motor block and toxicity compared with bupivacaine. However, it is still controversial whether both anesthetics are associated with any clinical benefit relative to bupivacaine for labor analgesia. This study aimed to compare the analgesic efficacy, motor block and side effects of bupivacaine, ropivacaine and levobupivacaine at lower concentrations for patient-controlled epidural labor analgesia. Methods Four hundred and fifty nulliparous parturients were enrolled in this randomized clinical trial. A concentration of 0.05%, 0.075%, 0.1%, 0.125% or 0.15% of either bupivacaine （Group B）, ropivacaine （Group R） or levobupivacaine （Group L） with sufentanil 0.5 ug/ml was epidurally administered by patient-controlled analgesia mode. Effective analgesia was defined as a visual analogue scale score was 〈30 mm. The relative median potency for each local anesthetic was calculated using a probit regression model. Parturients demographics, sensory and motor blockade, obstetric data, maternal side effects, hourly volumes of local anesthetic used, and others were also noted. Results There were no significant differences among groups in the numbers of effective analgesia, pain scores, hourly local anesthetic amount used, sensory and motor blockade, labor duration and mode of delivery, side effects and maternal satisfaction （P 〉0.05）. The relative median potency was bupivacaine/ropivacaine： 0.828 （0.602-1.091）, bupivacaine/levobupivacaine： 0.845 （0.617-1.12）, ropivacaine/levobupivacaine： 1.021 （0.774-1.354）, respectively. However, a significantly less number of effective analgesia and higher hourly local anesthetic use were observed in the concentration of 0.05% than those of 〉0.1% within each group （P 〈0.05）. Conclusions Using patient-controlled epidural analgesia, lower concentrations of bupivacaine, ropivacaine and levobupivacaine with s＇ufentanil produce similar analgesia and motor block and safety for labor analgesia. The analgesic efficacy mainly depends on the concentration rather than the type of anesthetics.