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The effect of the addition of adrenaline to pethidine for patient‐controlled epidural analgesia after Caesarean section
Author(s) -
Ngan Kee W. D.,
Khaw K. S.,
Ma M. L.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2044.1998.00521.x
Subject(s) - pethidine , medicine , visual analogue scale , anesthesia , caesarean section , nausea , surgery , pregnancy , analgesic , biology , genetics
We have investigated the addition of adrenaline to pethidine for patient‐controlled epidural analgesia after elective Caesarean section. In a randomised, double‐blind study, patients received patient‐controlled epidural analgesia for 24 h using pethidine 5 mgml −1 with adrenaline 5 μgml −1 (adrenaline group, n = 40) or pethidine 5 mgml −1 without adrenaline (plain group, n = 38). Visual analogue scale pain scores at rest and on coughing measured 2 h, 6 h and 24 h after surgery were similar between the two groups. There was a trend towards lower mean total consumption of pethidine in the adrenaline group (231.5 mg; SD 140.5 mg) compared with the plain group (289.5 mg; SD 139.5 mg; p = 0.071). Patients in the adrenaline group had higher visual analogue scale scores for nausea at 2 h and 24 h and higher scores for pruritus at 2 h compared with the plain group. Addition of adrenaline to pethidine for patient‐controlled epidural analgesia does not appear to have significant clinical advantages.