Open AccessTreatment of Labor Pain with Locally Applied Ketocaine
Author(s) -
Ulmsten Ulf,
Sandahl Björn,
Lundén Christoffer,
Andersson KarlErik
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016348009155397
Subject(s) - medicine , placebo , cervical dilatation , anesthesia , cervix , local anesthetic , saline , pain relief , surgery , alternative medicine , pathology , cancer
Ketocaine, a new local anesthetic drug, was used for treatment of referred pain during labor. In a randomized, double‐blind manner, fifty primigravidae received compresses containing either ketocaine in a 10 per cent ethanol solution or compresses with saline (placebo). The compresses were applied to the skin areas where the patient experienced the most intense pain. Nineteen of the 25 patients receiving ketocaine compresses reported good or moderate pain relief for an average of 2.5 h (range 1‐5 h). These patients had a mean cervical dilatation of 3 cm (range 2‐5 cm). In patients without effect of the compresses, the cervix was dilated to a mean of 6 cm (range 5‐8 cm). In patients reporting good effect of the treatment, pains were located mainly to the back. Only six of the 25 patients receiving placebo compresses obtained relief of pain. The effect ceased immediately upon removal of the compresses. There was no relation between pain relief and the degree of cervical dilatation, or localization of the pain. No maternal or fetal side‐effects related to the treatment were registered.