ADDITION OF ADRENALINE TO PETHIDINE FOR EPIDURAL ANALGESIA AFTER CESAREAN-SECTION

We have investigated the addition of adrenaline to epidural pethidine for postoperative analgesia in 40 patients after Caesarean section. In a randomised, double-blind study, patients received pethidine 25 mg w ith adrenaline 50 mu g (adrenaline group, n = 20) or pethidine 25 mg w ithout adrenaline (plain group, n = 18) epidurally at the first reques t for postoperative analgesia. The median duration of analgesia was lo nger in the adrenaline group (196 min; IQR 123-286) compared with the plain group (96 min; IQR 43-113; p = 0.002) and plasma concentrations of pethidine in the first 30 min after injection were lower in the adr enaline group (p = 0.003). Visual analogue scale pain scores in the fi rst 30 min after injection and onset of analgesia, defined by the time for pain scores to decrease by 50%, were similar between groups. Addi tion of adrenaline to epidural pethidine has advantages for analgesia after Caesarean section.