THE USE OF FENTANYL ADDED TO MORPHINE-LIDOCAINE-EPINEPHRINE SPINAL SOLUTION IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING CESAREAN-SECTION

Because of its slow onset of action, intrathecal morphine may not be t he optimal drug for intraoperative analgesia during short cases, such as cesarean sections. It is not known whether adding fentanyl to a mor phine-lidocaine spinal solution would provide any benefits to patients undergoing cesarean sections. Sixty-two women scheduled for elective cesarean section received intrathecal 5% lidocaine with dextrose (50-7 0 mg), epinephrine 200 mu g, preservative-free morphine 0.2 mg, and ei ther 10 mu g of fentanyl (study group) or preservative-free normal sal ine (placebo group) in a 0.2-mL volume. Patients were asked to rate th eir severity of pain on a visual analog scale (VAS) intraoperatively a s the uterus was exteriorized and again when the dermatomal level had receded to L1. Intravenous fentanyl was administered if the patient ex perienced intraoperative discomfort. The VAS scores