A COMPARISON OF 2 DOSES OF EPIDURAL FENTANYL DURING CESAREAN-SECTION

A prospective, randomized, double-blind study was performed to compare the analgesic efficacy and side effects of epidural fentanyl, 25 mug vs 50 mug, when used to supplement epidural anaesthesia for elective C aesarean section. Fifty ASA I and II patients were randomized into two groups Group I (n = 24) received 25 mug and Group II (n = 26) receive d 50 mug of epidural fentanyl after the epidural test dose. No differe nces between the two groups were found on any measures of intraoperati ve pain, nausea, drowsiness, respratory depression, hypotension, pruri tus and neonatal outcome. The low levels of pain experienced by patien ts indicates that doses higher than 50 mug of epidural fentanyl are us ually unnecessary for optimal analgesia.