COMPARISON OF SINGLE, END-HOLED AND MULTIORIFICE EXTRADURAL CATHETERSWHEN USED FOR CONTINUOUS-INFUSION OF LOCAL-ANESTHETIC DURING LABOR

Single, end-holed and multi-orifice extradural catheters were compared in terms of efficacy and complications when used for infusion of 0.1% bupivacaine during labour. In this study of 364 patients there was no difference in unilateral block after an initial bolus dose (18 (11.5% ) for single, end-holed and 16 (10.9%) for multi-orifice catheters). U nilateral block recurred with seven (4.0%) single, end-holed and with eight (4.8%) multi-orifice catheters. Unilateral blocks, arising for t he first time during infusion of local anaesthetic, occurred significa ntly more frequently when single, end-holed catheters were used (29 (1 6.4%)) compared with multi-orifice catheters (14 (8.4%)) (P<0.05).