Unblocked segments in obstetric epidural blocks

Abstract
Two hundred and six patients were studied to discover if previous regional analgesia influenced the incidence of unblocked segments and unilateral analgesia during lumbar epidural block in labour. Previous lumbar epidural or subarachnoid or sacral epidural blocks alone did not appear to influence the incidence of unilateral block or of unblocked segments. The practice of using epidural analgesia to facilitate the insertion of cervical circumsuture during pregnancy did not appear to be contra-indicated.