Epidural infusion of diamorphine with bupivacaine in labour

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Abstract
Summary: We have compared the analgesic effects of three epidural infusions in a randomised, double‐blind study of 61 mothers in labour. An initial dose of bupivacaine 0.5% 8 ml was followed by either bupivacaine 0.125%, bupivacaine 0.125% with diamorphine 0.0025% or bupivacaine 0.125% with fentanyl 0.0002%. All infusions were run at a rate of 7.5 ml/hour. Analgesia was significantly better in both the groups receiving opioids. Diamorphine was shown to be the more effective supplement to bupivacaine. The 5% incidence of pruritis in the opioid groups was less than that reported by earlier authors.