Menu
Back to Journals » Local and Regional Anesthesia » Volume 3
Epidural analgesia for labor: Current techniques
Published 8 December 2010 Volume 2010:3 Pages 143—153
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/LRA.S10237
Review by Single anonymous peer review
Peer reviewer comments 3
Marcos Silva, Stephen H Halpern
Department of Anesthesia, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Abstract: Epidural analgesia is an extremely effective and popular treatment for labor pain. In this review, we trace the history of the use of epidural analgesia and its refinements. We then outline the goals of treatment and methods used to attain those goals. The use of low concentrations of local anesthetics, combined with lipid-soluble opioids, does not impede the progress of labor or depress the newborn. The incidence of side effects is low. Maintenance of analgesia that allows patient control enhances patient satisfaction.
Keywords: analgesia, labor, epidural, spinal, local anesthesia, childbirth
© 2010 The Author(s). This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.
By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.