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PAIN MEDICINE

Intrathecal Midazolam II: Combination with Intrathecal Fentanyl for Labor Pain

From the Department of Anaesthesia, Monash Medical Centre, Victoria, Australia

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Adam P. Tucker, MBChB, DA, DRACOG, FANZCA, Department of Anaesthesia, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Victoria 3168, Australia. Address email to adam.tucker{at}med.monash.edu.au

Recent investigations have sought to improve intrathecal analgesia by combining opioids with other classes of analgesics. In this study we assessed the ability of intrathecal midazolam to increase the potency and duration of the analgesic effects of intrathecal fentanyl without causing adverse effects. Thirty parturients with cervical dilations 2–6 cm were randomized to receive either intrathecal midazolam 2 mg, fentanyl 10 µg, or both combined to initiate analgesia. Pain scores were recorded before and at 5-min intervals for 30 min after the injection and then every 30 minutes until the patient requested further analgesia. The presence and severity of nausea, emesis, pruritus, headache, and sedation, in addition to arterial blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, sensory changes to ice, motor impairment, cardiotocograph, and Apgar score were also recorded. The parturients were assessed after 2 days and 1 mo for neurologic impairment. Preinjection pain scores were unaltered by intrathecal midazolam alone and moderately decreased by fentanyl. Intrathecal midazolam increased the analgesic effect of fentanyl. No treatment altered cardiorespiratory variables or caused motor impairment. The addition of intrathecal midazolam to fentanyl did not increase the occurrence of any maternal adverse event or abnormalities on the cardiotocograph. We conclude that intrathecal midazolam enhanced the analgesic effect of fentanyl without increasing maternal or fetal adverse effects.

IMPLICATIONS: Treatment of labor pain with epidural injections of local anesthetic is complicated by decreases in arterial blood pressure and leg weakness. This study showed that a mixture of two drugs, fentanyl and midazolam, could provide powerful pain relief when the drugs were given together spinally without such side effects.

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