Effect of Intravenous versus Epidural Fentanyl on the Minimum Local Analgesic Concentration of Epidural Bupivacaine in Labor

Abstract

Epidural fentanyl significantly reduced the MLAC of bupivacaine when compared with intravenous fentanyl for the parturients in this study. The significantly enhanced local anesthetic sparing, dermatomal level, and pruritus with epidural fentanyl suggest a primarily spinal site of action.