A double-blind comparison of single doses of etidocaine 1 % and bupivacaine 0.5 % during continuous lumbar epidural block in obstetrics.

A double-blind investigation of some of the effects of etidocaine 1 % and bupivacaine 0.5 % was undertaken in patients in established labour. The results showed that the duration of bupivacaine was significantly longer than that of etidocaine, while the number of patients with good analgesia was equal in both groups. Motor blockade was less obvious in those patients receiving bupivacaine, but in neither group was this a finding of importance. At 5 minutes the Apgar scores of neonates from both groups were similar and any differences seen at 1 minute may be attributable to factors other than the drugs on trial.