Relief from pain localized to the lower back in early labour. A double blind trial of ketocaine, a new, highly effective, local, cutaneous analgesic (A 2358, Ane-Pad), and placebo.

Pain localized to the lower back in the first stage of labour in 47 primiparous women was treated by epicutaneous application of ketocaine or placebo compresses. Twenty-three patients were treated with ketocaine compresses (Ane-Ped), and 24 patients with compresses soaked with isotonic saline. The pain relieving effect was almost the same in both treatment groups. Pain localized to the lower back was reduced in about 50% of the patients after one hour's application of ketocaine or placebo compresses. Supplementary analgesics had to be administered in about 60% of the patients in each group. No maternal or foetal systemic side effects related to the treatment were registered. Local erythema on the application area was only reported in the ketocaine group. The frequency of feeling of warmth during the application of compresses of ketocaine were high compared to the placebo group, 78% and 29% respectively.