Influence of Epinephrine on the Spread of 0.75% Bupivacaine in Epidural Anesthesia for Cesarean Section

Four hundred and six term pregnant patients, undergoing elective cesarean section, received epidural anesthesia with 150 mg of 0.75% bupivacaine. They were allocated to three different groups, depending on the concentration of epinephrine added to the local anesthetic solution (1:200,000, 1:400,000 or none). The extension of the sensory blockade was studied in terms of total number of blocked segments and of blocked segments above the puncture site. In the group receiving bupivacaine and epinephrine 1:200,000, the total number of blocked segments (18.1 ± 1.6) and the number of blocked segments above the puncture site (10.3 ± 1.6) were greater ( p