Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 21, 535-545, Copyright © 1974 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

Etidocaine: An Evaluation in Epidural Analgesia for Obstetrics

¹ Departments of Anaesthesia, Royal Victoria Hospital and McGill University, Montreal, Canada

The long-acting local anaesthetic etidocaine was tested for epidural analgesia in 110 obstetrical patients. One per cent etidocaine with epinephrine was given for Caesarean section and 0.5 and 0.25 per cent etidocaine, with and without epinephrine, were used for vaginal delivery. The intensity of motor and sensory block was markedly influenced by epinephrine, although duration of action was less affected. The outstanding clinical features of the agent were rapid onset and symmetrical spread of analgesia, associated with a profound degree of motor paresis. The 1.0 per cent concentration with epinephrine was satisfactory for Caesarean section. Excessive motor block makes the 0.5 per cent concentration with epinephrine impractical for the active management of labour, while the quality of analgesia provided by the 0.25 per cent concentration is barely adequate for clinical purposes. The therapeutic index for etidocaine in epidural analgesia appears to be lower than for lidocaine.