No abstract

Background: A motor blockade of lower limbs interferes with early ambulation and limits the usefulness of patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA). The concentration of local anesthetic solution is a major determinant for motor block with PCEA. We compared the effects of epidural infusion of 0.075% ropivacaine with 0.15% epidural ropivacaine on postoperative analgesia, motor block of lower limbs, and other side effects. Methods: A total of 70 patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecologic surgery received epidural infusions (group R1, 0.15% ropivacaine with fentanyl; group R2, 0.075% ropivacaine with fentanyl). Pain score, motor block, and side effects (hypotension, nausea, vomiting, pruritus, urinary retention, dizziness, and numbness) were measured. Results: There were no significant differences in the demographic profiles between the groups. Pain scores of the group R1 and the group R2 were not significantly different. Motor block was more frequent in the group R1 (0.15% ropivacaine with fentanyl) than in the group R2 (0.075% ropivacaine with fentanyl). Conclusion: Lower concentration of ropivacaine (0.075%), when compared with higher concentration of ropivacaine (0.15%), seemed to provide similar analgesia with less motor blockade of the lower limbs for the purpose of PCEA.