Combined Implementation of Dural Puncture Epidural Technique and Programmed Intermittent Epidural Bolus for Labor Analgesia

Epidural (EPL) technique is the standard technique for labor analgesia, but can be associated with slow onset and inadequate sacral spread, unilateral or patchy sensory blockade, motor impairment. The combined spinal epidural (CSE) technique can provide rapid onset of analgesia, but is associated with greater side effects, including pruritus, fetal bradycardia and delayed testing of epidural catheters. Dural puncture epidural (DPE) technique is a modification of CSE technique. A spinal needle is introduced through the epidural needle to create a single dural puncture , after intrathecal space was identified by the free flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) , the needle was removed without direct medication administration into the subarachnoid space. Privous studies have demonstrated that the DPE technique can improve block quality over the EPL technique with fewer maternal and fetal side effects than the CSE technique for parturients requesting labor analgesia. Besides the neuraxial techniques, maintenance regimens is another factor that affect the analgesic effect. Programmed intermittent epidural bolus (PIEB) provides greater spread of local anesthetic solution within the epidural space and therefore superior quality of analgesia compared with continuous epidural infusion (CEI). We designed this prospective randomized, double-blind study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the combined implementation of DPE technique and PIEB for labor analgesia.