DPE Technique in Labor Epidural for Morbidly Obese Women

Summary

The primary purpose of this study is to determine differences in block quality between the "dural-puncture epidural" (DPE) and standard epidural (EPL) techniques for labor analgesia in the morbidly obese patient. The investigators hypothesize that when compared to the standard EPL, the DPE technique will improve block quality . Study participants will be randomized by computer-generated sequence to EPL or DPE arms, stratified by class of obesity (BMI 35-39.9 kg/m2, 40\< 50 kg/m2 and ≥ 50 kg/m2) and by parity (nulliparous versus multiparous). All patients will receive a neuraxial technique in the sitting position at L3/4 or L4/5 using loss of resistance to saline. In the DPE group, a 25-g Whitacre needle will be used to puncture the dura. In both groups, the epidural catheter will be threaded 5 cm in the epidural space with an initiation dose of 15 ml of ropivacaine 0.1% with fentanyl (2 mcg/ml) over 6 minutes as per standard practice. After the initial loading dose and epidural pump is started, the blinded investigator will enter the patient's room to start data collection (time 0). Data will be collected for the first 30 minutes of epidural placement at 3,6,9,12,15,18 21, and 30 minutes to detect the time to achieve target pain ≤ 1/10, then assessed at standardized times (ever 2 hour) until delivery. Breakthrough pain will be managed by a standardized protocol. Other data to be collected will include: catheter adjustments and replacements, physician top-ups, asymmetrical block, pain score, motor block, sensory level to ice, hypotension, total anesthetic dose required, and PCEA use. The primary outcome of this study is block quality defined by a composite of five components: (1) asymmetric block after 30 minutes of initiation, (2) top-up interventions, (3) catheter adjustments (4) failed catheter requiring replacement, and (5) failed epidural requiring general anesthesia or replacement neuraxial anesthesia for emergency cesarean section. Secondary outcomes include time to numeric pain rating scale ≤1, maternal adverse events (hypotension, fetal bradycardia, PDPH), motor block, duration of second stage of labor, total labor epidural time, total anesthetic dose required, PCEA use, and mode of delivery. There is no increased risk/safety issue with placing a dural puncture technique than with epidural for labor analgesia.

Timeline

Start

2017-04-01

Primary completion

2020-11-06

Completion

2020-11-06

Outcome

Missed primary endpoint

registry analysis (other test); Dural Puncture Epidural (DPE) vs Standard Epidural (EPL); p = 0.766; Risk Difference (RD) 3.03 (95% CI -14.02 to 20.08); Regression, Logistic NCT03074695 ↗

Publications

• Background Vricella LK, Louis JM, Mercer BM, Bolden N. Impact of morbid obesity on epidural anesthesia complications in labor. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2011 Oct;205(4):370.e1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2011.06.085. Epub 2011 Jun 29.
• Background Hood DD, Dewan DM. Anesthetic and obstetric outcome in morbidly obese parturients. Anesthesiology. 1993 Dec;79(6):1210-8. doi: 10.1097/00000542-199312000-00011.
• Background Collis RE, Davies DW, Aveling W. Randomised comparison of combined spinal-epidural and standard epidural analgesia in labour. Lancet. 1995 Jun 3;345(8962):1413-6. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(95)92602-x.
• Background Cappiello E, O'Rourke N, Segal S, Tsen LC. A randomized trial of dural puncture epidural technique compared with the standard epidural technique for labor analgesia. Anesth Analg. 2008 Nov;107(5):1646-51. doi: 10.1213/ane.0b013e318184ec14.
• Background Suzuki N, Koganemaru M, Onizuka S, Takasaki M. Dural puncture with a 26-gauge spinal needle affects spread of epidural anesthesia. Anesth Analg. 1996 May;82(5):1040-2. doi: 10.1097/00000539-199605000-00028.
• Background Hess PE, Pratt SD, Lucas TP, Miller CG, Corbett T, Oriol N, Sarna MC. Predictors of breakthrough pain during labor epidural analgesia. Anesth Analg. 2001 Aug;93(2):414-8, 4th contents page. doi: 10.1097/00000539-200108000-00036.
• Background Eappen S, Blinn A, Segal S. Incidence of epidural catheter replacement in parturients: a retrospective chart review. Int J Obstet Anesth. 1998 Oct;7(4):220-5. doi: 10.1016/s0959-289x(98)80042-3.
• Background Pan PH, Bogard TD, Owen MD. Incidence and characteristics of failures in obstetric neuraxial analgesia and anesthesia: a retrospective analysis of 19,259 deliveries. Int J Obstet Anesth. 2004 Oct;13(4):227-33. doi: 10.1016/j.ijoa.2004.04.008.
• Background Roofthooft E. Anesthesia for the morbidly obese parturient. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2009 Jun;22(3):341-6. doi: 10.1097/ACO.0b013e328329a5b8.
• Background Tien M, Allen TK, Mauritz A, Habib AS. A retrospective comparison of programmed intermittent epidural bolus with continuous epidural infusion for maintenance of labor analgesia. Curr Med Res Opin. 2016 Aug;32(8):1435-40. doi: 10.1080/03007995.2016.1181619. Epub 2016 May 20.
• Background Gunatilake RP, Smrtka MP, Harris B, Kraus DM, Small MJ, Grotegut CA, Brown HL. Predictors of failed trial of labor among women with an extremely obese body mass index. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2013 Dec;209(6):562.e1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2013.07.023. Epub 2013 Jul 24.

Drugs

Indications