San Diego—New research has found that intrathecal morphine can play an important role as an adjunct to bupivacaine as part of combined spinal–epidural analgesia in laboring patients.
The double-blind, randomized controlled trial found that the combination proved superior to fentanyl and bupivacaine with respect to a local anesthetic dose-sparing effect in these patients, with a comparable side effect profile.
“Combining low-dose local anesthetic with fentanyl in combined