Subarachnoid block is a widely used technique for cesarean section. To improve the quality of analgesia and prolong the duration of analgesia, addition of intrathecal opioids to local anesthetics has been encouraged. We compared the effects of sufentanil 2.5 µg and 5 µg, which were added to intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine.

We enrolled 105 full term parturients were randomly divided into 3 groups: Group 1 (control), Group 2 (sufentanil 2.5 µg), and Group 3 (sufentanil 5 µg). In every group, 0.5% heavy bupivacaine was added according to the adjusted dose regimen. We determined the maximum level of sensory block and motor block, the quality of intraoperative analgesia, the duration of effective analgesia and side effects.

There were no significant differences among the 3 groups in the maximum level of the sensory block and motor block. Recovery rate of the sensory block, however, was significantly slower in Group 3 than Group 1. Quality of intraopertive analgesia, muscle relaxation, and duration of effective analgesia were enhanced by increasing the dosage of intrathecal sufentanil. Frequencies of hypotension, maximum sedation level, and pruritus were directly related to the dosage of intrathecal sufentanil, whereas nausea and vomiting occurred only in the groups using sufentanil.

The addition of sufentanil 2.5 µg for spinal anesthesia provides adequate intraoperative analgesia and good postoperative analgesia with minimal adverse effects on the mother.