Epidural Analgesia for Labour Pain - Effect of Change in the Catheter length in the Epidural Space

Abstract The study is aimed to determine the optimal length of the epidural catheter for pain relief during childbirth. We conducted a prospective, randomised, double-blind study involving 240 women in active labour who requested epidural anaesthesia. The expectant women were divided into three groups: one group had the catheter threaded 3 cm into the epidural space, another group had it threaded 4 cm, and the third group had it threaded 5 cm. The study found that the group with the catheter inserted 4 cm into the epidural space had the highest success rate of analgesia and the lowest incidence of complications. The 3-cm group had a slightly higher incidence of incomplete analgesia, possibly due to catheter dislodgement, while the 5-cm group had the highest incidence of incomplete analgesia. The study suggests that inserting the multiorifice epidural catheter 4 cm into the epidural space using a cranially directed needle orifice at the L2-3 or L3-4 interspace provides the best pain relief and reduces complications during labour.