Dezocine as an adjuvant drug for cesarean section under intrathecal anesthesia: effects on mother and neonate

In the absence of neuraxial opiates, intrathecal anesthesia for cesarean delivery was often incomplete for maternal comfort. We hypothesized that alternatively administration of intravenous dezocine would effectively and safely increase maternal comfort during cesarean delivery. One hundred and ten women, who were in their primiparities of full-term and single birth and underwent the elective cesarean section, were randomly divided into two groups. The dezocine group was intravenously injected 10 mg dezocine 5 min before the skin incision, while the placebo group was injected same volume of saline. The visceral traction reactions at childbirth, as well as other intraoperative adverse reactions as nausea and vomiting, were observed. When the neonate was being delivered, the umbilical arterial and venous blood gas were evaluated. The Apgar scores at 1, 5 and 10 min after the delivery and the Neurologic and Adaptive Capacity Score (NACS) at 15 min, 2 h and 24 h were recorded. The fineness rate to relieve traction reaction in dezocine 10 mg group was higher than placebo group (92.7% vs. 61.8%, P < 0.05). There was no statistical significance in the umbilical blood gas values, Apgar and NACS scores between the two groups. In summary, intravenous dezocine 10 mg preadministration could further decrease the discomfort level of parturients undergoing cesarean section under intrathecal anesthesia, and exhibited no serious adverse effects such as respiratory depression in maternal and neonate.