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©2013 UpToDate ® Print Email Characteristics of local anesthetics commonly used to provide neuraxial analgesia and anesthesia in obstetrics Local anesthetic Class Route administered Relative potency Relative onset of action Relative duration of action Lidocaine Amide Epidural/spinal* 2 Fast Brief-moderate Bupivacaine Amide Epidural/spinal 8 Slow Moderate-prolonged Ropivacaine Amide Epidural/spinal 6 Moderate Moderate 2-chloroprocaine Ester Epidural/spinal• 1 Fast Brief Tetracaine Ester Spinal 8 Slow Prolonged * Spinal lidocaine use avoided by many due to reports of TNS/cauda euqina syndrome (see text). • Spinal 2-chloroprocaine not commonly used for cesarean delivery.