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The purpose of this study was to determine whether a lumbar epidural infusion of ropivacaine 0.2% would provide effective analgesia with an acceptably low incidence of motor blockade and side effects after lower abdominal surgery. After combined general and epidural anesthesia and surgery, 125 patients were randomly assigned to receive either saline or ropivacaine 0.2% at a rate of 6, 8, 10, 12, or 14 mL/h (Groups R6, R8, R10, R12, and R14, respectively) for 21 h. Supplemental analgesia, if required, was provided with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia with morphine. Data were collected at 4, 8, and 21 h, and included morphine consumption, pain scores at rest and with coughing, motor and sensory block, and adverse events. Cumulative morphine consumption was less in Groups R10, R12, and R14 compared with the saline group. At 4 h analgesia was better among patients receiving ropivacaine, but at 21 h pain scores were identical. Sensory blockade at 8 and 21 h was greater in the ropivacaine groups compared with the saline group. Approximately 30% of R8, R10, and R12 patients, and 63% of R14 patients had demonstrable motor block of the lower limbs at 21 hours. We conclude that lumbar epidural ropivacaine 0.2% reduces parenteral morphine requirements but has little effect on pain scores and may be associated with motor blockade.