Anesthesiology
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Previous work from the authors' group characterized a prolonged percutaneous blockade of the sciatic nerve in rats using bupivacaine-dexamethasone microspheres. The goals of the current study are to examine the (1) efficacy of bupivacaine microspheres with and without dexamethasone for intercostal blockade in sheep; (2) scaling of dose and duration with a 100-fold increase in body size from rats to sheep; (3) local toxicity and adverse systemic reactions to bupivacaine microspheres with and without dexamethasone. ⋯ A single administration of bupivacaine-dexamethasone microspheres produces an effective chest wall analgesia of several days' duration. This may prove useful clinically for thoracic surgery or trauma.