Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
-
Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2000
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialEvaluation of efficacy and plasma concentrations of ropivacaine in continuous axillary brachial plexus block: high dose for surgical anesthesia and low dose for postoperative analgesia.
Ropivacaine is a potent local anesthetic that, experimentally at low concentrations, produces an effective block of pain conducting nerve fibers. Therefore, it was hypothesized that 0.1% and 0.2% ropivacaine would provide clinically adequate postoperative analgesia in continuous axillary plexus block. ⋯ Ropivacaine is safe and effective for axillary brachial plexus block. The continuous infusion of 0.1% or 0.2% ropivacaine was no more beneficial than an infusion of saline in relieving postoperative pain in patients having elective hand surgery. None of the infusions were sufficient to adequately treat the patients' pain without the addition of adjunct agents.
-
Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2000
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialPatient-controlled epidural analgesia in labor: the addition of clonidine to bupivacaine-fentanyl.
Epidural clonidine has not been evaluated as a component of patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) solutions during labor. A randomized, double-blind trial was conducted to investigate the efficacy and side effects of PCEA using bupivacaine and fentanyl, with or without clonidine. ⋯ The addition of clonidine to epidural bupivacaine and fentanyl for PCEA in labor improved analgesia, reduced the supplementation rate, and reduced shivering. Increased sedation and lower BP were not clinically important.
-
Reg Anesth Pain Med · Nov 1999
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialThe addition of epinephrine increases intensity of sensory block during epidural anesthesia with lidocaine.
Little is known about the effect of adding epinephrine to local anesthetic solutions on the intensity of sensory block during epidural anesthesia. This study examined development of sensory block during lumbar epidural anesthesia using a cutaneous current perception threshold (CPT) quantitative sensory testing device. ⋯ These results suggest that lumbar epidural anesthesia using 10 mL 1% lidocaine with epinephrine produces a more intense block of both large and small diameter sensory nerve fibers than that with plain lidocaine. It appears, therefore, that the addition of epinephrine improves the quality of sensory block during epidural anesthesia with lidocaine.
-
Reg Anesth Pain Med · Nov 1999
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial0.75% and 0.5% ropivacaine for axillary brachial plexus block: a clinical comparison with 0.5% bupivacaine.
Although ropivacaine has been extensively studied for epidural anesthesia, very few reports exist on brachial plexus block. We therefore decided to investigate the clinical features of axillary brachial plexus anesthesia with two different concentrations of ropivacaine (0.5% and 0.75%) and to compare the results with those obtained with 0.5% bupivacaine. ⋯ Ropivacaine showed advantages over bupivacaine for axillary brachial plexus block. Because no statistical differences were found between the two ropivacaine groups, we therefore conclude that 0.75% does not add benefit and that 0.5% ropivacaine should be used to perform axillary brachial plexus blocks.
-
Reg Anesth Pain Med · Nov 1999
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialLack of postoperative pain relief after hysterectomy using preperitoneally administered bupivacaine.
It is well known that wound infiltration with local anesthetic can reduce postoperative pain in various degrees and with very few side effects. A previous study showed better analgesic effect when local anesthetic was applied in the subfascial, rather than the subcutaneous, layer. The present study investigated the effect of frequent bolus injections of bupivacaine (15 mL 2.5 mg/mL) preperitoneally through catheters placed intraoperatively in women who had undergone hysterectomy. ⋯ Bolus injections of bupivacaine through intraoperative placed catheters did not improve analgesia postoperatively compared with saline injections.