Intravenous regional anaesthesia with ropivacaine versus ropivacaine and pethidine

R. Pop¹, I. Acalovschi¹, A. Păuşan², S. Radu³
1) Catedra Anestezie-Terapie Intensivă, UMF. 2) Medic rezident ATI, Spitalul Clinic de Adulţi. 3) Student, UMF Cluj-Napoca

Abstract

Aims. Regional intravenous anaesthesia is a safe and easy technique, but it has the disadvantage of applicability only in short surgical procedures because of the local anaesthetics traditionally used in this technique. We tried using ropivacaine, a long acting local anaesthetic to compare small doses of ropivacaine with the same dose of ropivacaine associated with pethidine.

Methods. The study was prospective, randomized and double blind. A number of 20 surgical patients, ASA I, submitted for elective hand surgery in intravenous regional anaesthesia (IVRA) were divided in two groups: group R with ropivacaine 80 mg (10 patients), and group RP with ropivacaine 80 mg and 25 mg pethidine (10 patients). The mean quantity of ropivacaine was 1.2 mg/kg for both groups. We evaluated the onset of sensory and motor block, the tourniquet pain, the duration of analgesia, the duration of the motor block, and the incidence of side effects.

Results. There were no significant differences in onset of sensory and motor block between groups. We found a better quality of sensory block, and a better tolerance at tourniquet pain in the RP group. There were no significant differences in respect of the duration of analgesia and motor block. No side effects were registered with the use of local anaesthetics and opioids during the study.

Conclusions. Ropivacaine in a dose of 80 mg was safe and efficient for IVRA for hand surgery. The addition of 25 mg of pethidine improved the quality of block and assured a better tolerance for tourniquet pain.

Key words: IVRA, ropivacaine, pethidine

Jurnalul Român de Anestezie Terapie intensivă 2002 Vol.9 Nr.2, 28-34

Anestezia regională intravenoasă cu ropivacaină versus ropivacaină şi petidină