Levobupivacaine plus fentanyl versus racemic bupivacaine plus fentanyl in epidural anaesthesia for lower limb surgery.
Minerva Anestesiol 2008;
74:381-391. [PMID:
18414370]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
To compare the anaesthetic epidural effects of levobupivacaine plus fentanyl versus bupivacaine plus fentanyl in patients undergoing lower limb surgery.
METHODS
A single blind, randomised, prospective, multicentre study was designed to compare both therapies. The study was conducted in 10 tertiary hospitals. A total of 96 patients who were ASA I or II, who required at least a 24-hour-stay in the hospital and who were subjected to surgery of lower limbs with epidural anaesthesia were enrolled in this study. Treatments were administered at a dosage of 1.2 ml per metamera,including a test dose (3 mL) and the dose of fentanyl (100 mg). Patients were then randomly allocated to receive either Levobupivacaine (n = 49) or bupivacaine (N.= 47). The primary endpoint was sensory blockade (SB) duration. Secondary evaluations included motor blockade (MB), post-surgery analgesic medication usage, safety and the investigator global evaluation.
RESULTS
SB duration was similar for both interventions: 195 min (165-205) in the bupivacaine group versus 170 min (140-185) in the levobupivicaine group (log-rank test, P=0.884). However, the lack of MB as evaluated by the modified Bromage scale was significantly higher in the levobupivacaine group than in the bupivacaine group (39% vs 13%, P=0.017). Although no significant differences in MB duration were observed between the groups, a trend was observed in the levobupivacaine group, which had a lesser MB (P=0.093). Investigator satisfaction was high and was assessed to a similar extent for both interventions. Forty-one adverse events were detected in 28 patients, with no differences between groups: 15 (33%) with bupivacaine and 13 (27%) with levobupivacaine, P=0.516.
CONCLUSION
Although both interventions showed similar anaesthetic effects, a higher proportion of patients receiving levobupivacaine lacked MB.
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