title: Evaluation of dextran with local anaesthesia for short-stay inguinal herniorraphy.
abstract: A prospective randomised study of 40 patients undergoing unilateral inguinal herniorrhaphy under local anaesthesia was undertaken. Half the patients received the local anaesthetic (0.25% bupivacaine) mixed with dextran 40 solution. Subjective and objective assessments were made of the postoperative pain experienced in the first 48 h after operation. The use of 0.25% bupivacaine local inguinal block results in a postoperative pain-free period of approximately 10 h. Simple oral analgesics are adequate for postoperative pain relief in 87.5% of patients and are required relatively infrequently. The addition of dextran 40 to the local anaesthetic has no significant effect on its duration of action.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D002045:Bupivacaine; D003911:Dextrans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D003911:Dextrans; D002045:Bupivacaine