Plasma bupivacaine concentrations during caudal analgesia and ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric nerve block in children.
Plasma bupivacaine concentrations were measured in 27 children aged 3-7 years who received one of two analgesic regimens for herniotomy or orchidopexy. Analgesia was provided either by caudal epidural bupivacaine 0.2% 2 mg/kg (n = 14) or by ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric nerve block with bupivacaine 0.5% 1.25 mg/kg (n = 13). Mean (SD) peak venous bupivacaine concentrations were 0.57 (0.17) microgram/ml and 0.79 (0.38) microgram/ml respectively. Time to peak plasma concentrations were 29.6 (7.9) and 22.3 (10.9) minutes respectively. These concentrations are well below the potentially toxic level of 4.0 micrograms/ml, but suggest that uptake of bupivacaine is more rapid after ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric nerve block than during caudal analgesia.
Department of Anaesthetics, Northampton General Hospital.
P J
PJ
Stow
A
A
Scott
A
A
Phillips
J B
JB
White
D000763:Anesthesia, Caudal; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006119:Groin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009407:Nerve Block; D013997:Time Factors
D002045:Bupivacaine