title: [Pharmacokinetics of pethidine after spinal anesthesia. Clinical implications].
abstract: Eleven male patients undergoing endoscopic resection for prostatic adenoma and bladder tumours under spinal anaesthesia received intrathecal pethidine 1 mg X kg-1. Plasma concentration and its evolution with time were assessed; pethidine plasma concentrations were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Pethidine was rapidly and extensively absorbed. The peak plasma concentration of pethidine was 176 +/- 66 ng X ml-1 (range: 84-208) and the time to peak concentration was 2.3 +/- 1.4 h (range: 0.5-6 h). The terminal elimination half-life was 7.2 +/- 2.2 h (range: 4-11.5 h). The plasma concentrations of pethidine remained below 500-700 ng X ml-1, the minimum concentration necessary to obtain a systemic analgesic effect. Two patients required noramidopyrine as a complement at the 8th and 12th h respectively. No respiratory depression was observed. Intrathecal pethidine (1 mg X kg-1) was an effective agent for spinal anaesthesia: the prolonged postoperative analgesia was due to the drug acting on opioid receptors in the spinal cord. This led to the necessity of postoperative monitoring during 24 h after intrathecal pethidine administration.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008614:Meperidine / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D008614:Meperidine
vernacular_title: Pharmacocinétique de la péthidine après rachianesthésie. Implications cliniques.