title: Blood levels of bupivacaine after single dose, supplementary dose and during continuous infusion in axillary plexus block.
abstract: The material consisted of 25 patients undergoing orthopaedic or plastic surgery of the upper extremity, including seven cases of replantation surgery. The total doses of bupivacaine, 150-267 mg as a single dose, 280-440 mg as a supplementary dose and 247-629 mg as a continuous infusion, resulted in maximum venous concentrations of 0.68-3.33 micrograms/ml, 1.21-2.44 micrograms/ml and 0.51-1.89 micrograms/ml, respectively. These usually occurred 30-60 min after the injection of bupivacaine and always following the second injection when a supplementary dose was needed. The highest individual value noted occurred 15 min after single injection, possibly as a result of an exceptionally rapid absorption. Despite the high doses and the rather high venous peak concentration of bupivacaine in some of the patients, no toxic side-effects were observed during the block or during the recovery period.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002045:Bupivacaine