A combined chest drain and intrapleural catheter for post-thoracotomy pain relief.
This study examined the effectiveness of a new type of chest drain, which incorporates an additional lumen within its wall to facilitate the administration of intrapleural bupivacaine. Nine patients who received a bolus dose of 1.5 mg.kg-1 bupivacaine with 1:200,000 adrenaline through this chest drain used less morphine, and had lower visual analogue pain scores in the first 6 h after thoracotomy than patients in whom a standard chest drain had been used. Bupivacaine levels were found to be within safe limits in all patients.
Broome
I J
IJ
Department of Anaesthesia, University of Sheffield.
Sherry
K M
KM
Reilly
C S
CS
D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015505:Chest Tubes; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010994:Pleura; D013908:Thoracotomy; D013997:Time Factors
D002045:Bupivacaine