title: [Axillary plexus block by simultaneous blockade of several nerves. II. Evaluation of lidocaine-bupivacaine combination].
abstract: A mixture of carbonated lignocaine and bupivacaine for axillary blocks was assessed prospectively in a randomized double-blind study including 60 patients scheduled for upper limb surgery. A peripheral nerve stimulator was used to carry out the axillary block with a multiple injection technique. The musculocutaneous, radial, median and ulnar nerves were routinely stimulated. Four criteria were monitored: quality of sensory blockade, degree of motor blockade, time of onset and duration of anaesthesia. The patients were randomly assigned to three groups (n = 20 each). Patients received 25 ml per m2 of body surface area of either carbonated 1% lignocaine (group 1) or 0.25% bupivacaine (group 2) or a 1 to 1 mixture of both (group 3). Adrenaline (1 in 400,000) was added to half the anaesthetic solutions used in each group. The onset of anaesthesia was faster with the mixture (15 +/- 9 min) than will bupivacaine alone (23 +/- 14 min) (p < 0.02). It lasted longer in the mixture group (264 +/- 111 min) than in the lignocaine group (193 +/- 83 min). The longest duration was in the bupivacaine group (476 +/- 276 min) (p < 0.03). Adrenaline only affected significantly the duration of anaesthesia in the lignocaine group (252 min vs 135 min with and without adrenaline, respectively) (p < 0.03). In axillary blocks, the mixture of carbonated lignocaine and bupivacaine has a faster onset of action than bupivacaine alone, and a longer duration of action than lignocaine alone. Both agents provided a quality of sensory and motor blockade similar to that obtained with the mixture.
authors.affiliation: Département d'Anesthésie-Réanimation, Université de Sherbrooke, Province du Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dumais
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cinq-Mars
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tétrault
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001365:Axilla; D001917:Brachial Plexus; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D008012:Lidocaine; D002045:Bupivacaine
vernacular_title: Bloc axillaire par blocage simultané de plusieurs nerfs. II--Evaluation du mélange lidocaïne-bupivacaïne.