title: Home-readiness after spinal anaesthesia with small doses of hyperbaric 0.5% bupivacaine.
abstract: Fifty-four patients were studied prospectively to evaluate home-readiness after a small dose (1 or 2 ml) of subarachnoid hyperbaric 0.5% bupivacaine. The block regressed significantly earlier in the 1 ml group than in the 2 ml group (p < 0.05). The patients were also able to walk significantly earlier in the 1 ml group (median 161 min and 231 min in the 1 ml and 2 ml groups, respectively) (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the groups in time of ability to void. We conclude that adequate surgical anaesthesia can be achieved with small doses of hyperbaric bupivacaine used for spinal anaesthesia. Although the sensory and motor block after 1 or 2 ml hyperbaric bupivacaine recovered within a reasonable time for day-case surgery, in some patients recovery of the ability to void was delayed to an undesirable extent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Surgical Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tarkkila
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huhtala
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tuominen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014554:Urination; D016138:Walking
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002045:Bupivacaine