title: Low-dose bupivacaine spinal anaesthesia for percutaneous nephrolithotomy: the suitability and impact of adding intrathecal fentanyl.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Unilateral spinal anaesthesia has been used for lower limb surgery with a stable cardiovascular state and a short recovery unit stay. We sought to test the suitability of low-dose bupivacaine spinal anaesthesia for percutaneous nephrolithotomy, a procedure hitherto performed under general anaesthesia. Furthermore, we hypothesized that adding intrathecal fentanyl to bupivacaine may improve the quality of anaesthesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomly allocated, through computer-generated randomization, 108 patients subjected to percutaneous nephrolithotomy to receive either 7.5 mg of hyperbaric bupivacaine 5 mg/ml alone or with the addition of 10 microg of fentanyl. Drugs were given at the L(2)-L(3) interspace with the patient in the lateral decubitus position. The patients remained in this position for 10 min, after which the sensory and motor blocks were assessed. Intra-operative analgesic supplementation, when deemed necessary, was achieved with intravenous fentanyl boluses (25 microg).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sensory and motor blocks after intrathecal bupivacaine and bupivacaine-fentanyl were similar. Sensory block, in both groups, reached the fifth and eighth thoracic dermatomes on the operative and non-operative sides, respectively. Deep motor block occurred on the operative side in all patients and in nearly 50% of patients on the non-operative side. The patients in the bupivacaine-fentanyl group required less intra-operative and post-operative analgesics, and both patients and endoscopists were better satisfied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated, for the first time, that intrathecal low-dose bupivacaine and fentanyl offers a reliable neuraxial block for patients subjected to percutaneous nephrolithotomy, with stable haemodynamics, good post-operative analgesia and acceptable patient and endoscopist satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Urology and Nephrology Centre, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt. atallah_36@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Atallah
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shorrab
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Abdel Mageed
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Demian
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009403:Nephrostomy, Percutaneous; D019148:Neuromuscular Blockade; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D005283:Fentanyl; D002045:Bupivacaine