title: Prospective randomized, blind comparison of ropivacaine and levobupivacaine for superficial plexus anesthesia in carotid endoarterectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The authors performed a study to evaluate if the onset time, duration of sensory block, and quality of postoperative analgesia in superficial cervical plexus anesthesia with 0.5% levobupivacaine (1 mg/kg) was greater than 0.75% ropivacaine (1.5 mg/kg).
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  randomized, double-blind study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  28 consecutive patients undergoing elective carotid thromboendoarterectomy were randomized into two groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  patients received either 1 mg/kg of 0.5% levobupivacaine (N.=15), or 1.5 mg/kg of 0.75% ropivacaine (N.=13). We assessed the onset time (pinprick test), duration of sensory block, and postoperative analgesia with the two drugs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Onset time of sensory block was 20+/-6 min with ropivacaine and 29+/-8 min with levobupivacaine (P=0.003). Intraoperatively we used different total doses of lidocaine, with the median (interquartile range) dose of 50 (40-100) mg for ropivacaine and 130 (60-180) mg for levobupivacaine (P=0.05). The first pain medication was requested after 12+/-0.4 h by ropivacaine patients and after 11+/-1.6 h by levobupivacaine patients (P=0.5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No beneficial effect was noted in the quality of nerve block or patient's satisfaction for 0.5% levobupivacaine when compared to 0.75% ropivacaine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, San Raffaele Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magrin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bignami
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maj
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carozzo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mennella
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Landoni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zangrillo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000577:Amides; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002572:Cervical Plexus; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D000077554:Levobupivacaine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block; D000077212:Ropivacaine
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000077212:Ropivacaine; D000077554:Levobupivacaine; D002045:Bupivacaine