title: Efficacy of epidural lidocaine combined with tramadol or neostigmine on perineal analgesia in the horse.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Short duration of analgesia is among the limitations of a single epidural injection with lidocaine in horses.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of epidural lidocaine in combination with either tramadol or neostigmine for perineal analgesia in horses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Epidural catheters were placed in 6 saddle horses that then were given 3 treatments: 2% lidocaine (0.2 mg/kg bwt) alone, 2% lidocaine (0.2 mg/kg bwt) plus tramadol (0.5 mg/kg bwt), and 2% lidocaine (0.2 mg/kg bwt) plus neostigmine (1.0 μg/kg bwt). The order of treatments was randomised. Haemodynamic variables, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, analgesia, motor block and behaviour scores were compared among the 3 treatments. These parameters were determined before drug administration (baseline), at 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 min, and every 30 min thereafter until loss of analgesia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Duration of analgesia was longer with lidocaine plus tramadol (210 ± 12 min) compared with lidocaine plus neostigmine (150 ± 35 min) or lidocaine alone (70 ± 12 min; P<0.05). All treatments produced mild or moderate motor block without behavioural changes. Other adverse effects were not observed in any of the horses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further studies are required to demonstrate whether tramadol or neostigmine have a role in the management of post operative pain when coadministered with lidocaine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Surgery and Anaesthesiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil. rafael.rossi@ufms.br
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: DeRossi
authors.forename: T J C
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Módolo
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Maciel
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Pagliosa
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia / Q000662:veterinary*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006736:Horses; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009388:Neostigmine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D010277:Parasympathomimetics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D010502:Perineum; D014147:Tramadol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D010277:Parasympathomimetics; D009388:Neostigmine; D014147:Tramadol; D008012:Lidocaine