These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Comparison of S(-)-bupivacaine with racemic (RS)-bupivacaine in supraclavicular brachial plexus block.
    Author: Cox CR, Checketts MR, Mackenzie N, Scott NB, Bannister J.
    Journal: Br J Anaesth; 1998 May; 80(5):594-8. PubMed ID: 9691860.
    Abstract:
    Bupivacaine is used widely as a local anaesthetic but has potential for severe cardiovascular and central nervous system (CNS) toxicity. It has an asymmetric carbon atom giving it a chiral centre, and the commercial preparation is a racemic mixture of its two enantiomers: dextro or R(+)-bupivacaine and levo or S(-)-bupivacaine. Preclinical studies have demonstrated reduced cardiotoxicity and CNS toxicity for S(-)-bupivacaine. In this study we have compared the clinical efficacy of S(-)-bupivacaine with racemic RS-bupivacaine for supraclavicular brachial plexus block in 75 patients undergoing elective hand surgery. Patients received 0.4 ml kg-1 of either 0.25% or 0.5% S(-)-bupivacaine or 0.5% RS-bupivacaine in a randomized, double-blind study. Clinical assessments of sensory and motor block were performed at regular intervals. There were no significant differences in onset time, dermatomal spread or duration of both sensory and motor block between the three groups (the power of the study was 81% to detect a 4-h difference in duration). Duration of sensory block was prolonged with wide interpatient variation: 892 (SD 250) min, 1039 (317) min and 896 (284) min for 0.25% S(-)-bupivacaine, 0.5% S(-)-bupivacaine and 0.5% RS-bupivacaine, respectively. There were no differences in the overall success rate of the technique. We conclude that S(-)-bupivacaine was suitable for local anaesthetic use in brachial plexus block anaesthesia.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]