ABSTRACT
The anaesthetic effect of 2 ml of 5% lidocaine or 5% meperidine in water were evaluated and compared in 64 ASA class 1 or 2 patients. Patients were randomly assigned to one of the two groups [32 patients in each] according to the anaesthetic agent, which was injected into the lumbar subarachnoid space in the sitting position. The patients remained sitting for 5 min before being placed in the supine position. Times of onset of sensory blockade were significantly more rapid with Lidocaine. The extenet of maximum cephalad spread of analgesia and the time to maximum height of analgesia in the two groups were not different. Duration of analgesia at the T-7 [48.96 =/- 6.64 min with Lidocaine, 44.74 +/- 6.14 min with meperidine, means +/- SEM] and L-1 [94.37 +/- 7.42 min with Lidocain,e 76.19 +/- 5.64 min with meperidine] dermatomes was not different in the two groups but was statistically longer at the T-10 dermatome with Lidocaine [66.83 +/- 6.72 min] than with meperidine [46.66 +/- 6.26 min]. Complications in both groups included decrease in blood pressure and nausea and vomiting intraoperatively, and urinary retention nausea and vomiting and mild headache postoperatively. Complications that occurred only in the meperidine group were intraoperative drowsiness, respiratory depresstion, and itching. The frequency of complications was greater with meperidine