The Anaesthetic Potency of Intrathecally Administered Levobupivacaine and Racemic Bupivacaine: A Hospital-Based Study

ABSTRACT

Background: Lower limb surgeries are often performed under spinal anesthesia. The conventional anesthetic method for lower limb surgeries is caudal epidural block. The currently available local anesthetic for this purpose is Bupivacaine which has long duration of action of around 6-12 hour. Methods: 60 adult cases ranging in age from 20 to 60 years with ASA Grade I and II requiring elective lower limb surgery under epidural anesthesia were selected for this prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Results: 60 adult cases ranging in age from 20 to 60 years with ASA Grade I and II, requiring elective gynecological surgery under epidural anesthesia were selected for this study. Cases were randomly allocated into two groups containing 20 cases each. Cases in Group B received Bupivacaine 0.25% and those in Group T received Tramadol 100mg. Conclusion: Current study concluded that both intrathecally administered levobupivacaine and racemic bupivacaine are safe and effective local anaesthetics for lower limb surgeries. Overall parameters observed in this study showed no significant difference between the two forms of the same drug. However, intrathecal levobupivacaine produces less toxicity.