BUPIVICAINE ARTHROGRAPHY OF THE POST-ARTHROPLASTY HIP

Addition of bupivicaine, a medium-length-acting local anesthetic, to t he contrast material in arthrography of total hip prostheses provides reliable information as to whether the source of pain is intrascapular or extracapsular. In 12 surgically proven cases, complete relief of p ain after bupivicaine injection correctly identified an intracapsular source of pain in 10, with only 1 false-positive and 1 false-negative. These results compare favorably with the results of the contrast arth rograms in these patients in localizing the pain even if a specific di agnosis could not be reached. Bupivicaine as an adjunct to contrast ma terial during arthrography provides additional information useful in m anagement decisions regarding the necessity of revision arthroplasty.