THE INFLUENCE OF BUPRENORPHINE OR BUPIVACAINE ON THE POSTOPERATIVE EFFECTS OF LAPAROTOMY AND BILE-DUCT LIGATION IN RATS

The post-operative effects of laparotomy and common bile-duct ligation were investigated in rats. Bile-duct ligation caused a significant re duction in food and water consumption, body weight and locomotor activ ity in the immediate post-operative period. Animals which underwent la parotomy in which bile-duct ligation was not carried out (sham operate d groups) had significantly less depression of food and water consumpt ion and body weight than groups which underwent bile-duct ligation. Th e detrimental effects on food and water consumption and body weight co uld be significantly reduced by the administration of buprenorphine (0 .05 mg/kg, s/c), but not by infiltration of the surgical wound with th e long-acting local anaesthetic agent, bupivacaine. The reduction of t he depressant effects of surgery on food and water consumption by the opioid analgesic buprenorphine suggests that some of these changes may be related to the presence of post-operative pain.