Je. Heavner et al., COMPARISON OF PROPOFOL WITH THIOPENTONE FOR TREATMENT OF BUPIVACAINE-INDUCED SEIZURES IN RATS, British Journal of Anaesthesia, 71(5), 1993, pp. 715-719
Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were paralysed with pancuronium and their l
ungs ventilated mechanically with 70% nitrous oxide and 0.5% halothane
in oxygen. Bupivacaine 2 mg kg-1 min-1 was infused continuously i. v.
until the animals died. At the onset of seizures, animals were given
an iv. bolus of propofol 1 mg kg-1 (n = 10), thiopentone 2 mg kg-1 (n
= 10) or lipid vehicle (n = 10). Administration of propofol or thiopen
tone was repeated each time seizures restarted and lipid vehicle admin
istrations were repeated at 2-min intervals until the electroencephalo
gram became isoelectric. All animals developed seizures, arrhythmias,
iso-electric EEG and asystole. Administration of lipid vehicle induced
no obvious changes in ongoing epileptiform activity. The initial dose
s of thiopentone and of propofol stopped epileptiform activity in all
animals, usually within 6 s after administration. The seizure-free per
iod after the initial administration of thiopentone and of propofol la
sted, on average, 0.98 min and 1. 72 min, respectively. We conclude th
at propofol may have value in treating seizures induced by bupivacaine
.