COMPARISON OF CONTINUOUS AND INTERMITTENT ADMINISTRATION OF EXTRADURAL BUPIVACAINE FOR ANALGESIA AFTER LOWER ABDOMINAL-SURGERY

We have compared intermittent bolus and continuous infusion of extradu ral local anaesthetic for pain relief in a randomized, double-blind st udy of 48 patients who underwent major abdominal gynaecological surger y. Each patient received 5 mi of 0.375% bupivacaine hourly, either as a bolus over 5 min or as a constant infusion. Patients who received th e intermittent administration technique maintained a more extensive se nsory block, reported marginally better analgesia and had a lower requ irement for rescue medication. The intermittent bolus technique was no t associated with an increase in side effects.