ANALGESIA AFTER UPPER ABDOMINAL-SURGERY WITH EXTRADURAL BUPRENORPHINEWITH LIDOCAINE

Purpose: To determine whether the continuous low thoracic extradural a dministration of the same dose of lidocaine at low concentration with a high infusion rate or at high concentration with a low infusion rate in combination with a fixed dose of buprenorphine (0.4 mg . day(-1)) modifies postoperative pain relief Methods: Twenty-eight patients unde rgoing elective upper abdominal surgery were randomly allocated to one two groups to receive lidocaine 2% - buprenorphine at a rate of; 6.3 ml . hr(-1) (2% group, n = 13) or lidocaine buprenorphine al a rate of 2.1 ml . hr(-1) (6% group, n = 15). During suture of the peritoneum, mepivacaine 2% (8 mi) with 0.1 mg (0.5 mi) buprenorphine was infused e xtradurally, After extubation, the continuous extradural infusion was initiated. Patients were assessed for the level of analgesia with the 10 cm VAS score at rest and with the Prince Henry Pain Scale (PHPS) at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 hr postoperatively. Results: The visual analo gue scale (VAS) scores at rest did not differ between the two groups e xcept at 18 hr after surgery, The Prince Henry Pain Scale (PHPS) score s were not different between the two groups post-operatively. Conclusi on: There was no difference in analgesia produced by the continuous ex tradural infusion of lidocaine 2% buprenorphine at a rate of 6.3 ml . hr(-1) and that of lidocaine 6% - buprenorphine at a rate of 2.1 ml . hr(-1) following upper abdominal surgery.