Tehran University Medical Journal

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Background: We report a case with apparent resistance to local anesthetics. While regional anesthetics failure are often attributed to technical failure, the clinical presentation and medical history of this patient suggests a true resistance to local anesthetics.
Case report: A 28 years old man was scheduled for elective orthopedic surgery for right sided tibial bone fracture, and decision of spinal anesthesia was made. There was a questionable history of multiple prior episodes of local anesthetic unresponsiveness (Interscalan block, local infiltration for lipoma resection and dental surgery). Spinal anesthesia was performed and sensory or motor blockade was not obtained despite any evidence of technical problems. The surgical procedure performed under general anesthesia and skin analgesia (local infiltration of lidocaine 2% and bupivacaine 0.5% to forearm), did not achieve, the day after surgery.
Conclusion: While the failure rate of spinal anesthesia has been shown range from 4 to 13% and is often attributed to technical failure, this particular case showed a true resistance to local anesthetics.

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Background: Pain control after posterolateral thoracotomy is very important for adequate respiration and to reduce pulmonary complications. Narcotic-induced respiratory depression requires different intercostal nerve block procedures with local anesthesia, such as bupivacaine, through an extrapleural catheter, paravertebral catheter and intrapleural injection in order to control pain and reduce narcotics consumption. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of bupivacain versus normal saline (N/S) in pain control after thoracotomy.
Methods: In a single-blind clinical trial, forty patients were divided into two groups of 20 patients each. Group 1 (G.1) received a single dose (10 ml) of bupivacaine 0.5%, followed by continuous infusion of N/S (0.1 ml/kg/h) four hours after surgery. Group 2 (G.2) received a single dose (10 ml) of bupivacaine 0.5%, followed by a continuous infusion of bupivacaine (0.1 ml/kg/h) four hours after surgery. Postoperative pain was assessed every four hours for 48 hours by linear visual analog scale (VAS). If VAS > 5, then pethidine was injected at a dosage of 1 mg/kg/IM. VAS ≤ 3 was considered pain control.
Results: TThe mean VAS at 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 hours after surgery in G.1 was 7.6, 5.5, 6.6, 5.5 and 5.7, respectively, and in G.2 was 3.4, 3.7, 2.8, 2.1 and 1.9, respectively. There were significant differences between the two groups (for 12 hours P<0.001 and for other time points P=0.0001). During the 4-24 hour period after surgery, pain control in G.1 was 5% and in G.2 was 81%. The mean VAS at 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, and 48 hours after surgery in G.1 was 5.2, 5, 5.3, 4.4, 5.1, and 4.8, respectively, and in G.2 was 1.6, 1.8, 1.5, 1.6, 1.5 and 1.4, respectively, with a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.0001). In the first 24 hours, the mean of pethidine injection in G.1 was 3.7 and in G.2 was 0.6 (P<0.0001). In the second 24 hours, the mean pethidine injection in G.1 was 2.2 and in G.2 there was no need for pethidine (p<0.0001).
Conclusion: Continuous extrapleural infusion of bupivacaine is effective in pain control and decreasing demand for narcotics after thoracotomy.

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Background: Tonsillectomy is the second most common pediatric surgery. Despite improvements in anesthetic and surgical technique, post-tonsillectomy pain continues to be a significant clinical concern for the patient, family, and physician. Young patients undergoing tonsillectomy experience postoperative pain and vomiting resulting in delays in oral feeding and in discharge from the hospital. Reduction of these side effects will lead to the improved quality of postoperative care. This study was performed to compare the efficacies of local Bupivacaine and intravenous Dexamethasone with that of a placebo on post-tonsillectomy pain and vomiting.
Methods: This clinical trial included 120 ASA I children, aged 3-15 years, undergoing tonsillectomy. The patients were randomly categorized into three groups: 1- local infiltration of 2 ml normal saline into the tonsillar pillar as a placebo 2- IV Dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg, with a maximum of 16 mg) 3- local infiltration of 2 ml 0.5% Bupivacaine into the tonsillar pillar. After the operation, patients were observed regarding vomiting and pain at 0.5, 4, 24, 120 hours postextubation.
Results: Of 120 patients, 70 were male and 50 were female. The mean age of patients was 8.4 years. Three patients were missed in follow up. The questionnaire was completed for 117 patients. The mean duration of operation was longest in the placebo group (55 minutes) and shortest in Dexamethasone group (50 minutes). We noticed significant reduction in postoperative pain only in the Bupivacaine group and at the fourth postoperative hour. In the Dexamethasone group, during the first 24 hours, we could not statistically analyze the effect on vomiting. Since Bupivacaine and Dexamethasone reduce postoperative pain and vomiting, respectively, and are safe, cost-effective and available, we recommend using these drugs for tonsillectomy patients.
Conclusion: Considering the greater efficacy of Dexamethasone in the reduction of vomiting and that of Bupivacaine in pain reduction in other studies, we recommend further study to assess the use of these two drugs together.

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Background: post operative pain is an essential problem. Epidural infusion of two different doses of bupivacaine in pain management of post orthopedic surgeries was studied.

Methods: In this double blinded randomized clinical trial we studied two groups of 42 patients undergone knee surgery. Based on block randomization, patients received two different concentration of bupivacaine (0.1% or 0.125%) in combination with fentanyl (1.7µg/ml). The beginning infusion rate was 5ml/h. Pain scores were documented by a blinded researcher 6, 12, 18, 24 and 48 hours after completion of surgery according to VAS tool. Patient satisfaction, complications and treatment failure (when increased volume of epidural infusion or other analgesics were required) were evaluated.

Results: In higher bupivacaine dose group, post operative pain scores were not significantly lower in different hours and during the follow up (both p values less than 0.001). After 48 hours, patients satisfaction were more in the higher bupivacaine group. There were no significant differences in complications. Treatment failure was more significant in lower bupivacaine dose (33.3% versus 11.9%, p=0.03).

Conclusion: continuous epidural infusion of both bupivacaine and fentanyl provide acceptable post operative pain control in orthopedic patients. Although higher concentrations of bupivacaine during first hours are more effective, lower concentrations are as effective as the higher one, during subsequent hours.

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Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Background: Shoulder pain is a common complication of cerebrovascular accidents.  This study was conducted to assess the effects of local injections of bupivacaine and triamcinolone acetate on shoulder joint pain and on restricted range of motion following brain events.
Methods: This single-blind clinical trial study included 35 patients with chronic shoulder pain (the controls) and 35 patients with chronic shoulder pain due to brain events (the case group). The study was done at Imam Hossein Hospital & Gandhi Day Clinic during the year 2008-2010. The patients in the two groups received bupivacaine and triamcinolone acetate for subacromial bursa injection and suprascapular nerve block by following the protocol described by Dangoisse et al. The patients were followed up for 12 weeks and they were evaluated for pain and range of motion 1, 6, and 12 weeks after the injections.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 60.9±9.07 years. Statistically significant improvements in pain score (P=0.001) and shoulder joint range of motion (P=0.001) were observed in patients with chronic shoulder pain versus patients with brain events 12 weeks after suprascapulare nerve block and subacromial bours injections by  bupivacaine and triamcinolone acetate.
Conclusion: Suprascapular nerve block and subacromial bursa injections of bupivacaine and triamcinolone acetate is a safe and efficacious treatment for the treatment of chronic shoulder pain and restricted range of motion but it is not efficacious or of significant value for the treatment of shoulder pain in patients with brain events.

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Background: Patients who require surgery on the lower extremities are considered to be a high risk group from the point of anesthesia. This study was performed to compare sitting and lateral positions in spinal anesthesia method with hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% for hemodynamic status and analgesic period in patients under vascular surgery of the lower limbs in Imam-Khomeini Hospital Complex affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2009.

Methods: In this study 40 patients were divided into two groups of 20 to undergo spinal anesthesia with 3 ml of hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% injected into the subarachnoid space in sitting or lateral positions. The anesthesia was performed at T10 level and the hemodynamic status and analgesic periods were compared in the two groups.

Results: The changes in mean arterial blood pressure and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were different between the two groups (P<0.05). Except in the first and thirtieth minutes, the changes in heart rate (HR) were significantly different throughout the study between the two groups (P<0.04) and they were higher in sitting position. The duration of analgesia was significantly longer in lateral position (P<0.04) and the use of fluid was significantly larger in the sitting group (P<0.05).

Conclusion: According to the obtained results, the changes in hemodynamic variables were significantly lower in the group in lateral versus sitting position in patients undergoing spinal anesthesia with bupivacaine for vascular surgery of the lower limb.

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Background: Medication overuse headaches (MOH) include headaches that last more than 15 days a month and usually occur after long-term use of analgesic. Most methods of medical treatment are ineffective. In some studies, great occipital nerve block is used to treat the headaches.

Methods: This double-blind experimental study was performed in adult patients with MOH who attended Sina Hospital in Tehran from June 2009 to June 2011. Greater occipital nerve (GON) block was done in the two groups of patients by administering a combination of 3 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine and 2 ml of 5% saline or 3 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine and 80 mg of methyl prednisolone. We evaluated headache severity by Visual analog scale (VAS) and recorded days without headache. If patients were taking pain medications, preventive medications were given as usual before and after the injection. Student's t-test was performed for statistical analysis and a P<0.05 was considered significant.

Results: Overall, 13 male and 19 female patients with a mean age of 39.88±8.76 years participated in the study. The mean reduction in headache severity one hour after injection was 5.56±1.03 and 4.63±1.92 in the first and second groups, respectively. Average days without headache one month after injection were 8.75 and 4.75 days in the first and second groups, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two groups.

Conclusion: Both methods seem to be effective in medication overuse headaches treatment. This finding is important as non-responders to conventional methods will otherwise have a decreased quality of life.

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