Spinal anesthesia with isobaric bupivacaine in infants

Abstract

Previous studies have reported the efficacy of spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric tetracaine in infants. In adults, isobaric 0.5% bupivacaine is an appropriate local anesthetic for spinal anesthesia. The addition of epinephrine to intrathecally administered bupivacaine does not significantly increase the duration of analgesia. However, there is no information on the use of intrathecal bupivacaine alone or with epinephrine in infants. The aim of this study was to evaluate in infants under 6 months of age the efficiency and the hemodynamic effects of spinal anesthesia with isobaric 0.5% bupivacaine alone and combined with epinephrine (1:200,000).