PURPOSE: To compare ropivacaineblood concentrations obtained after a continuous lumbar plexus block performed either by the anterior three-in-one femoral (FEM) technique or the posterior (psoas compartment; PSOAS) technique. METHODS: As a substudy of a larger clinical trial, 24 patients were randomly allocated to receive a bolus of 30 mL of ropivacaine 0.5% plusepinephrine 1:200,000 followed by an infusion of ropivacaine 0.2% at 12 mL.hr(-1) for 48 hr via one of the two continuous lumbar plexus block techniques. Plasma ropivacaine concentrations, up to 48 hr, were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS:Mean plasma ropivacaine concentrations were higher in the PSOAS group at 15, 30, and 60 min (two-way analysis of variance, P < 0.0001) but areas under the curve were similar for both groups (FEM 452.4 +/- 253.6 mg.hr(-1).L(-1), PSOAS 433.4 +/- 99.0 mg.hr(-1).L(-1)). Mean maximal plasma concentrations were observed at 48 hr and were comparable for the two techniques (FEM 2630.9 +/- 1470.3 ng.L(-1), PSOAS 2325.1 +/- 604.2 ng.mL(-1)). There was no correlation between blood concentrations at 48 hr and body weight (r2 = 0.085, P = 0.21). One patient in the FEM group achieved a concentration of 6201 ng.mL(-1) at 48 hr. CONCLUSIONS: Although the posterior PSOAS block results in higher early plasma concentrations of local anesthetic than the anterior three-in-one FEM block, both techniques are equivalent with regards to their potential toxicity when a continuous infusion is administered. Local anesthetic accumulation occurs with an infusion of ropivacaine 0.2% at 12 mL.hr(-1) and can lead to potentially dangerous concentrations at 48 hr.
RCT Entities:
PURPOSE: To compare ropivacaine blood concentrations obtained after a continuous lumbar plexus block performed either by the anterior three-in-one femoral (FEM) technique or the posterior (psoas compartment; PSOAS) technique. METHODS: As a substudy of a larger clinical trial, 24 patients were randomly allocated to receive a bolus of 30 mL of ropivacaine 0.5% plus epinephrine 1:200,000 followed by an infusion of ropivacaine 0.2% at 12 mL.hr(-1) for 48 hr via one of the two continuous lumbar plexus block techniques. Plasma ropivacaine concentrations, up to 48 hr, were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Mean plasma ropivacaine concentrations were higher in the PSOAS group at 15, 30, and 60 min (two-way analysis of variance, P < 0.0001) but areas under the curve were similar for both groups (FEM 452.4 +/- 253.6 mg.hr(-1).L(-1), PSOAS 433.4 +/- 99.0 mg.hr(-1).L(-1)). Mean maximal plasma concentrations were observed at 48 hr and were comparable for the two techniques (FEM 2630.9 +/- 1470.3 ng.L(-1), PSOAS 2325.1 +/- 604.2 ng.mL(-1)). There was no correlation between blood concentrations at 48 hr and body weight (r2 = 0.085, P = 0.21). One patient in the FEM group achieved a concentration of 6201 ng.mL(-1) at 48 hr. CONCLUSIONS: Although the posterior PSOAS block results in higher early plasma concentrations of local anesthetic than the anterior three-in-one FEM block, both techniques are equivalent with regards to their potential toxicity when a continuous infusion is administered. Local anesthetic accumulation occurs with an infusion of ropivacaine 0.2% at 12 mL.hr(-1) and can lead to potentially dangerous concentrations at 48 hr.
Authors: Salim M Hayek; R Michael Ritchey; Daniel Sessler; Robert Helfand; Samuel Samuel; Meng Xu; Michael Beven; Demetrios Bourdakos; Wael Barsoum; Peter Brooks Journal: Anesth Analg Date: 2006-12 Impact factor: 5.108