Postoperative analgesia following brachial plexus block.

The time from the end of surgery to the administration of the first post-operative analgesic has been measured in 86 patients following brachial plexus block with bupivacaine, lignocaine, nepivacaine or prilocaine. A signficant increase in time occurred with bupivacaine; the combination of regional and general anesthesia significantly increased the time when compared with general anaesthesia in the same patient. In children, the use of regional anaesthesia almost removed the need for analgesia after surgery.