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Spinal anaesthesia in newborns: total and free bupivacaine plasma concentration
Author(s) -
BEAUVOIR C.,
ROCHETTE A.,
DESCH G,
D'ATHIS F.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
pediatric anesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.704
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1460-9592
pISSN - 1155-5645
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-9592.1996.tb00428.x
Subject(s) - medicine , spinal anesthesia , group b , bupivacaine , anesthesia , group a , albumin , surgery
Summary This study was designed to measure total and free bupivacaine (B) after spinal anaesthesia in newborns and to evaluate a possible influence of adrenaline on B absorption. Twenty‐two newborns were randomly allocated to receive either plain B (group 1) or adrenaline added to B (group 2) for spinal anaesthesia. A single blood sample was collected ten min after spinal injection. Total B concentration was found 0.31 ± 0.17 μg±ml −1 in group 1 and 0.25±0.09 μg±ml −1 in group 2. Bound B concentration was 0.27±0.17 μg±ml −1 in group 1 and 0.22±0.09 μg±ml −1 in group 2. No difference was found between the two groups for these parameters. Albumin but not α1‐acid‐glyco‐protein correlated to age and weight, bound B correlated to α1‐acid‐glyco‐protein but not to albumin. Despite the low plasma concentration of binding proteins in newborns, spinal anaesthesia with B does not result in a high level of free drug. Adrenaline does not have any pharmacological advantage in these patients.