Efficiency of infiltration anesthesia with levobupivacaine and ropivacaine after the knee arthroplasty

Abstract

Purpose: to study the efficacy and safety of levobupivacaine as the main component of infiltration anesthesia after knee arthroplasty. Patients and methods. Open randomized study included 284 patients (20 - 81 years) after total knee arthroplasty. Patients were divided into 2 groups, 142 patients in each group, depending on the anesthetic used (levobupivacaine or ropivacaine). The severity of pain syndrome within the first 48 hours after the operation by VAS, the need for the use of narcotic analgesics, presence of side effects was evaluated. Results. The mean time of acute pain occurrence was 255±83 min in ropivacaine group and 238±87 min in levobupiavacaine group (p=108). In 4 hours after surgical intervention 30 and 43% of patients from ropivacaine and levobupiavacainegroups required narcotic analgetics, respectively. Neither serious side effects nor complications directly related to infiltration anesthesia were recorded. Conclusion. Infiltration anesthesia with both levobupivacaine and ropivacaine is simple, safe and effective method for pain arrest after surgical interventuions of the knee joint.