Korean J Pain.  2010 Sep;23(3):166-171. 10.3344/kjp.2010.23.3.166.

Effect of Perioperative Perineural Injection of Dexamethasone and Bupivacaine on a Rat Spared Nerve Injury Model

• Lee JB
• Choi SS
• Ahn EH
• Hahm KD
• Suh JH
• Leem JG
• Shin JW

• KMID: 1767872
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3344/kjp.2010.23.3.166

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Neuropathic pain resulting from diverse causes is a chronic condition for which effective treatment is lacking. The goal of this study was to test whether dexamethasone exerts a preemptive analgesic effect with bupivacaine when injected perineurally in the spared nerve injury model.
METHODS
Fifty rats were randomly divided into five groups. Group 1 (control) was ligated but received no drugs. Group 2 was perineurally infiltrated (tibial and common peroneal nerves) with 0.4% bupivacaine (0.2 ml) and dexamethasone (0.8 mg) 10 minutes before surgery. Group 3 was infiltrated with 0.4% bupivacaine (0.2 ml) and dexamethasone (0.8 mg) after surgery. Group 4 was infiltrated with normal saline (0.2 ml) and dexamethasone (0.8 mg) 10 minutes before surgery. Group 5 was infiltrated with only 0.4% bupivacaine (0.2 ml) before surgery. Rat paw withdrawal thresholds were measured using the von Frey hair test before surgery as a baseline measurement and on postoperative days 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21.
RESULTS
In the group injected preoperatively with dexamethasone and bupivacaine, mechanical allodynia did not develop and mechanical threshold forces were significantly different compared with other groups, especially between postoperative days 3 and 9 (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, preoperative infiltration of both dexamethasone and bupivacaine showed a significantly better analgesic effect than did infiltration of bupivacaine or dexamethasone alone in the spared nerve injury model, especially early on after surgery.

Keyword

bupivacaine; dexamethasone; perineural injection; preemptive analgesia; spared nerve injury model

MeSH Terms

Animals
Bupivacaine
Dexamethasone
Hair
Hyperalgesia
Neuralgia
Rats
Bupivacaine
Dexamethasone

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Mechanical thresholds during the first 21 days postoperation. Fifty animals were randomly assigned to five groups. Rats were perineurally infiltrated (tibial and common peroneal nerves) with either saline, or 0.4% bupivacaine (0.2 ml) and/or dexamethasone (0.8 mg) 10 minutes before surgery. Another group of rats were perineurally infiltrated with 0.4% bupivacaine (0.2 ml) and dexamethasone (0.8 mg) after surgery. Measurements of rat paw withdrawal threshold were collected before surgery as a baseline measurement and on postoperative days 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. n = 10. *P < 0.05 compared with group 2.

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