Korean J Anesthesiol.  1997 Oct;33(4):681-685. 10.4097/kjae.1997.33.4.681.

Efficacy of Intrathecal Fentanyl for Tourniquet Pain during Spinal Anesthesia with Hyperbaric Bupivacaine

• Yang HS
• Lee SY
• Kim YC
• Jun SB
• Shin CK

• KMID: 2237727
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.1997.33.4.681

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Tourniquet pain is probably mediated by C-fiber. The ability of fentanyl to interrupt this nociceptive conduction was studied by administering either fentanyl or saline intrathecally along with hyperbaric bupivacaine for spinal anesthesia. METHOD: The incidence of tourniquet pain was evaluated in 60 patients having orthopedic surgery of the lower extremities during spinal anesthesia by administering either 30 mcg fentanyl (group 2) or saline (group 1) along with 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine 10 mg. We measured the maximal sensory spread of analgesia to pinprick, the incidence of tourniquet pain, and the sensory anesthesia to pinprick at the onset of tourniquet pain.
RESULTS
The average maximal sensory spread of analgesia was the same in both groups (T9). The incidence of tourniquet pain was significantly greater in group 1 (33%) than in group 2 (10%). The sensory levels of anesthesia at the onset of tourniquet pain were not different in two groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Intrathecal fentanyl was effective against tourniquet pain for 2 hours of the orthopedic surgery of the lower extremities.

Keyword

Analgesics, fentanyl, intrathecal; Anesthesia, spinal; Pain, tourniquet

MeSH Terms

Analgesia
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, Spinal*
Bupivacaine*
Fentanyl*
Humans
Incidence
Lower Extremity
Orthopedics
Tourniquets*
Bupivacaine
Fentanyl