Bupivacaine in spinal anaesthesia

A study of 400 consecutive cases of bupivacaine spinal anaesthesia is presented. The anaesthesia was for surgery on the lower abdomen or on the lower limbs. The patients' ages ranged from 19--91 years with the majority (60%) being over 60 years old. The patients were graded according to the A.S.A. (American Society of Anaesthesiologists physical status grade and 43% of the patients were graded as III or more. The duration of surgery lasted up to 3 hours yet analgesia always outlasted the surgery. The quality of analgesia achieved was assessed and in 94% of patients this was either good or perfect. No serious complications was observed but a common sequela was hypotension which was easily controlled by etilefrine (Effortil). There were a few cases of post-spinal headache but this was never severe or long lasting.