[Buprenorphine (Temgesic) as a peroperative analgesic. A multicenter study].

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Buprenorphine is an opioid analgesic with a long duration of action.
• Fentanyl is a commonly used short-acting opioid analgesic in anesthesia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the optimal dose of buprenorphine as a sole intravenous analgesic in balanced anesthesia.
• To compare buprenorphine with fentanyl regarding analgesic, circulatory, and side effects.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving initial doses of 5, 10, and 15 micrograms/kg buprenorphine and 10 micrograms/kg fentanyl.
• Assessment of intraoperative and postoperative analgesia, circulatory effects, and side effects including nausea and the need for naloxone.

Main Results:

• Both buprenorphine and fentanyl provided adequate intraoperative analgesia with no significant circulatory effects.
• Postoperative analgesia lasted significantly longer with buprenorphine (13 hours) compared to fentanyl (2 hours).
• Nausea was more frequent with buprenorphine, and naloxone was required in a small percentage of patients for both drugs.

Conclusions:

• Buprenorphine is a viable option for intravenous analgesia in balanced anesthesia, offering prolonged postoperative pain relief.
• Further discussion on optimal buprenorphine dosing is warranted to balance efficacy and side effect profiles.