A comparison of lignocaine with prilocaine in axillary brachial plexus anaesthesia

Abstract

Twenty patients received either lignocaine 1.5% with 1/200,000 adrenaline (group L), or prilocaine 1.5% plain (group P) as a brachial plexus block for surgery to the upper limb, in a randomised double-blind study. The two groups were comparable in age, weight and duration of surgery and there were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to onset, pattern or degree of sensory loss. The degree of motor loss was also comparable. The group L patients had a statistically significant longer duration of sensory loss than those in group P. All the blocks were performed using the same technique and provided complete surgical anaesthesia. Prilocaine 1.5% plain provides adequate sensory and motor blockade for brachial plexus anaesthesia and is a suitable agent for medium duration surgery to the upper limb.