Total Ropivacaine Research Articles

Fractionated dose versus bolus dose of isobaric injection ropivacaine (0.75%) for patients undergoing elective caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia: A randomized, double-blind study

Background: Spinal anaesthesia (SA) using a bolus dose of Ropivacaine (0.75%) is known for its rapid onset but potential chances of hypotension. Administering Ropivacaine (0.75%) in fractions with intervals between the doses, has shown to establish a dense block, prolong analgesia and maintain better hemodynamic stability. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of fractionated and bolus doses of Ropivacaine (0.75%) in patients undergoing elective lower segment caesarean section (LSCS) under spinal anaesthesia. Methods: In a randomized, double-blinded trial, sixty patients scheduled for elective LSCS were enrolled and assigned to two groups. Group A received a single bolus spinal anaesthesia using Ropivacaine (0.75%) (2.5ml), while Group B received a fractionated dose approach: two-thirds of the total Ropivacaine (0.75%) dose (1.6ml) initially, followed by one-third dose (0.9ml) after 90 seconds. Results: The onset of sensory block (Group A: 3.59±1.31 min, Group B: 4.25±0.63 min) and motor block (Group A: 5.49±2.30 min, Group B: 7.34±11.28 min), as well as the duration of analgesia, were significantly longer in Group B (233.33±16.47 min) compared to Group A (185.17±20.61 min) (P < 0.05). Hemodynamic stability was superior in Group B, with all patients showing better stability than those in Group A. Conclusion: Utilizing a fractionated dose of Ropivacaine (0.75%) in spinal anaesthesia results in an extended duration of analgesia and improved hemodynamic stability compared to a bolus dose approach.

Divided method of intercostal nerve block reduces ropivacaine dose by half in thoracoscopic pulmonary resection while maintaining the postoperative pain score and 4-h mobilization: a retrospective study

PurposeThis study investigated whether the divided method of multi-level intercostal nerve block (ML-ICB) could reduce the ropivacaine dose required during thoracoscopic pulmonary resection, while maintaining the resting postoperative pain scores.MethodsThis retrospective, single-cohort study enrolled 241 patients who underwent thoracoscopic pulmonary resection for malignant tumors between October 2020 and March 2022 at a cancer hospital in Japan. ML-ICB was performed by surgeons under direct vision. The differences in intraoperative anesthetic use and postoperative pain-related variables at the beginning and end of surgery between group A (single-shot ML-ICB; 0.75% ropivacaine, 20 mL at the end of the surgery) and group B (divided ML-ICB, performed at the beginning and end of surgery; 0.25% ropivacaine, 30 mL total) were assessed. The numerical rating scale (NRS) was used to evaluate pain 1 h and 24 h postoperatively.ResultsIntraoperative remifentanil use was significantly lower in group B (14.4 ± 6.4 μg/kg/h) than in group A (16.7 ± 8.4 μg/kg/h) (P = 0.02). The proportion of patients with NRS scores of 0 to 3 at 24 h was significantly higher in group B (85.4%, 106/124) than in group A (73.5%, 86/117) (P = 0.02). The proportion of patients not requiring postoperative intravenous rescue drugs was significantly higher in group B (78.2%, 97/124) than in group A (61.5%, 72/117) (P < 0.01).ConclusionThe divided method of ML-ICB could reduce the intraoperative remifentanil dose, decrease the postoperative pain score at 24 h, and curtail postoperative intravenous rescue drug use, despite using half the total ropivacaine dose intraoperatively.

High-volume patient-controlled epidural vs. programmed intermittent epidural bolus for labour analgesia: a randomised controlled study.

The aim of neuraxial analgesia is to achieve excellent pain relief with the fewest adverse effects. The most recently introduced technique for epidural analgesia maintenance is the programmed intermittent epidural bolus. In a recent study, we compared this with patient-controlled epidural analgesia without a background infusion and found that a programmed intermittent epidural bolus was associated with less breakthrough pain, lower pain scores, higher local anaesthetic consumption and comparable motor block. However, we had compared 10 ml programmed intermittent epidural boluses with 5 ml patient-controlled epidural analgesia boluses. To overcome this potential limitation, we designed a randomised, multicentre non-inferiority trial using 10 ml boluses in each group. The primary outcome was the incidence of breakthrough pain and total analgesic intake. Secondary outcomes included motor block; pain scores; patient satisfaction; and obstetric and neonatal outcomes. The trial was considered positive if two endpoints were met: non-inferiority of patient-controlled epidural analgesia with respect to breakthrough pain; and superiority of patient-controlled epidural analgesia with respect to local anaesthetic consumption. A total of 360 nulliparous women were allocated randomly to patient-controlled epidural analgesia-only or programmed intermittent epidural bolus groups. The patient-controlled group received 10 ml boluses of ropivacaine 0.12% with sufentanil 0.75 μg.ml-1 ; the programmed intermittent group received 10 ml boluses supplemented by 5 ml patient-controlled boluses. The lockout period was 30 min in each group and the maximum allowed hourly local anaesthetic/opioid consumption was identical between the groups.Breakthrough pain was similar between groups (11.2% patient controlled vs. 10.8% programmed intermittent, p = 0.003 for non-inferiority). Total ropivacaine consumption was lower in the PCEA-group (mean difference 15.3 mg, p < 0.001). Motor block, patient satisfaction scores and maternal and neonatal outcomes were similar across both groups. In conclusion, patient-controlled epidural analgesia is non-inferior to programmed intermittent epidural bolus if equal volumes of patient-controlled epidural analgesia are used to maintain labour analgesia and superior with respect to local anaesthetic consumption.

Ropivacaine pharmacokinetics in the arterial and venous pools after ultrasound-guided continuous thoracic paravertebral nerve block.

Although thoracic paravertebral blockade (TPVB) is employed in thoracic surgery to ensure satisfactory postoperative analgesia, large doses of anesthetics are required and manifestations of local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST) may appear. Currently, there are limited data on the pharmacokinetics of ropivacaine after continuous TPVB. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate ropivacaine kinetics, in the arterial and venous pools, after continuous TPVB and assess the risk of LAST. Immediately after induction of general anesthesia, an ultrasound-guided continuous TPVB at T5 or T6 or T7 thoracic level was performed in 18 adult patients subjected to open thoracotomy. A 25-ml single bolus injection of ropivacaine 0.5% was administered through thoracic paravertebral catheter, followed by a 14 ml/h continuous infusion of ropivacaine 0.2% starting at the end of surgery. Quantification of total ropivacaine concentrations was performed using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography method. Population pharmacokinetic models were developed separately for arterial and venous ropivacaine data. The best model was one-compartment disposition with an additional pre-absorption compartment corresponding to thoracic paravertebral space. Gender had a significant effect on clearance, with females displaying lower elimination than males. Some patients had ropivacaine concentrations above the toxic threshold, but none displayed evidence of LAST. Continuous thoracic paravertebral nerve blocks provided adequate postoperative analgesia. Ropivacaine doses at the upper end of clinical use (800 mg/d) did not inflict the manifestations of LAST and provided adequate postoperative pain control. Pharmacokinetic models were developed, and the effect of gender was identified.

Serum concentrations of local anesthetics after unilateral interpectoral-pectoserratus plane block in breast cancer surgery: a pharmacokinetic study

IntroductionThe ultrasound-guided interpectoral-pectoserratus plane block is a fascial plane block for superficial surgery of the anterolateral chest wall. This technique involves injecting a relatively large volume of local anesthetics (typically...

Programmed intermittent epidural bolus for post-cesarean delivery analgesia: a randomized controlled double-blind trial.

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of programmed intermittent epidural boluses (PIEB) in postoperative pain management compared with continuous epidural infusion (CEI) after cesarean delivery. A total of 58 participants were randomly allocated to receive PIEB (3mL bolus every 60min) or CEI (3mL/h) for postoperative analgesia after undergoing elective cesarean section under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia. Both groups had the same epidural solution containing ropivacaine 0.2% plus fentanyl 2µg/mL. The primary outcome was postoperative pain score at rest and mobilization at 6, 12, 24, and 48h. The secondary outcomes were the total amount of ropivacaine used in the 48h study period and the time to the first PCEA bolus. Data from 58 women were analyzed. There was a reduction in pain verbal numerical rating scores at 12h in patients receiving PIEB compared with CEI at rest [2 (1.75-3) vs. 3 (2-4), p = 0.011]; and on movement [4 (3-5) vs. 5 (4-6), p = 0.038]. No differences were found in pain scores at any other time-point up to 48h. Total ropivacaine consumption at 48h was less in the PIEB group compared with the CEI group [316mg (304-321) vs. 336mg (319-344), p = 0.001]. Postoperative epidural analgesia for patients who underwent cesarean delivery with PIEB compared with CEI resulted in less ropivacaine usage while providing comparable analgesia.

Population pharmacokinetics of ropivacaine used for local infiltration anaesthesia during primary total unilateral and simultaneous bilateral knee arthroplasty

BackgroundRopivacaine is commonly used in local infiltration anaesthesia (LIA) as pain management after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Although considered safe, no studies evaluated the pharmacokinetics of high-dose ropivacaine infiltration in simultaneous bilateral TKA. MethodsWe studied 13 patients undergoing unilateral and 15 undergoing bilateral TKA. Standard LIA technique was used with ropivacaine 0.2%, 200 ml (400 mg) injected peri-articularly in each knee. Free and total plasma concentrations of ropivacaine were measured within 24 h using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. A population pharmacokinetic model was built using non-linear mixed-effects models. ResultsPeak free ropivacaine concentration was 0.030 (0.017–0.071) μg ml−1 (mean [99% confidence interval]) vs 0.095 (0.047–0.208) μg ml−1, and peak total ropivacaine concentration was 0.756 (0.065–1.222) μg ml−1vs 1.695 (0.077–3.005) μg ml−1 for unilateral and bilateral TKA, respectively. The pharmacokinetics was ascribed a one-compartment model with first-order absorption. The main identified covariates were protein binding, allometrically scaled body weight on clearance and volume, and unilateral or bilateral surgery on volume. ConclusionsThis is the first study to investigate the pharmacokinetics of free and total ropivacaine after unilateral and bilateral TKA. A population model was successfully built and peak free ropivacaine concentration stayed below previously proposed toxic thresholds in patients undergoing unilateral and bilateral TKA receiving LIA with high-dose ropivacaine. Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04702282

Excretion of ropivacaine with breast milk during prolonged analgesia of a postoperative wound

The aimof our study was to evaluate the safety of ropivacaine given to lactating patients as a continuous infusion according to the selected local continuous wound infiltration (CWI) protocol after cesarean section (CS).&#x0D; Materials and methods.Elective CSs were performed under spinal anesthesia with bupivacaine 5% -2 ml at the L2L3 level. At the end of the operation, a 22 cm multiperforated catheter was placed in the surgical wound under the aponeurosis. 3 hours after spinal anesthesia a loading dose 8 ml of 0.2% ropivacaine was administered and followed by continuous infusion at rate 4 mL/h for 48 hours. Aside from CWI, all patients received systemic anesthesia: acetaminophen 4000 mg per os, ketorolac 90 mg IV and rescue opioid tramadol up to 400 mg (as-needed) daily. Breast milk (colostrum) samples were collected after 24 and 48 hours after a loading dose and were analyzed by gas chromatography with a mass selective detector for total ropivacaine concentrations.&#x0D; Results.The number of patients included in the study was 8. During the study neither cases of the onset of symptoms associated with systemic toxicity of ropivacaine, nor allergic and infectious complications, were observed. The mean +- SD Cmax total colostrum ropivacaine concentration was 0.005 0.002 (0.002 0.007) g / ml.&#x0D; Conclusion.In this limited sample, increasing the concentration or/and infusion rate seems to be a safe (for both mother and newborn) alternative or adjunct to standard systemic analgesia after CS in order to provide proper postoperative pain control.

ОПРЕДЕЛЕНИЕ КОНЦЕНТРАЦИИ РОПИВАКАИНА В ВЕНОЗНОЙ КРОВИ ПРИ ПРОВЕДЕНИИ ДЛИТЕЛЬНОЙ АНАЛЬГЕЗИИ ПОСЛЕОПЕРАЦИОННОЙ РАНЫ

Aim. Determinations of concentrations of total ropivacaine in venous blood with use of the selected scheme of prolonged analgesia of the postoperative wound after cesarean operation. Materials and Methods. The study involved 47 female patients after cesarean operation in whom during suturing of the laparotomy wound a multiperforated catheter was installed under aponeurosis of the abdominal muscles for a prolonged postoperative analgesia. With use of infu-sion pump, 0.2% ropivacaine solution was introduced at constant speed 4 ml/h with the total amount 200.0 ml. Blood was taken by puncture of the peripheral vein in control points in 30 min, 24 hours and 48 hours after the start of injection of the solution. The quantitative determination of the concentration of the total ropivacaine of venous blood plasma (free and bound with plasma proteins) was conducted using gas chromatograph with mass-selective detector. Results. The highest concentrations of the total ropivacaine of venous blood were recorded in 48 hours Me (Q1; Q3)=0.053 (0.043; 0.071) which was significantly lower than minimal potentially toxic concentrations. Also not a single case of appearance of clinical signs of systemic toxicity of local anesthetics was recorded. No statistically reliable correlation was found between body mass, height, body mass index and concentration of total ropivacaine in blood. Conclusion. The given study permitted to confirm safety of the selected scheme of introduction of the solution of local anesthetic, since no potentially toxic concentrations of the total ropivacaine were reached in venous blood in a single patient included into the study.

Labor outcomes with epidural analgesia: an observational before-and-after cohort study comparing continuous infusion versus programmed intermittent bolus plus patient-controlled analgesia.

Scientific evidence shows that programmed intermittent epidural bolus (PIEB) for labor analgesia achieves good obstetric outcomes. After implementing our institutional standard for epidural analgesia, we compared PIEB + patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) versus continuous epidural infusion (CEI). In an observational cohort study, we compared CEI with 0.2% ropivacaine + 100-μg fentanyl initial bolus versus PIEB+PCEA with 0.1% ropivacaine + 2 μg mL-1 fentanyl in primiparous women. The primary outcome was mode of delivery. Secondary outcomes were duration of the second stage of labor and total ropivacaine and fentanyl doses. Other outcomes, in the PIEB+PCEA group only, were motor block, use of PCEA and rescue bolus, maternal mobility and maternal satisfaction. Univariate statistical analysis was performed using the χ2 Test, analysis of variance or nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis Test. Multivariate analysis was performed using multiple logistic regression analysis. The study included 221 patients (CEI 116; PIEB+PCEA 105). Multiple logistic regression showed that the PIEB+PCEA group had significantly fewer caesarean sections (CEI [14%] vs. PIEB+PCEA [5%], P=0.015) and instrumental deliveries, after correcting for confounders (OR=0.49; 95% CI: 0.27-0.89). The second stage of labor did not significantly differ between groups. Total ropivacaine dose was significantly lower with PIEB+PCEA. There was no relationship between mild motor block and increased use of PCEA in the PIEB+PCEA group. Mode of delivery and duration of the second stage of labor were not influenced by motor block either. Maternal satisfaction was high. PIEB+PCEA offers obstetric and analgesic advantages over CEI in daily clinical practice.

A Randomized Study Comparing the Efficacy of Ultrasound Guided Lumbar Plexus Block and Epidural Anesthesia for Postoperative Analgesia in Patients Undergoing Total Hip Replacement.

Patients undergoing total hip replacement (THR) experience severe postoperative pain. The advantage of pain relief by continuous epidural anesthesia (CEA) is offset by various adverse effects. Ultrasound guided (USG) continuous lumbar plexus block (LPB) has emerged as an alternative approach for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing THR, especially where epidural is difficult or contraindicated. This randomized controlled trial compared USG-LPB with CEA for postoperative pain relief until 48 hours in patients undergoing THR, with 0.5% ropivacaine (15 mL) used as boluses for both CEA and LPB. The mean time to the first bolus was 380.60 ± 77.66 min in the LPB group whereas it was 307.40 ± 83.60 min in the epidural group (P = 0.002). Thus, patients in the LPB group took more than one hour longer than the epidural group to take their first bolus, which is clinically meaningful besides being statistically significant. The pain score on movement was also significantly lower, and patient satisfaction higher, in the LPB group. There were no significant intergroup differences about motor power, pain at rest, total ropivacaine consumption, and adverse effects. USG-LPB is an effective alternative to CEA combined with general anesthesia for postoperative analgesia after THR.

The Safety and Efficacy of Ultrasound-Guided Bilateral Dual Transversus Abdominis Plane (BD-TAP) Block in ERAS Program of Laparoscopic Hepatectomy: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled, Blinded, Clinical Study.

PurposePostoperative pain management for patients undergoing hepatic resection is still a challenge due to the risk of perioperative liver dysfunction. The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is a promising regional analgesic technique. However, the correct guidelines regarding the dose and regimen of local anesthetics in patients undergoing hepatic resection have yet to be established completely. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided BD-TAP block with a large dose of ropivacaine in laparoscopic hepatectomy.Patients and MethodsThis prospective, blinded, randomized, controlled study was conducted with 50 patients who were scheduled for selective laparoscopic hepatectomy. Patients who received a BD-TAP block (3 mg/kg of ropivacaine diluted to 60 mL) with general anesthesia were categorized into the BD-TAP block group (n = 25), and those who received general anesthesia were categorized into the control group (n = 25). The primary outcomes were consumption of sufentanil within 48 hours post-operation and plasma ropivacaine concentration. The secondary outcomes were the severity of pain (at rest and upon coughing), nausea and/or vomiting, and quality of recovery.ResultsCompared with the control group, the patients in BD-TAP block group had a significant reduction of postoperative sufentanil consumption at 2 hours (P = 0.019), 24 hours (P = 0.001), and 48 hours (P = 0.001), and the visual analog scale (VAS) scores on coughing were significantly lower at postoperative 2 hours (P = 0.004). There were no statistically significant differences in postoperative nausea and/or vomiting, flatus, catheter removal, off-bed activity, liver function, or postoperative hospital stay. The mean peak total ropivacaine concentration was 1,067.85 ng/mL, which occurred 1 hour after administering the block, and mean free ropivacaine concentration was 52.32 ng/mL. The highest individual peak plasma concentration was 2,360.90 ng/mL at 45 min postinjection, and the free ropivacaine concentration was 139.29 ng/mL.ConclusionUltrasound-guided BD-TAP block provides effective postoperative analgesia after laparoscopic hepatectomy. This study also confirms that ultrasound-guided BD-TAP blocks with 3 mg/kg ropivacaine during laparoscopic hepatectomy almost never results in the plasma ropivacaine concentrations associated with neurotoxicity.

Validation according to European and American regulatory agencies guidelines of an LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of free and total ropivacaine in human plasma.

Background Ropivacaine is a widely used local anaesthetic drug, highly bound to plasma proteins with a free plasma fraction of about 5%. Therefore, the monitoring of free drug concentration is most relevant to perform pharmacokinetic studies and to understand the drug pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationship. Methods A high-sensitivity liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method using reverse-phase LC and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) is described for the quantitation of both free and total ropivacaine in human plasma. Ropivacaine-d7 was used as an internal standard (IS). Results The method was validated in the range 0.5-3000 ng/mL, with five levels of QC samples and according to the European Medicine Agency and Food and Drug Administration guidelines. The performance of the method was excellent with a precision in the range 6.2%-14.7%, an accuracy between 93.6% and 113.7% and a coefficient of variation (CV) of the IS-normalised matrix factor below 15%. This suitability of the method for the quantification of free and total ropivacaine in clinical samples was demonstrated with the analysis of samples from patients undergoing knee arthroplasty and receiving a local ropivacaine infiltration. Conclusions A method was developed and validated for the quantification of free and total ropivacaine in human plasma and was shown suitable for the analysis of clinical samples.

Plasma Ropivacaine Concentrations Following Local Infiltration Analgesia in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Pharmacokinetic Study to Determine Safety Following Fixed-Dose Administration.

The primary aim of this study was to examine the pharmacokinetics of ropivacaine in patients undergoing elective total knee arthroplasty with local infiltration analgesia as the primary analgesic method. We also sought to determine the incidence of biochemical toxicity through measurement of plasma ropivacaine concentrations over the first 24 hours postoperatively. This was a prospective, observational study of 15 patients undergoing elective total knee arthroplasty. Local infiltration analgesia was administered by standard technique with 300 mg ropivacaine and epinephrine 5 μg/mL. Total ropivacaine concentrations were taken at specified time intervals in the 24 hours after tourniquet release and analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Fifteen patients were enrolled into the study. The median peak ropivacaine concentration was 0.57 μg/mL, with a range of 0.32 to 0.88 μg/mL, and occurred between 6 and 24 hours. Age (P = 0.04), weight (P = 0.04), creatinine (P = 0.02), and female sex (P = 0.03) were important predictors of peak concentration. Age (P = 0.02), female sex (P = 0.01), and baseline α1 acid glycoprotein concentrations (P = 0.03) were important predictors for the area under the curve from a ropivacaine concentration versus time plot. The peak total ropivacaine concentration was below quoted toxic concentrations (2.2 μg/mL) in all patients. This peak occurred later than has previously been described in those undergoing neuraxial or peripheral nerve block, occurring between 6 and 24 hours. The influence of age, weight, and renal function on systemic ropivacaine concentration should be considered when planning local infiltration analgesia. Female sex is a factor that has not previously been associated with peak ropivacaine concentrations.

The Efficacy of Programmed Intermittent Epidural Bolus for Postoperative Analgesia after Open Gynecological Surgery: A Randomized Double-Blinded Study.

Background It is well known that the programmed intermittent epidural bolus (PIEB) technique effectively provides epidural anesthesia in labor. This randomized double-blind trial compared the postoperative analgesic efficacy of PIEB with that of continuous epidural infusion (CEI) in patients undergoing gynecological surgery under combined general-epidural anesthesia. Methods Patients undergoing open gynecological surgery under combined general-epidural anesthesia were randomized at a 1 : 1 ratio to receive PIEB or CEI. In the PIEB group, the pump delivered 4 mL ropivacaine 0.2% plus fentanyl 2 μg/mL every hour. In the CEI group, the pump delivered the same solution at a rate of 4 mL/h. In both groups, additional 4 mL boluses of ropivacaine 0.2% plus fentanyl 2 μg/mL were provided, when necessary, by patient-controlled epidural analgesia after surgery. The primary outcome was the total ropivacaine dose 40 hours after surgery. The secondary outcomes were the number of PCEA boluses and postoperative pain (evaluated on an 11-point numerical rating scale) 3, 24, and 48 hours after surgery. Results In total, 57 patients were randomized (n = 28 and 29 in the PIEB and CEI groups, resp.). The two groups differ significantly in terms of the total ropivacaine dose 40 hours after surgery (mean (standard deviation): 155.38 (4.55) versus 159.73 (7.87) mL, P = 0.016). Compared to the CEI group, the PIEB group had significantly lower numerical rating scale scores 3 hours (median [lower–upper quartiles]: 0 [0–0.5] versus 3 [0–5.5], P = 0.002), 24 hours (1 [0–2] versus 3 [1–4], P = 0.003), and 48 hours (1 [0–2] versus 2 [2–3.5], P = 0.002) after surgery. Conclusion PIEB was better than CEI in terms of providing postoperative analgesia after open gynecological surgery under combined general-epidural anesthesia.

Epidural fentanyl does not affect cervical dilation and progress of first stage of vaginal delivery: a randomized, double-blind study

Objective: Local anesthetics combined with opioids are commonly used in labor epidural analgesic schemes. This study investigated if the addition of fentanyl to epidural ropivacaine can affect cervical dilation and progress of vaginal delivery.Methods: Sixty-two nulliparous parturients were randomized to receive epidurally 8 ml ropivacaine 0.2% combined with fentanyl 20 μg (F/R-group, n = 31) or with normal saline 0.4 ml (R-group, n = 31), every hour. Rescue doses of 5 ml ropivacaine 0.2% were also administered. Measurements were performed every 60 min until full cervical dilation. The primary end-point was the time to reach 10-cm cervical dilation. Secondary outcomes were Bishop scores, mode of delivery, total ropivacaine dose, pain, and satisfaction scores (numerical scale, 0–10).Results: Data from 60 parturients (29 in the F/R and 31 in the R-group) were analyzed. The F/R-group had 26 vaginal deliveries (four instrumentally assisted), and three cesarean deliveries. The R-group had 27 vaginal deliveries (six instrumentally assisted) and 4 cesarean deliveries. Time to 10-cm cervical dilation did not differ between the groups (4 ± 2.4 h in the F/R-group vs 4.4 ± 2.1 h in the R-group, p = .341). The number of women remaining in the study every hour until full cervical dilation and Bishop scores for a 4-h period did not differ between the groups (p = .617). Total ropivacaine dose was comparable between the groups, but the F/R-group reported significantly lower pain (p = .01) and higher satisfaction scores (p = .001).Conclusions: The addition of fentanyl to ropivacaine 0.2% solution did not affect cervical dilation and progress of the first stage of labor, but improved both analgesia and satisfaction.

Bilateral sternal infusion of ropivacaine and length of stay in ICU after cardiac surgery with increased respiratory risk: A randomised controlled trial.

The continuous bilateral infusion of a local anaesthetic solution around the sternotomy wound (bilateral sternal) is an innovative technique for reducing pain after sternotomy. To assess the effects of the technique on the need for intensive care in cardiac patients at increased risk of respiratory complications. Randomised, observer-blind controlled trial. Single centre, French University Hospital. In total, 120 adults scheduled for open-heart surgery, with one of the following conditions: age more than 75 years, BMI >30 kg m, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, active smoking habit. Either a bilateral sternal infusion of 0.2% ropivacaine (3 ml h through each catheter; 'intervention' group), or standardised care only ('control' group). Analgesia was provided with paracetamol and self-administered intravenous morphine. The length of time to readiness for discharge from ICU, blindly assessed by a committee of experts. No effect was found between groups for the primary outcome (P = 0.680, intention to treat); the median values were 42.4 and 37.7 h, respectively for the control and intervention groups (P = 0.873). Similar nonsignificant trends were noted for other postoperative delays. Significant effects favouring the intervention were noted for dynamic pain, patient satisfaction, occurrence of nausea and vomiting, occurrence of delirium or mental confusion and occurrence of pulmonary complications. In 12 patients, although no symptoms actually occurred, the total ropivacaine plasma level exceeded the lowest value for which neurological symptoms have been observed in healthy volunteers. Because of a small size effect, and despite significant analgesic effects, this strategy failed to reduce the time spent in ICU. EudraCT (N°: 2012-005225-69); ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01828788).

Pharmacokinetics of 400 mg ropivacaine after periarticular local infiltration analgesia for total knee arthroplasty

Although considered safe, no pharmacokinetic data of high dose, high volume local infiltration analgesia (LIA) with ropivacaine without the use of a surgical drain or intra-articular catheter have been described. The purpose of this study is to describe the maximum total and unbound ropivacaine concentrations (Cmax , Cu max ) and corresponding maximum times (Tmax , Tu max ) of a single-shot ropivacaine (200 ml 0.2%) and 0.75 mg epinephrine (1000 μg/ml) when used for LIA in patients for total knee arthroplasty. In this prospective cohort study, 20 patients were treated with LIA of the knee for primary total knee arthroplasty. Plasma samples were taken at 20, 40, 60, 90, 120, 240, 360 min and at 24 h after tourniquet release, in which total and unbound ropivacaine concentrations were determined. Results are given as median [IQR]. Highest ropivacaine concentration (Cmax ) was 1.06 μg/ml [0.34]; highest unbound ropivacaine concentration (Cu max ) was 0.09 μg/ml [0.05]. The corresponding time to reach the maximum concentration for total ropivacaine was 312 min [120] after tourniquet release, and for the unbound fraction 265 [110] min after tourniquet release. Although great inter-individual variability was found between the maximum ropivacaine concentrations, both maximum total and unbound serum concentrations of ropivacaine remained well below the assumed systemic toxic thresholds of 4.3 and 0.56 μg/ml.

Evaluation of the clinical effect of ropivacaine on caesarean operation

Objective To explore the toxic effect and application safety of ropivacaine after transversus abdominis plane block for caesarean section. Methods Sixty cases puerperas who were suffered with transversus abdominis plane block for caesarean section in the People’s Hospital of Yan’an were retrospectively analyzed.Blood sample was collected after TAP block at different times and at the same time asked if they had neurotoxicity.The collected blood was measured for the concentration of ropivacaine.The ages, weight, height, BMI and total doses of ropivacaine were compared, and the mean total peak ropivacaine concentrations and the mean time to the maximum concentration in symptomatic and asymptomatic puerperas were compared to assess the reasonable threshold for clinical in symptomatic puerperas and suitable ropivacaine concentration. Results The BMI and total doses of ropivacaine of symptomatic group was (70.30±7.90) kg, (225.80±17.60) mg, significantly higher than the asymptomatic group((62.60±12.40) kg, (189.00±22.40) mg), the differences were significant(t=4.613, 7.143, P<0.05). The mean total peak ropivacaine concentrations in symptomatic group was increased compared with asymptomatic group((2.82±0.55) mg/L vs. (1.33±0.47) mg/L, t=0.779, P<0.05), and the mean time to the maximum concentration in symptomatic group was decreased compared with asymptomatic group((26.80±5.40) min vs. (39.20±6.30) min, t=4.158, P<0.05). Conclusion There is a certain neurotoxicity when applying ropivacaine after transversus abdominis plane block for caesarean section.Ropivacaine concentration 2.2 kg/ml as a reasonable threshold for clinical toxicity in puerperas undergoing TAP block, and 2.5 mg/L ropivacaine is fit for puerperal on lean body mass, and further reduction may be required as puerperal weight increases. Key words: Caesarean; Ropivacaine; Transversus abdominis plane

Abstracts and Highlight Papers of the 35th Annual European Society of Regional Anaesthesia & Pain Therapy (ESRA) Congress 2016.

Background and Aims: Although considered safe, no pharmacokinetic data of high dose, high volume local infiltration analgesia (LIA) with ropivacaine without the use of a surgical drain or intra-articular catheter have been described. The purpose of this study is to describe the maximum total and unbound ropivacaine concentrations (Cmax) and corresponding times to maximum concentration (Tmax) of a single shot ropivacaine (200ml 0.2%) and 0.75 mg epinephrine (1000μg mL-1) when used for LIA. Methods: In this prospective cohort study twenty patients were treated with LIA of the knee for primary total knee arthroplasty. Plasma samples were taken at 20, 40, 60, 90, 120, 240, 360 minutes and at 24 hours after tourniquet release, in which total and unbound ropivacaine concentrations were determined. Results: Results are given as mean (SD); median (range). Maximum total ropivacaine concentration was 1.06 (0.36); 1.00 (0.61 - 2.26) μg mL-1, corresponding Tmax was 311 (227); 240 (40-1440) minutes after tourniquet release (Figure 1). The highest measured unbound ropivacaine concentration was 0.13 μg mL-1. Conclusions: Maximumtotal and unbound serum concentrations of ropivacaine remained well below the assumed toxic thresholds of 4.3 and 0.56 μg mL-1, respectively, for systemic toxicity. (Figure Presented).