Comparison of bupivacaine and levobupivacaine for treatment of post-thoracotomy pain through thoracic paravertebral block

Objectives. The aim of this study was to compare postoperative pain and respiratory functions of lobectomy patients who were given bupivacaine or levobupivacaine with fentanyl through a paravertebral catheter. Methods. ASA I-II patients (n=40, 18-65 years old) randomized into two groups. While Group B was administered 0.25% bupivacaine with fentanyl, Group L was administered 0.25% levobupivacaine with fentanyl at a rate of 0.1 ml/kg/hr through paravertebral catheter for patient controlled analgesia. Visual analog scale (VAS), arterial blood gases and respiratory function tests were assessed. Results. There were no significant differences in terms of demographic characteristics and surgery durations between the groups (p>0.05). VAS scores recorded at the 1st postoperative hour were higher in both groups compared to the following hours (p<0.001), but there was no difference between the groups. FEV1 and FVC measured in the postoperative period were significantly lower than preoperative values in both groups (p<0.001); however, there was no significant difference between the groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding side effects, mean values of PaO2, PaCO2 and SpO2 (p>0.05). Conclusion. Bupivacaine and levobupivacaine had equivalent efficiency and could be safely used in treatment of post-thoracotomy pain through thoracic paravertebral block. Eur Res J 2016;2(3):188-194