THE USE OF 0.5% LIDOCAINE WITH FENTANYL AND PANCURONIUM FOR AXILLARY BLOCK

The present study was designed to assess the efficacy of fentanyl and pancuronium combined with dilute lidocaine solution for axillary block. Onehundred adult patients undergoing upper limb surgery were randomly allocated to receive either 0.6 mL/kg of 1 % lidocaine (6 mg/kg) or 0.6 mLlkg of 0.5% lidocaine (3 mg/kg) with 1 µg/kg of fentanyl and 0.5 mg of pancuronium. The onset of sensory and motor blocks was significantly shorter in the 1 % lidocaine group (p<0.05). However no differences in analgesia or motor blockade were found between the two groups, during the later 20 min. after block. The procedure was considered successful in 100% of patients without the necessity of supplementary medication, and no adverse effect were observed in the two groups, and the time of the first request for analgesia was not significantly different between the two groups. We conclude that the addition of fentanyl plus pancuronium to the lidocaine solution, with an unknown mechanism of effect on major nerve block, reduces the dose of the local anesthetic and possibly systemic toxicity.