Potentiation by Mild Hypothermia of Ventricular Conduction Disturbances and Reentrant Arrhythmias Induced by Bupivacaine in Dogs

Abstract

High concentrations of bupivacaine and profound hypothermia individually cause intraventricular conduction disturbances and reentrant arrhythmias. The effects of the combination of relatively low concentrations of bupivacaine and mild hypothermia are unknown and are the subject of this sutdy. Three groups (n = 10-12) of dogs anesthetized with thiopental-chloralose were treated as follows: group 1, bupivacaine + hypothermia; group 2, bupivacaine alone; group 3, hypothermia alone. Bupivacaine was administered as a 4 mg/kg iv bolus followed by an iv infusion of 0.1 mg .cntdot. kg-1 .cntdot. min-1. Hypothermia, i.e., a 4.degree. C reduction in core temperature, was produced by cooling the blood with an extracorporeal circuit. The peripheral ECG was recorded to determine the duration of QRS complexes and the QT interval. Conduction time and effective refractory period (ERP) of ventricular contractile tissue were measured with right ventricular endocavitary electrodes. Measurements were made with the heart paced at 180 beats/min and without pacing. In group 1 dogs, bupivacaine (plasma level, 2.8 .+-. 0.3 .mu.g/ml) iniitally caused a prolongation of conduction time and QRS duration, which were further lengthened (approximately doubled) by a temperature decrease of 4.degree. C from baseline. The QT interval and ERP also were increased but to a lesser degree. In dogs in which the effects were most pronounced, rhythm disorders, sich as wave burst arrhythmias (most common), premature systoles, ventricular tachycardia, and even ventricular fibrillation, occurred either spontaneously or during pacing. Bupivacaine alone (group 2) increased QRS duration and conduction time significantly, whereas hypothemia alone (Group 3) did not cuase changes in any conduction variables. In neither group were dysrhythmias observed. Thus, the combination of moderate bupivacaine concentrations and 4.degree. C hypothermia cause significant cardiac arrhythmias. These results may explain the occasional cardiac disorders that have occurred during apparently uncomplicated regional anesthesia with this agent.