BLOOD LEVELS OF MEPIVACAINE AFTER REGIONAL ANAESTHESIA

Abstract

Blood levels of mepivacaine as a function of time have been recorded in two types of regional anaesthesia, namely brachial plexus blocks and infiltrations for inguinal hernia repair. In brachial plexus blocks it has been shown that the addition of adrenaline (5 μg/ml) does not alter the maximal blood concentration of mepivacaine. With in filtrations for repair of inguinal hernia, however, the addition of adrenaline resulted in lower blood concentrations and a delay in the time of maximum concentration.