REGIONAL ANAESTHESIA Randomized controlled trial of patient-controlled epidural analgesia after orthopaedic surgery with sufentanil and ropivacaine 0.165% or levobupivacaine 0.125%

Methods. One hundred patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement were selected to participate in a double-blind randomized study comparing ropivacaine 0.165% with levobupivacaine 0.125% to which was added sufentanil 1mg ml for postoperative analgesia by the epidural route. Patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) was offered for 48 h. After the first 24 h, the basal infusion was omitted.