Analgesia & Resuscitation : Current Research

Background and Aims; In this study, it was aimed to assess the efficacy of intentional ipsilateral epidural catheterization for unilateral epidural anesthesia with different baricities of bupivacaine. Material and Methods; The study included 38 patients aged 1865 years, with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-II, scheduled for lower extremity operation. The patients were randomly divided three groups. Epidural block was performed at the L5-S1 interspace with the operative side in the dependent position. A Tuohy needle was inserted at a 5o to 10o angle from the midline and then the bevel of the needle was rotated 90o from the cephalad direction towards the operative side in Groups I and II. In Group III, the Tuohy needle was inserted by the conventional midline approach with the bevel of the needle oriented in the cephalad direction. Group I was administered with 2 ml hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5%, Group II with 2 ml plain bupivacaine 0.5% and Group III with 5 ml plain bupivacaine 0.5%. The characteristics of anesthesia and analgesia were recorded.