Razia S Husain, Zohair Abbas.
Spinal anesthesia for Cesarean Section: A comparison of isobaric and hyperbaric solutions of 0.5% Bupivacaine.
J Surg Pak Jan ;8(2):26-9.

The objective of this study was to compare the effect of barricity of 0.5% bupivacaine in spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section. It was conducted at the Department of Anaesthesia, Hamdard College of Medicine and Dentistry, Karachi between January 2002 to December 2002. It was a randomized double blind clinical trial. Fifty ASA 1 patients were given spinal anesthesia with 2.5m1. of 0.5% bupivacaine for caesarean section. Except for barricity of the solutions injected, identical technique was used for every parturient in the study. The solutions were 0.5% bupivacaine isobaric and 0.5% bupivacaine in 7.5% glucose (Le. hyperbaric) and accordingly the patients were divided into two groups I and 11 and comparison was made in respect of sensory, motor and cardiovascular effects. Both isobaric and hyperbaric solutions given in lateral position produced adequate analgesic levels. The only difference between the two was that the onset of sensory block was quicker with isobaric solution and onset of motor block was earlier with hyperbaric bupivacaine and the sensory effect lasted longer in isobaric group. Motor block also lasted longer in isobaric group. However hyperbaric bupivacaine solution produced higher haemodynamic changes and subjective feeling of feeling sick` than isobaric bupivacaine, but these too were not statistically significant. Our results indicated that the anaesthetic effect was adequate in both study groups but each group had some advantage over the other. Therefore use of any particular bupivacaine for caesarean section, hyperbaric or isobaric can be done on individual preference and availability.

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