Choice of Concentration, Volume and Dosage of Local Anesthetics in Epidural Anesthesia

• Published in: Nihon Rinshō Masui Gakkai shi Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 79 - 84
• Main Authors: TOYOTA, Kosaku, SAKURA, Shinichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese; English
• Published: THE JAPAN SOCIETY FOR CLINICAL ANESTHESIA 2008
• Subjects: Concentration of local anesthetics; Epidural anesthesia; Stress response
• ISSN: 0285-4945; 1349-9149
• DOI: 10.2199/jjsca.28.79

The spread and intensity of epidural anesthesia is determined by the choice of concentration, volume and dosage of local anesthetics. However, conventional methods of assessing the effects of epidural anesthesia give neither accurate spread nor intensity of blockade at all. In addition, there are more cases where balance anesthesia is performed nowadays, and anesthesiologists could not tell whether epidural anesthesia they are giving to the patients are sufficient enough. In this article, we summarized the results of recent clinical studies concerning methods of assessing the spread and intensity of epidural anesthesia and the relationship between concentration, volume and dosage of local anesthetics and the effects of epidural anesthesia. We conclude that administration of a higher concentration of local anesthetics is recommended.