Evaluation of dextran with local anaesthesia for short-stay inguinal herniorraphy

Abstract

A prospective randomised study of 40 patients undergoing unilateral inguinal herniorrhaphy under local anaesthesia was undertaken. Half the patients received the local anaesthetic (0.25% bupivacaine) mixed with dextran 40 solution. Subjective and objective assessments were made of the postoperative pain experienced in the first 48 h after operation. The use of 0.25% bupivacaine local inguinal block results in a postoperative pain-free period of approximately 10 h. Simple oral analgesics are adequate for postoperative pain relief in 87.5% of patients and are required relatively infrequently. The addition of dextran 40 to the local anaesthetic has no significant effect on its duration of action.