SPINAL-ANESTHESIA FOR CESAREAN-SECTION - 0.125-PERCENT PLAIN BUPIVACAINE 12 ML COMPARED WITH 0.5-PERCENT PLAIN BUPIVACAINE 3 ML

Forty women had elective Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia with either 0.5% bupivacaine 3 ml or 0. 125 % bupivacaine 12 ml, injected at a rate of 1 ml/5 s. For 30 min after the spinal injection, each patient lay on her right side. Compared with the patients given 3 ml, in those given bupivacaine 12 ml there was a significantly greater spread of block (P < 0.02 for analgesia; P < 0.002 for touch) and significantly less variation in levels of block (P < 0.02 for analgesia; P < 0.04 for touch). However, within 5 min of placing the women in a supine, tilted (right hip up) position, there were no clinically or statistically significant differences in the levels of block between the two groups.