Abstract

GONZALEZ-GROSSO, N. G.; LABRADA, A.  and  SANTANA, J. E.. Epidural blockade with ropivacaine for chronic arteriopathies of the lower limbs: a clinical trial. Rev. Soc. Esp. Dolor [online]. 2005, vol.12, n.2, pp.86-92. ISSN 1134-8046.

Objective: To determine therapeutic effects of epidural blockade with ropivacaine in patients with chronic arteriopathies of the lower limbs. Material and method: Descriptive, prospective and longitudinal study in 58 patients undergoing epidural blockade with ropivacaine. We determined the degree of motor blockade according to Bromage´s scale, the level of sensitive blockade using the pricking method, the degree of analgesia according to the visual analogical scale (VAS), appearance or changes in pulse rate and changes in skin temperature at the limbs involved, as well as improvement of skin trophic lesions. These determinations were performed 15 and 30 minutes after the blockade, then at 4-hours intervals during the first 24 hours and subsequently once daily until hospital discharge and 15 and 30 days afterwards. Results: After the blockade, an immediate relief of pain was observed in 56 patients and all of them recovered the pulse rates measured. One month later, pain persisted in 6 patients. Trophic disorders improved in 82.8%, skin lesions in 86.3% and pulse rate in 91.4%. In more than half of the patients, skin temperature increased from 3 to 3.9 °C and in some patients it increased in more than 5 °C. Conclusions: The results were satisfactory in 89.6% of patients, so we conclude that this therapeutic method is effective particularly for the management of pain at rest and for the improvement of blood circulation in the limb involved.

Keywords : Analgesia; Ropivacaine; Epidural blockade; Arteriopathies.

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