• C A Wong and P Slavenas.
• Department of Anesthesiology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.
• Reg Anesth Pain Med. 1999 Jan 1;24(1):55-8.

Background And ObjectivesTransient radicular irritation (TRI) has been described after spinal anesthesia, particularly with 5% hyperbaric spinal lidocaine. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of TRI in obstetric patients.MethodsAll obstetric patients undergoing spinal anesthesia during a 9-month period were enrolled in the study (n = 303). Details of the anesthetic technique were recorded at the time of anesthesia. A blinded anesthesia nurse contacted each patient on postoperative day 2 and asked about symptoms of TRI.ResultsMost patients received either intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.75 % (n = 232) or lidocaine 5 % (n = 67) through pencil-point needles. Cerebrospinal fluid was used to dilute the spinal lidocaine in 63% of patients. Patients receiving bupivacaine were more often in the supine position, underwent significantly longer procedures, and more often received intrathecal opioid. The incidence of TRI after lidocaine spinal anesthesia was 0% (95% confidence interval 0-4.5%).ConclusionsThe incidence of TRI after spinal lidocaine anesthesia in the obstetric population is low.

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