• Monica del-Rio-Vellosillo, Jose Javier Garcia-Medina, Antonio Abengochea-Cotaina, Maria Dolores Pinazo-Duran, and Manuel Barbera-Alacreu.
• Department of Anesthesia, University Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca, Ctra. Madrid-Cartagena, s/n, El Palmar, 30120 Murcia, Spain.
• Biomed Res Int. 2014 Jan 1;2014:349034.

IntroductionThe aim of the study was to compare the sensory, motor, and neuroophthalmological effects of isobaric levobupivacaine and bupivacaine when intrathecally administered.Materials And MethodsA prospective, double-blind, randomized study with 60 ASA grade I-II patients aged 18-65 years awaiting knee arthroscopy under spinal anesthesia. Patients received 12.5 mg of isobaric bupivacaine or levobupivacaine. Several features were recorded.ResultsNo significant intergroup differences were observed for ASA classification, time to micturate, demographic data, surgery duration, and patient/surgeon satisfaction. Similar hemodynamic parameters and sensory/motor blockade duration were found for both groups. There were no neuroophthalmological effects in either group. Sensory (P = 0.018) and motor blockade onset (P = 0.003) was faster in the bupivacaine group. T6 (T2-T12) and T3 (T2-T12) were the highest sensory block levels for the levobupivacaine and bupivacaine groups, respectively (P = 0.008). It took less time to regain maximum motor blockade in the bupivacaine group (P = 0.014), and the levobupivacaine group required use of analgesia earlier (P = 0.025).ConclusionsIsobaric bupivacaine and levobupivacaine are analogous and well-tolerated anesthetics for knee arthroscopy. However, for bupivacaine, sensory and motor blockade onset was faster, and greater sensory blockade with a longer postoperative painless period was achieved.

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