Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 11, 243-246, Copyright © 1964 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

Intravenous Regional Anaesthesia

¹ Department of Anaesthesia, University of Lagos Medical School and Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria

Regional anasthesia for surgeiy of the extremities was produced by intravenous injection of Iignocaine into the limb A sphygmomanometer cuff was placed on the limb of the recumbent patient and inflated to occlude the venous drainage Vempuncture was then done with a small needle (22 SWG) attached to a syringe containing lignocame solution. The cuff was then deflated, the limb was elevated for one-half to one minute to permit venous drainage, the cuff was then inflated above the systolic pressure, the arm was lowered, and the lignocame solution was injected Intravenous lignocame solution was given m this manner to 514 patients between the ages of 4 1/2 and 86 years, the dose varying from 60 mg to 800 mg Of these patients, 373 received 200 mg of lignocame m 20 c c, which is now considered an adequate standard does in the adult Over the whole dosage range 95 per cent had good analgesia, and 15 per cent were classified as poor Of the group receiving 20 cc of 1 per cent lignocame, 92 per cent had good analgesia, while fewer than 1 per cent had poor analgesia, there was a reduction in neurological and cardiovascular complications on lelease of the tourniquet for the patients who received the smaller quantities Surgical anaesthesia was good for at least 60 minutes This method of anaesthesia of the extiemities is recommended for the efficent operation of a casualty theatre service