Peripheral nerve anaesthesia

Active Ingredient: Levobupivacaine

Indication for Levobupivacaine

Population group: only adults (18 years old or older)

The patient should have I.V. fluids running via an indwelling catheter to assure a functioning intravenous pathway. The lowest dosage of local anaesthetic that results in effective anaesthesia should be used to avoid high plasma levels and serious adverse effects. The rapid injection of a large volume of local anaesthetic solution should be avoided and fractional (incremental) doses should be used when feasible.

For this indication, competent medicine agencies globally authorize below treatments:

2.5-150 mg

Route of admnistration

Perineural

Defined daily dose

2.5 - 150 mg

Dosage regimen

From 2.5 To 150 mg once every day

Detailed description

The table below is a guide to dosage for the more commonly used blocks. For analgesia (e.g. epidural administration for pain management), the lower concentrations and doses are recommended. Where profound or prolonged anaesthesia is required with dense motor block (e.g. epidural or peribulbar block), the higher concentrations may be used. Careful aspiration before and during injection is recommended to prevent intravascular injection.

There is limited safety experience with levobupivacaine therapy for periods exceeding 24 hours. In order to minimise the risk for severe neurological complications, the patient and the duration of administration of levobupivacaine should be closely monitored (see section 4.4).

Aspiration should be repeated before and during administration of a bolus dose, which should be injected slowly and in incremental doses, at a rate of 7.5–30 mg/min, while closely observing the patient’s vital functions and maintaining verbal contact.

If toxic symptoms occur, the injection should be stopped immediately.

Maximum dose

The maximum dosage must be determined by evaluating the size and physical status of the patient, together with the concentration of the agent and the area and route of administration. Individual variation in onset and duration of block does occur. Experience from clinical studies shows onset of sensory block adequate for surgery in 10-15 minutes following epidural administration, with a time to regression in the range of 6-9 hours.

The recommended maximum single dose is 150 mg. Where sustained motor and sensory block are required for a prolonged procedure, additional doses may be required. The maximum recommended dose during a 24 hour period is 400 mg. For post-operative pain management, the dose should not exceed 18.75 mg/hour.

Table of doses:

 Concentration (mg/ml)1 DoseMotor Block
Surgical Anaesthesia
Peripheral Nerve2.5-5.01-40 ml (2.5-150 mg max) Moderate to complete

Active ingredient

Levobupivacaine

Levobupivacaine is a long acting local anaesthetic and analgesic. It blocks nerve conduction in sensory and motor nerves largely by interacting with voltage sensitive sodium channels on the cell membrane, but also potassium and calcium channels are blocked. In addition, levobupivacaine interferes with impulse transmission and conduction in other tissues where effects on the cardiovascular and central nervous systems are most important for the occurrence of clinical adverse reactions.

Read more about Levobupivacaine

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