Key result
Unilateral hyperbaric bupivacaine shortens recovery time and cuts costs by ~22 Euro vs isobaric bupivacaine.
Why the study?
The study was designed to compare the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of unilateral spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric bupivacaine versus conventional spinal anesthesia with isobaric bupivacaine in knee arthroscopy.
Does unilateral spinal anesthesia with 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine improve clinical recovery and reduce costs compared to 0.5% isobaric bupivacaine in patients undergoing knee arthroscopy?
RCT (n=60)
Does unilateral spinal anesthesia with 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine improve clinical recovery and reduce costs compared to 0.5% isobaric bupivacaine in patients undergoing knee arthroscopy?
Unilateral spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric bupivacaine is a clinically effective and cost-saving technique for lower limb operations such as knee arthroscopy.
May shorten recovery and cut costs in knee arthroscopy; hypothesis-generating and requires randomized confirmation before practice change.
Purpose: The study was designed to compare the efficacy and cost -effectiveness of unilateral spinal anesthesia using 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine with conventional spinal anesthesia using normal 0.5% (isobaric) bupivacaine when performing knee arthroscopy. Material and methods: The study included 60 patients allocated in two groups of 30 patients. Group A patients received spinal anesthesia with 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine and group B patients - identical anesthesia with 0.5% isobaric bupivacaine. All changes in the patients' pulse and blood pressure were monitored; we also recorded the quantity and type of infusion solutions, the time for regaining motor function and sensitivity in the lower limbs and the time to discharge of patients from the clinical unit. The patients were followed up for possible unwanted early postoperative complications. The cost of anesthesia and the length of postoperative hospital stay were estimated. Results: The unilateral spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric bupivacaine caused minimal changes in the hemodynamics and thermal regulations, reduced the infusion therapy volume, shortened the time for recovery after anesthesia and the stay in the orthopedic surgery unit. This reduced the cost of anesthesia by about 22 Euro per patient. Conclusions: Unilateral spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric bupivacaine is a clinically effective and economically beneficial method of intraoperative analgesia. It can be recommended as a safe and financially expedient technique in operations of lower limbs.
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A 2006 study conducted an RCT in Knee arthroscopy (n=60). Unilateral spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric bupivacaine vs. Conventional spinal anesthesia with 0.5% isobaric bupivacaine was evaluated on Efficacy and cost-effectiveness (hemodynamics, recovery time, hospital stay, and cost). Unilateral spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric bupivacaine shortened recovery time and reduced the cost of anesthesia by about 22 Euro per patient compared to isobaric bupivacaine.
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