[Axillary blockade of the brachial plexus using 60 ml prilocaine 0.5% vs. 40 ml prilocaine 1%. A clinical study of 144 patients carried out by the determination of the prilocaine concentration in the central venous blood and by the measurement of the subfascial pressure in the plexus following the injection].

We estimated in this study the efficacy of axillary plexus blockade with 60 ml prilocaine 0.5% (300 mg). Following electrostimulation of the median, radial or ulnar nerve (depending on the area of the hand to be operated on), we injected prilocaine in two groups of patients (large volume group, 60 ml prilocaine 0.5% in 20 s; n = 114 patients; normal volume group, 40 ml prilocaine 1% in 20 s; n = 30 patients). Anesthesia of the median and ulnar nerves was virtually complete in all patients, but anesthesia of the radial and musculocutaneous nerves was complete in only 67% (radial) and 75% (musculocutaneous) in the group with normal injection volume. The injection of a larger volume but a lower concentration of prilocaine (300 mg) achieved better anesthesia of the radial (81%) and musculocutaneous (92%) nerves by 30-60 min after the injection. This difference was significant (p less than 0.05). The measurement of higher subfascial pressure in the axillary plexus following the larger volume of 60 ml than after 40 ml could explain the improved efficacy in overcoming anatomical hindrances in the plexus space. Estimation of the prilocaine concentration in the central venous blood 120 min after injection did not reveal different plasma concentrations in the two groups. The plasma concentrations were far below toxic levels. Only the time of plasma peak was earlier in the group with the larger volume, which was attributed to the larger area of diffusion of the vascular system in the plexus space.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)