A methodological study of spinal (subarachnoid) anaesthesia in the rat and the mouse
Akerman, S.B.
British Journal of Anaesthesia 57(3): 329-332
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0007-0912 PMID: 3978015 Document Number: 247674
Rat and mouse were used as models to study the spinal (subarachnoid) anesthetic effects of 5 commonly used local anesthetic agents. Duration and frequency of motor and sensory blockade and onset time were determined after injection of 5.0% lignocaine, 0.75% bupivacaine and 1.0% amethocaine to the same groups of rats with chronically implanted catheters in the lumbar subarachnoid space. Dose-response curves for lignocaine, mepivacaine, bupivacaine, amethocaine and cinchocaine were obtained after single intrathecal injection to the mouse. The relative potency and other characteristics of the compounds investigated were in agreement with results obtained in other species, including man. The techniques described may provide useful adjuncts to methods in larger animals for the evaluation of potential new spinal anesthetic agents and the study of various factors that may influence spinal anesthesia.