[Axillary plexus block with long-acting local anaesthetics (a comparative study of etidocaine and bupivacaine) (author's transl)].

Brachial and axillary plexus blockade was carried out on volunteers using a mixture of etidocaine 1% with adrenaline, and bupivacine 0,5% with adrenaline. Both drugs are long-acting local anaesthetics. No difference has been established with regard to duration of analgesia and motor nerve block. Blockade of sympathetic nerve fibres lasts significantly longer with bupivacaine than with etidocaine. With the latter motor blockade seems to be more strongly influenced and significantly outlasts sensory sympathetic nerve block. The results and findings of other authors are discussed, and whether the different behaviour of the 2 long acting local anaesthetics in this context implies a different affinity of the drugs to the different types of nerves.