Splanchnic turn-over of some energy metabolites and acid-base balance during intravenous infusion of lidocaine, bupivacaine or etidocaine.

The splanchnic turn-over of energy metabolites in circulating blood has been studied in four groups of young, healthy volunteers, receiving intravenous infusions of physiological saline (n = 5), lidocaine 4 mg/min (n = 7), bupivacaine 2 mg/min (n = 7) and etidocaine 2 mg/min (n = 8). The results showed that the local anaesthetic agents increased the splanchnic blood flow and oxygen consumption, the uptake of glycerol and lactate, and the release of 3-hydroxybutyrate. These effects are adrenaline-like but cannot be explained by one single mechanism involving increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system. Only a minor part of the increased oxygen uptake could be attributed to the energy cost of drug metabolism.