[Spinal anaesthesia using bupivacain--clinical experience of more than 6000 cases (author's transl)].
The following report of our experience using isobaric Bupivacaine 0.5% in 6,228 operations (intrathecal technique) will consider the intra operative period. In 55.8% of cases the lower extremities were operated upon and in 44.2% the lower abdomen. In 1,487 cases (23.9%) side effects/complications were evident and a classification of such is as follows: anaesthetic technique 5.29%, cardiorespiratory 15.69%, operator/operative technique 6.13%. The percentage remained relatively constant irrespective of age but a higher pre op risk classification (A.S.A. System) resulted in a marked increase in the above figures. The principal side effects encountered were as follows: Bradycardia 7.5%, hypotonia 6.3%, insufficient analgesia 3.9%, extrasystoles 2.9%. Grave complications occured in 0.15% and within this group 4 patients died intraoperatively; a relationship with the mode of anaesthesia has not been proven.